In Delaware, the AG steps up

From today's Wilmington Journal comes news that the state's AG will support a bill giving his office jurisdiction to represent citizens in FOI jams, much to the chagrin of at least one powerful lawmaker:


"A powerful opponent of previous legislation related to sunshine laws expressed concern Tuesday after Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden announced his support of a bill that would allow his office to represent citizens who file Freedom of Information Act cases against the state.

Senate President Pro Tem Thurman Adams Jr., D-Bridgeville, said he worries the proposed bill could stretch the Attorney General's Office thin. Adams has put the brakes on previous FOIA bills, including two this session that remain stalled in the Senate Executive Committee, which he chairs.

Under current law, the Attorney General's Office represents the state in FOIA cases brought by the public, often requiring citizens to pay their own legal fees as they seek documents from state agencies.

A bill, which is expected to be introduced when legislators resume session next month, would allow a person who has been denied information by a state agency to go to the Attorney General's Office for a determination on whether the agency is violating the sunshine law...."

Senate President Pro Tem Thurman Adams Jr., D-Bridgeville, said he worries the proposed bill could stretch the Attorney General's Office thin. He said that the AG risks "opening up a bigger can of worms than he thinks because they'll have to deal with a lot of off-the-wall complaints."

Ah, you gotta love that: a state attorney general receiving inquiries on open government = "a can of worms."

And I thought we called it democracy?

CD