Scott Walker aims to replace "open records" employees with political hacks.

[Scuba]

Gov. Scott Walker will be able to name political appointees to fill three dozen civil-service jobs that handle open records requests from the public under the budget-repair law he signed last week.


Even the right wing Milwaukee Urinal Sentinel headlined this article: "Walker gives himself more power to fill high state jobs"

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/118217614.html

[old mark]

1. K&R- I knew that was coming- not just anti-union, but anti-civil service...

I have little doubt what he is doing is illegal, but he does not seem to care.


mark

[Jackpine Radical]

4. What a perfect strategy for information management.

Ain't nuttin' gittin' out lessn Scotty wants it gittin' out.

[highplainsdem]

6. +1

[sinkingfeeling]

2. He has to pay back all those donors you know.

[Blue Owl]

3. Oh to serve at the pleasure of the King

How American is that?

[Pacifist Patriot]

8. Interesting "at his majesty's pleasure" was the first thought in my head too.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

5. I don't understand what "handling open records requests" entails

or pertains to. I don't like the sound of this but would like to know more about this position ("open records request handler") - can anyone give examples of what may be involved ?

[highplainsdem]

7. Link to the page on public records law from the WI Freedom of Information Council:

http://www.wisfoic.org/an-openrecordslaw.html

And a FAQ from the WI Dept of Commerce:

http://apps.commerce.wi.gov/OpenRecords/OpenRecordFAQ.html

[Scuba]

9. Thanks! n/t

[eowyn_of_rohan]

11. THANKS! Walker's thugs should not have control over these records

Think of what other THUGS have done with similar power over public or open records:
* FBI officers in charge of responding to Freedom of Information Act requests "so heavily redacted the released records as to preclude needed research." This also brought into question just how one can verify that they have been given complete records in response to a request.

* 1982 President Reagan's Executive Order 12356 allowed federal agencies to withhold enormous amounts of information under Exemption 1(relating to national security information), claiming it would better protect the country and strengthen national security. (President Clinton to dramatically alter the criteria in 1995)

* 2001 Executive Order limiting the Freedom of Information Act -- Executive Order 13233, drafted by Alberto R. Gonzales and issued by President George W. Bu$h, November 1, 2001, shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks, restricted access to the records of former Presidents. (revoked on January 21, 2009 by President Obama)

Jay Heck,of the Wisconsin branch ofCommon Cause, said political appointees may be more interested in fulfilling the letter of the law in open records cases than the spirit (saying) "I don't think there's any question that a political appointee, their inclination is going to be more toward protecting their boss than complying with an open records request.

There are numerous federal and state laws that exempt particular records from disclosure. Common exemptions include:

Drafts, notes, preliminary documents and similar materials.
Published material available for sale or at the library.
Purely personal property with no relation to the office.
Material with access limited due to copyright, patent or bequest.
Trade secrets.
Social security numbers.
Plans or specifications for state buildings.
Information obtained for law enforcement purposes, when required by federal law or regulation as a condition to receipt of state aids.
Computer programs (but the material input and the material produced as the product of a computer program is subject to the right of inspection and copying).
Certain employee information.
Identities of certain applicants for public positions.
Identifies of law enforcement informants.
Attorney-client privilege.

[bigmonkey]

10. Serving the Republican electorate.

Their skill-set is rich in flattery, sucking-up, and manipulation. Have some sympathy, they find it very difficult to survive in a non-corrupt governmental system.

:sarcasm:

[City Lights]

12. He needs a major smackdown ASAFP. nt

[The Backlash Cometh]

13. Once they know what you're looking for, they'll destroy the records.