Name: Arkansas blogger refiles FOIA lawsuit against state police: Battle for transparency or threat to governor's security?
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Arkansas blogger refiles FOIA lawsuit against state police: Battle for transparency or threat to governor's security?

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34568c8bae0bc3439f9c06a73eea0ec3bbce854bab60ebfa8e30d47c71d2cfcc6829c17a90be664cby Andrew MobleyThu, October 5th 2023, 4:42 AM UTCArkansas attorney and Blue Hog blogger Matthew Campbell has refiled his Freedom of Information lawsuit against Arkansas State Police. (Photo KATV)Arkansas attorney and "Blue Hog" blogger Matthew Campbell has refiled his lawsuit against Arkansas State Police, accusing them of failing to provide public records he requested under the Freedom of Information Act, or "FOIA."It was all precipitated by Campbell's request a few months ago for all state police documents and communications regarding security for the governor and her husband, as well as associated expenditures and costs.Soon after, he requested 2023 records pertaining to expenditures during trips to Europe on state police aircraft, namely the governor's trade mission to Europe in June.When state police repeatedly refused to provide the full extent of the requested information on the grounds that it would be counter to their duty to ensure the safety of the governor and her family, Campbell sued.In his lawsuit, Campbell asserts that state police denied him his FOIA rights and made excuses by referencing Arkansas laws he says they either misunderstood or misinterpreted in order to deny his FOIA request.Some supporting the exemption of information about the governor's security from FOIA have said that public disclosure of the governor's travel information exposes her and her family to danger by potentially revealing the patterns and practices of her movement and security.My only responsibility, my only task, is to protect the governor and her family as it relates to this issue. So, we don't care about information being embarrassing to the governor. She did not hire me to be her political consultant. We do not want to share information that's going to compromise security. That's the only thing that we're looking out for," said Col. Mike Hagar, director of the Arkansas State Police.In the lawsuit, Campbell says state police contradicted that argument when they released to him detailed travel information that could actually compromise the governor's security, and instead, he said, they only redacted the names of passengers on the governor's flights—names that he wanted.The Arkansas State Police are no different than any other agency, and they can only withhold records based on a valid FOIA exemption," Campbell said. "Instead, they chose to lie and claim a non-existent FOIA exemption, only to then admit to the legislature that there was no legal basis that prevented the release of these records at the time I requested them."I look forward to letting Col. Hagar explain under oath why he believes that it is acceptable for a law-enforcement agency to intentionally violate the law solely to protect the Governor’s ego," Campbell said.Now, in light of a law recently passed that exempts state police records concerning the governor's security from disclosure, Campbell has refiled his lawsuit with a motion for a restraining order against the new law, which he says should not be legally in effect...meaning the once-stalled legal battle is anything but over.In a statement provided to Channel 7, Alexa Henning, the governor's communications director, said the following:Any judge should see that Arkansas law prevents the disclosure of records that reflect the planning or provision of security services provided to the state’s constitutional officers and that this is just another dangerous ploy by some on the radical left to put the Governor and her family’s lives in danger.The lawsuit and restraining order will be heard before the Pulaski County Circuit Court. Stay with Channel 7 for future updates.Loading ...

34568c8bae0bc3439f9c06a73eea0ec3bbce854bab60ebfa8e30d47c71d2cfcc6829c17a90be664cby Andrew MobleyThu, October 5th 2023, 4:42 AM UTCArkansas attorney and Blue Hog blogger Matthew Campbell has refiled his Freedom of Information lawsuit against Arkansas State Police. (Photo KATV)Arkansas attorney and "Blue Hog" blogger Matthew Campbell has refiled his lawsuit against Arkansas State Police, accusing them of failing to provide public records he requested under the Freedom of Information Act, or "FOIA."It was all precipitated by Campbell's request a few months ago for all state police documents...

Arkansas blogger refiles FOIA lawsuit against state police: Battle for transparency or threat to governor's security?

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