RACINE – A judge’s recent decision to seal a public records lawsuit has confounded open government advocates.
The lawsuit was prompted by a dispute between Racine City Attorney Scott Letteney and Common Council member Sandy Weidner. After becoming tired of what she called growing secrecy and concentrated power in her local government, Weidner brought the case to light, reported the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Last year, when Weidner was running for mayor, Letteney requested all 15 council members attend an executive committee meeting, the Journal Sentinel’s Bruce Vielmetti wrote. Letteney then gave a PowerPoint presentation comprised mostly of emails Weidner had sent from her government account to members of the public. Letteney said information in the emails was confidential and requested the committee refer the matter to the Ethics Board, which they did.
When Weidner asked Letteney for a copy of the presentation following the meeting, she was denied.
Three days after she sued for access under the state’s public records law, Letteney provided 16 emails — with the names of senders redacted — to all the aldermen, as part of the package sent to the Ethics Board, Vielmetti reported.
Racine County Circuit Judge Eugene Gasiorkiewicz told the Journal Sentinel that he made a policy determination in sealing the case, “because of the nature of the action. It’s one that shouldn’t be open.”
