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Latest News
Public officials’ love of secrecy is no match for the public’s love to watch government decision-making up close. In California, democratic voyeurism prevails.
By Peter Scheer One of California's more remarkable political inventions is the requirement that lawmakers do their lawmaking in the open for all to see. Call it the people’s entitlement to democratic voyeurism: Members of city councils, county supervisors and school boards (among other local legislative bodies) must not only vote in public, they […]June 2, 2009
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Asked and Answered
Does newspaper candidate forum constitute a quorum?
We invited city council candidates to our newspaper offices for an editorial endorsement forum. There are three incumbents and one challenger for three seats. We will have me, the editor, and a reporter there to ask the candidates questions about why we should endorse their candidacy. Because there are three candidates currently on the […]October 6, 2009
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Latest News
Firestorm started by Vietnamese newspaper shows both owners and demonstrators in need of free speech remedial training
[…] response may range, depending on the gravity of the offense, from a flurry of angry letters-to-the-editor, to a the offending article blizzard of emails and faxes, demands for retraction, and calls for readers to cancel their subscriptions. Normalcy usually returns after a few days, at most a week or two--often with readership at a […]June 3, 2009
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Asked and Answered
Is It Legal to Exclude the Public From a Regularly Scheduled Public Meeting?
[…] prevented from entering the County Board of Supervisors Meeting in California where they were deciding whether to open up the county after the coronavirus shutdown. One man was detained for attempting to enter the building. Is it legal for the board of Supervisors to prevent the general public from attending a regularly scheduled board meeting?January 20, 2021
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Latest News
FAC Again Prevails in Unsealing Search Warrants Executed on SF Journalist Bryan Carmody
Three San Francisco judges on Friday ordered the public release of sealed applications for three search warrants executed on freelance journalist Bryan Carmody —for his home, office and phone. The release of these materials should help answer a central question in the Carmody saga: how the San Francisco Police Department was able to obtain […]August 5, 2019
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Asked and Answered
Record of state and federal spending
[…] federal tax monies are spent? Would not the California Public Records Act have to comply with Federal Law (i.e. Freedom of Information Act)? If not, could not a suit be brought in federal court seeking an injunction to force the state legislature and judiciary to make public all records of how tax dollars are spent?June 14, 2009
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Asked and Answered
Printing by public officials
I emailed the county executive officer asking for information about a brochure that our supervisor was handing out. I wanted to know how many brochures were printed, what the cost was and who did the job. Basically, I wanted to get a copy of the bid/contract. He has not responded to my email. Does […]June 14, 2009
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Asked and Answered
CPRA Request being stonewalled by their attorney
[…] district with the governing board elected by the populace. It is a 5 member board. There are no term limits and several board members have run unopposed for many years. This Board is supposed to provide oversight over the actions of the Fire Chief. Recently members of the community have become aware of what […]June 12, 2013
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Asked and Answered
Destruction of Public Records
[…] See 64 Op. Atty. Gen. Cal. 317 (1981) ("Nothing in the Public Records Act purports to govern destruction of records ... Its sole function is to provide for disclosure."). Moreover, it is not always clear what destruction of records is permissible under other provisions of California law. Section 34090 of the Government Code provides […]June 14, 2009