Update from Associated Press: Iowa governor unveils public records process after lawsuit
https://apnews.com/d8f74feed3bafcb97162182882026cca
"Three media organizations and their reporters sued Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Thursday, alleging she has repeatedly violated the state's open records laws by ignoring requests for government records.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa is representing Laura Belin, who operates the liberal-leaning Bleeding Heartland blog; Randy Evans, executive director of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council; and Clark Kauffman, a reporter for the Iowa Capital Dispatch.
"The reporters say they have tried to get public records from Reynolds' office starting as early as April 2020 without success despite waiting for months and in some cases, well over a year. Often, the governor's office didn't acknowledge the records requests or respond to inquiries.
"'The ability of journalists like our clients to access public records is one of the essential safeguards of our democracy. The open record law ensures the public's access to open records in order to assure transparency and the public accountability of our elected officials to the people they represent,' said ACLU of Iowa Legal Director Rita Bettis Austen."
