Newsletter
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Everett honored for her access work
Maria Everett, executive director of the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council, was given VCOG’s 2004 award for exemplary work in seeking to keep government open to public scrutiny. The Virginia General Assembly created the council in 2000 to foster compliance with the state’s open-meeting and open-record laws. Under Everett’s leadership, the council has gained…
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Restrict a governor’s working papers, Griffith urges
A decade ago, the joke around Richmond was that even VDOT’s road crews had one of those rubber stamps that said, “Confidential. Governor ’s Working Papers.” At the time, Republican George Allen was governor. What a difference a decade makes. House Majority Leader Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, now wants to restrict a governor’s ability to keep…
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Corp. no public body, but will operate as such
The Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corp. hired a lawyer to say if it was subject to FOIA. Roger Wiley, the FOI lawyer, said in his opinion it was not a public body, and thus not covered by FOIA. The corporation said it would operate as a public body anyway — as urged by Wiley and…
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Public TV/radio not a public body
WHRO, the public television and radio station in Norfolk, is not a public body subject to FOIA because it is not supported wholly or principally by public funds, Norfolk Circuit Chief Judge Joseph Leafe held on Sept. 1. The ruling put an end to an attempt by David Wigand of Pulaski to compel the station…