This weekend marks the end of Sunshine Week, when journalists and other open government advocates emphasize the public's right to know.
In the spirit of the New York Times' venerable in-house newsletter, Winners and Sinners, which points out the hits and misses of journalism, I've decided to list some of the highlights and lowlights of Oregon's public information. .
And then a very strange letter arrived in my inbox.
First, let's introduce the winners of Open Government.
- The Milwaukee Police Department and its retiring Chief Luke Strait set an example of transparency by releasing police body camera footage after a man died in custody. Mr. Strait then met with editors here to discuss his department's response.
- The Multnomah County Sheriff has launched an investigation into a spate of deaths in county jails and promised transparency about the findings.
- Street Roots, a local nonprofit news station that focuses on issues facing unsheltered populations, fights and wins a major appeal regarding the disclosure of coroner's records related to prison deaths Did.
- Earlier this year, I took issue with TriMet over anti-transparency language it included when it released photos showing taxpayer-supported activities. It later removed onerous language that required anyone using the photo to agree not to “disrespect” the agency.
- Todd Albert, a public records advocate in Oregon, is working hard to expand the database of district attorney public records orders. His 36 district attorneys in the state play a major role in open government because they can override records denial requests by local governments like school districts and cities. But those orders are scattered across the state. Mr. Albert has embarked on a project to collect them online in one place. ). “We encourage all 36 district attorneys in Oregon to make the order available to anyone who wants to know the status of their public records below the county level,” Albert said. . “Existing orders require no one to know what types of frequently requested (and challenged) records may be provided and what records are subject to withholding. It also helps you understand.”
Now, some sinners say:
- The Portland Central City Task Force brought together dozens of local business and political leaders to identify the essential needs of the downtown core and worked in private. The results were made available to the public, but the process could have been more transparent.
- Washington County faces two penalties. First, the county itself became a pretzel to avoid releasing public records regarding serious allegations involving a sitting commissioner. More recently, the sheriff has refused to release the results of completed investigations into jail deaths, in stark contrast to the Multnomah County Sheriff's position, which supports release.
- The commission that investigates gun violence and makes recommendations to reduce gun deaths and injuries in Oregon will not reveal its members. The project is funded by public grants and involves programs at public universities, but an Oregon Health & Science University spokesperson would not say who was on the committee. (After another review this week, OHSU released a list of members.)
And this is this stupid thing at the beginning of Sunshine Week. An attorney representing the Multnomah Educational Service District wrote a complaint charging one of the reporters, Julia Silverman, with felony and misdemeanor counts of committing a journalistic crime.
Silverman said MESD Superintendent Paul Coakley has written a letter on behalf of seven public school districts serving more than 80,000 students terminating a long-standing relationship with a prominent local nonprofit organization. He was reporting the fact that he had written it. This letter and the rationale behind it are undoubtedly of serious public concern.
In response to attempts to interview Dr. Coakley, MESD attorney Nancy Hungerford wrote, “Silverman also threatened to file a public records request unless Dr. Coakley's personal calendar was provided to her.” .
In fact, our reporter asked if his schedule was available to the public. Perhaps some of them are published online. If not, she said she would file a records request. Civil service schedules are basic public records and are not state secrets.
Importantly, records requests should not be viewed as a threat. Providing public records should be considered a basic function of taxpayer-supported government agencies, rather than an additional burden viewed through an adversarial lens. The public paid for those records, so they should be able to see them.
Labeling a journalist's efforts to get answers “harassment” looks like a clumsy attempt to scare The Oregonian/OregonLive into withdrawing from reporting. But we will continue to pursue the facts. (My response to MESD's attorney is public record. You can read it here.)
Oregon's Freedom of Information Act got off to a strong start dating back to the post-Watergate era. Over the years, they have been whittled away. Meanwhile, a major effort is underway in California to strengthen and improve disclosure laws.
I hope Oregon's legislators and public officials take notice. Each of us has the right to know what our government is up to.
Please contact us at tbottomly@oregonian.com
