Government Watchdog Organization Sues Wisconsin DOA for Records

Government Accountability & Oversight seeks records related to money spent placing climate activists within state departments

Government Accountability & Oversight, with representation from the Wisconsin Transparency Project, has filed a lawsuit against the Wisconsin Department of Administration alleging that DOA violated the Open Records Law.  GAO pursues and supports litigation that seeks to ensure that governmental entities at state, local, and federal levels comply with their sunshine and transparency obligations under open records acts.

GAO has been reporting on the efforts of progressive operatives to buy their way into high-level positions in state governments.  They have been paying the salaries of highly-placed administrators in state agencies to do particular work they want done, like pushing aggressive global warming policies.  Targeted states include Connecticut, Colorado, Hawai’i, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, and here in Wisconsin.

Transparency in these efforts is crucial, but the Wisconsin DOA is hiding emails related to this project, claiming them to be attorney-client privileged.  But when asked, they refused to provide basic information that would allow GAO or a court to verify those claims, such as dates, subject lines, senders, and recipients.

“Basic factual information like this is not privileged,” explained Tom Kamenick, President and Founder of the Wisconsin Transparency Project.  “Record custodian must redact privileged information and release the remainder – they cannot simply withhold the entire record.  We are asking a judge to review these emails and determine whether they really are privileged.”

Attorney Chris Horner, who represents GAO in numerous matters, notes that “GAO was heartened to see Wisconsin voters reject activist-donor financing of certain important functions of governance—specifically, administering elections; yet the practice continues to proliferate throughout Wisconsin’s government, including law enforcement. Hopefully this suit will help expose such activist occupation of government to the disinfectant of sunlight.”