A critical open records issue currently before three Kentucky circuit courts, including one lawsuit brought in the Franklin Circuit Court by the Kentucky Open Government Coalition:

"A criminal investigation based on allegations made against the mayor of Parkville and its city manager of destroying and tampering with public records has been opened by the Platte County Sheriff's Office.

"The allegations, outlined in an incident report obtained by The Star, say Mayor Nan Johnston took steps to permanently delete emails that were kept on personal accounts but concerned city business, among other accusations. The offenses listed as under investigation in the report are misdemeanors."

The heroes in this unfolding story in Kentucky are Michael Abate, Jon Fleischaker, and Rick Adams—attorneys in the Louisville law firm Kaplan, Johnson, Abate, & Bird.

These attorneys have the formidable skills, and the deep seated commitment to open government, to overcome the unprecedented threat to the public's right to know emanating from state and local agencies and rubber stamped by the Kentucky Attorney General. They are defending the open records law in each of the three cases—one in Jefferson Circuit involving Louisville Metro Police, another in Madison Circuit Court and a City of Richmond commissioner, and ours with the Fish and Wildlife Commission in Franklin Circuit Court.