Friday, April 10, 2009

Rendell Questioned On Open Records Requests By Own Appointee

The executive director of Pennsylvania's Office of Public Records, Terry Mutchler, has written to Governor Rendell about requests for access to records of his administration accordingto Angela Coulombis of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Pa.'s public-records czar faults Rendell on openness

In the three-page letter, obtained by The Inquirer, Mutchler revealed a list of her concerns over how the administration has dealt with her and her staff - as well as individual records requests - since she was tapped to lead the open-records office in June.

According to her letter, the situation has gotten so bad that lawyers in Rendell's office have put representatives of every state agency on notice not to even take her calls. Everything has to be in writing, the lawyers insist.

"At a maximum, these examples demonstrate an anti-open-government spirit," Mutchler, a reporter turned lawyer, lamented in her letter to Rendell, written late last month.

She continued: "Some agencies . . . are using the Right-to-Know law as a shield with which to block information rather than a tool with which to open records of government."


Rendell spokespersons deny the allegation and state the differences are only "procedural and not substantive," Mutchler responded by stating let the letter speak for itself. It is amazing that Tom Corbett is breathing down Harrisburg's back and they still won't pay attention.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

It's time the FBI investigate him and all his cronies throughout the state that are already under investigation. When is this self serving creep's term over, so we can vote him OUT!!!!!