[summer]

This article confirms what I have often thought: even though the press wants us to think only Republican leaders are terrible at opening government (and there can certainly be problems there), in fact, it's both parties that are terrible at this. And, often, these leaders hurt themselves the most, IMO.

[summer]

From article: "Our experience is that local officials want to abide by the law, but they often don't know how."

LOL...

[Gabz]

even though the press wants us to think only Republican leaders are terrible at opening government (and there can certainly be problems there), in fact, it's both parties that are terrible at this.

Funny you should mention that :)

There is a rather scathing article in this morning's Delaware newspaper (obviously basedon this AP article) about the lack of openness in Delaware government agencies, which have been under the control of Democratics for nearly 16 years........

[antiRepublicrat]

We think the carrot is preferable to the stick.

What carrot? Anyway, the civil penalties are useless, because it likely comes out of the government budget. Violators should at the very least be subject to personal civil suit. Going up the scale, they should be fired or even fined and imprisoned if it can be shown that they knew of the law and failed to comply.

[Red Badger]

The Florida Sunshine laws are enforced, usually to the embarrasment of local officials who try to skirt them, either knowingly or unknowingly......

[traviskicks]

"Our experience is that local officials want to abide by the law, but they often don't know how."





Libertarian ping! To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here.

[zeugma]

"There is largely a culture in state and local government that violating public meetings and open records laws is not the same as committing a crime," Chamberlin said. "It's largely treated as a nuisance rather than a law."

Is anyone surprised by this at all?

Drive 5 mph over the speed limit, and they whack you with all the fines they can muster, but when they break the law it's just business as usual. 

[DustyMoment]

AP National Survey Finds 'Sunshine' Laws Often Not Enforced

Gee, no kidding.

Where's the "Captain Obvious" Alert!!??