An organization whose goal is to support groups and individuals trying to access open records or have access to meetings that are illegally closed has named our governor as this year’s recipient of an award no state official would want to receive.
Local organization, Freedom of Information Oklahoma, has recognized Governor Mary Fallin as this year’s recipient of their Black Hole recognition.
The Black Hole award recognizes an individual, agency or organization that has most thwarted the free flow of information.
According to FOI Oklahoma, Gov. Fallin was named as deserving the Black Hole recognition for damaging access to records that should be easily available to the public.
Gov. Fallin has received many complaints regarding delayed access to public records for sometimes more than a year.
The Tulsa World reportedly waited 15 months for the governor’s office to release more than 8,000 records related to prison reforms.
This is the second year in a row that Gov. Fallin has received the recognition for failing to release records to the public.
Two new lawsuits have been filed because of her office’s slow relase of public records, and today another organization joined the list.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma Foundation filed a motion for summary judgement and a supporting legal brief today in Oklahoma County District Court on behalf of Vandelay Entertainment, the publisher of TheLostOgle.com, in its suit against Gov. Fallin.
According to a release, the suit seeks a court order compelling Gov. Fallin to release 100 pages of public records she has refused to turn over regarding her decision to reject medicaid expansion.
Governor Mary Fallin has hired a private law firm to defend her office in this ongoing open records lawsuit.