Rick Perry Withholds Records
When the then Governor George W. Bush ran for president in 2000, his office released a wealth of information that related to his years as the Governor of Texas. There were approximately more than 3,000 pages the detailed Bush's appointments between the year 1995 and 1998 which permitted many news outlets to report on the precise number of campaign donors and lobbyists that he met with. The records indicated which state lawmakers Bush conferred with and what the subject was also indicated how much time he spent reviewing cases that involved capital punishment before the executions were carried out. Basically, the information offered a picture of the style of leadership of a candidate for the president of the US. .
These days, as the Governor of Texas begins his campaign for president, it's doubtful that the general public will gain access to the information that might offer some insight with regard to his ten year term as Governor. Although Rick Perry condones a government that is open, he has adopted some policies that cloak his office in a transparency that prevents any member of the public, especially nosy reporters, from asking questions about his policies.
In the past ten years the Perry administration has prevented information from getting out with regard to approximately 100 open records requests, rather than having them reviewed by attorney general's office for Texas. Last year, there were two cases that Perry's office acknowledged that it either delayed or didn't meet legal deadlines for responding to these requests, which is in violation of the procedures that are well established and outlined in the Texas Public Information Act.
Much of the information that was withheld involved the Texas Enterprise Fund, the Emerging Technology Fund, privately held universities and companies from Perry's two economic funds, and the oversight, bidding and contracts in which state money flows to entrepreneurs. There were some cases that the requests involved entities that were headed by Perry political appointees and campaign donors. In addition, Rick Perry elected to withhold information when third parties complained that they would violate trade secrets or release information that was considered proprietary.
A spokeswoman reported that Governor Perry follows all of the disclosure requirements that are required by Texas and has led the charge to increase transparency in the government of Texas.
Houston attorney Joe Larsen reported that he thinks that Rick Perry's office is violating Texas law by automatically ridding all of his staff members' computers of emails that are more than seven days old. Rick Perry's office has reported that it prints and saves all government retention schedules and all documents that are subject to the laws with regard to open records.
These days, as the Governor of Texas begins his campaign for president, it's doubtful that the general public will gain access to the information that might offer some insight with regard to his ten year term as Governor. Although Rick Perry condones a government that is open, he has adopted some policies that cloak his office in a transparency that prevents any member of the public, especially nosy reporters, from asking questions about his policies.
In the past ten years the Perry administration has prevented information from getting out with regard to approximately 100 open records requests, rather than having them reviewed by attorney general's office for Texas. Last year, there were two cases that Perry's office acknowledged that it either delayed or didn't meet legal deadlines for responding to these requests, which is in violation of the procedures that are well established and outlined in the Texas Public Information Act.
Much of the information that was withheld involved the Texas Enterprise Fund, the Emerging Technology Fund, privately held universities and companies from Perry's two economic funds, and the oversight, bidding and contracts in which state money flows to entrepreneurs. There were some cases that the requests involved entities that were headed by Perry political appointees and campaign donors. In addition, Rick Perry elected to withhold information when third parties complained that they would violate trade secrets or release information that was considered proprietary.
A spokeswoman reported that Governor Perry follows all of the disclosure requirements that are required by Texas and has led the charge to increase transparency in the government of Texas.
Houston attorney Joe Larsen reported that he thinks that Rick Perry's office is violating Texas law by automatically ridding all of his staff members' computers of emails that are more than seven days old. Rick Perry's office has reported that it prints and saves all government retention schedules and all documents that are subject to the laws with regard to open records.