Sound Politics: Public Non-Disclosure

February 27, 2006

Public Non-Disclosure

Today's P-I reports that Seattle city government is catching up with King County for violations of public records laws: "City keeps many records private"

The city of Seattle, caught illegally filling wetlands at a construction site, has refused to release more than 130 documents recounting the city's dealings with the wetlands expert it hired to try to get the city out of trouble.

It's one recent example among hundreds in which the city has denied records to the public after a controversial 5-4 Washington Supreme Court ruling. In one case, the city even refused to disclose how it administers the Public Disclosure Act -- the very law that governs release of public records.

Maybe the city is getting discount legal advice from county prosecutor Norman Maleng, who told me with a straight face last summer that "we have some fairly tough laws on public records" and that the law is "working fairly adequately" [audio clip here, longer transcript here]

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at February 27, 2006 07:15 AM | Email This

Comments

1. Just one more bit of evidence on the arrogant, anti-democratic power structure in the Seattle, KC region.

Posted by: JCM on February 27, 2006 07:46 AM

2. Unfortunate (but not unexpected).

Sad to see, but are you just now noticing that, when the light of public scrutiny is shined on government ineptitude or corruption, public officials, regardless of political affiliation, have the knee-jerk reaction to circle the wagons against the public?!

Posted by: alphabet soup on February 27, 2006 08:25 AM

3. Hey wait a minute now, I have some wetlands (see class 4 ditch) I've been trying to work around for 2 years. I want to know how these folks are getting away with this! Inquiring private property owners want the same consideration. Oh wait you said "SEATTLE in KING COUNTY" Sorry, my mistake, No equal treatment possible here.

Posted by: Roscoe on February 27, 2006 08:26 AM

4. It's consistent with the rest of the public disclosure activities in the county/state.

Posted by: Fed Up on February 27, 2006 09:00 AM

5. The rules are for us and not them. Try filling in that puddle, I mean the wetlands on your own property and see what happens.

Posted by: Jeff B. on February 27, 2006 09:06 AM

6. Notice how the P-I has no trouble motivating itself to cast a critical eye at local government when it some critical issue like urban wetlands.

But they and the Times are totally asleep at the wheel concerning what they consider a non-important story, the integrity of our election system. NTSH-MA (Nothing to see here, move along).

Posted by: huckleberry on February 27, 2006 09:31 AM

7. Maleng is a complete tool. Why he hasn't been prosecuted, or at least run out of office, is beyond me.

Posted by: H Moul on February 27, 2006 09:32 AM

8. "Wetland" is an old Native American word for lousy drainage.

Posted by: Huey on February 27, 2006 09:39 AM

9. Huey, when I was a kid in the pre PC era, we used to call it SWAMP.
I like your sense of humor!

Posted by: Fed Up on February 27, 2006 10:30 AM

10. Even NPR said on the air several years ago that Liberals' policy is "that rules apply to everyone else except them.

Google Bill Arthur, Sierra Club employee, who was caught clear cutting several years ago. It was not fully reported by the Seattle Times and PI, but you can find it in the NY Times

Posted by: Green Lake Mark on February 27, 2006 12:41 PM

11. Think of this the records are kept private. The democrats have figured out a way to block election reform make every ballot that is illegally cast stored at their lawyers office. Then no one can see them. Legalize Fraud and Government Abuse give all the documents to the lawyers so it is Lawyer client private. Next we will see murders give their lawyers all the evidence. If the police can not see it because it is priveleged information murders can now go free. Let the rich democrats and tax payer paid lawyers block just and freedom of information. If you dont have proof they are innocient.

Posted by: David Anfinrud on February 27, 2006 12:45 PM