RACINE – A public records request by The (Racine) Journal Times for legal costs in the city of Racine’s contempt of court case against Alderman Sandy Weidner has been denied.
City Attorney Scott Letteney’s office said the requested invoices were under seal, along with the case, meaning the amount the city is spending on the case is not available to the public, The Journal Times reported.
In early October, Weidner was charged with contempt of court after speaking with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Associated Press about an open records case that was sealed by Racine County Circuit Court Judge Eugene Gasiorkiewicz.
The Wisconsin Newspaper Association, Wisconsin Broadcasters Association, Freedom of Information Council, USA Today Network-Wisconsin and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel filed a motion to intervene last week requesting that the legal documents from the Weidner public records case be unsealed. The city of Racine’s lawyers have filed a sealed brief opposing the group’s efforts.
