Why is the Cuomo Administration Automatically Deleting State Employees’ Emails?

[marmar]

Why is the Cuomo Administration Automatically Deleting State Employees’ Emails?
A previously unpublished memo raises new questions about New York State’s policy of purging emails after 90 days.

by Theodoric Meyer
ProPublica, Aug. 11, 2014, 11 p.m.

This story was co-published with the Albany Times-Union and WNYC.

New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s administration — which the governor pledged would be the most transparent in state history — has quietly adopted policies that allow it to purge the emails of tens of thousands of state employees, cutting off a key avenue for understanding and investigating state government.

Last year, the state started deleting any emails more than 90 days old that users hadn't specifically saved — a much more aggressive stance than many other states. The policy shift was first reported by the Albany Times Union.

A previously unpublished memo outlining the policy raises new questions about the state's stated rationale for its deletions policy. What's more, the rules on which emails must be retained are bewilderingly complex – they fill 118 pages – leading to further concern that emails may not be saved at all.

"If you're aggressively destroying your email, it looks like you're trying to hide something," said Benjamin Wright, a Dallas lawyer who has advised companies and government agencies on records retention. ..............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.propublica.org/article/why-is-cuomo-administration-automatically-deleting-state-employees-emails

[Smarmie Doofus]

1. I imagine they'd be un-FOIL-able at that point.

So much bullshit going on under Quid Pro Cuomo.

If I were he.... I guess I'd adopt a general "destroy the evidence" policy too.