Iowa governor releases e-mails from private account

In response to an AP request, Iowa Gov. Chet Culver released some e-mails he sent during his first two years in office, when he used a private server from his campaign rather than a state e-mail account, the AP reported. The AP had requested e-mail communication from Culver and Lt. Gov. Patty Judge about right-to-work and prevailing wage issues. Iowa law does not specifically list e-mails as public records.

Iowa Gov. Chet Culver has released some e-mails he sent in his first two years in office using private computers and non-government servers, a move that follows criticism that he was using private e-mail accounts to dodge public-records law.

Freedom-of-information advocates called the decision a step forward for transparency in state government that counters a trend of public officials who deny access to electronic correspondence.

Joseph P. Sandler, a Washington, D.C.-based attorney for Culver's election campaign, said after researching the matter, he concluded that the governor's e-mails dealing with state business between addresses on non-government servers are public record. He made the decision in response to a public records request by The Associated Press.

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