Transparency News 8/11/15

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

State and Local Stories

Do you know about The Government Attic website? Governmentattic.org provides electronic copies of thousands of interesting Federal Government documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.  Fascinating historical documents, reports on items in the news, oddities and fun stuff and government bloopers, they're all here. 

Three Virginia liquor agents involved in a bloody arrest that prompted allegations of racism followed procedures and did nothing wrong, the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Department said Monday. University of Virginia student Martese Johnson's arrest caused a furor after photos and video of the 20-year-old, pinned to the sidewalk by an officer and bleeding from the head, were circulated widely on social media. Johnson, who is black, could be heard on the recordings calling the officers racist. Gov. Terry McAuliffe ordered Virginia State Police to investigate. The report was completed about two weeks ago. "After thoroughly reviewing the incident and the report, Virginia ABC concluded that the agents did not violate agency policy and returned these special agents to active duty today," the ABC said in a news release. "Because Virginia law prohibits disclosure of personnel files, the administrative review will not be released, and Virginia ABC cannot comment on specifics of the matter," the department said in its news release.  ABC spokeswoman Becky Gettings later acknowledged that state law would allow ABC to release the report, but the agency was choosing not to. 
Virginian-Pilot
WTVR

BVU Authority spent almost $132,000 on memberships and events at the Country Club of Bristol between 2001 and 2015, when the practice ended. Documents obtained from BVU show that the public utilities provider maintained a long-term corporate membership at the private golf and entertainment club on Old Jonesboro Road in Bristol, Tennessee, and provided individual memberships for four current and former executives. Those individual memberships recently attracted the scrutiny of Internal Revenue Service investigators, who said all four, including former CEO Wes Rosenbalm, failed to declare their value on individual federal income tax returns.
Herald Courier

National Stories

Police in the nation’s capital would release more footage from body cameras than in any other major U.S. city under a plan from Mayor Muriel E. Bowser that reverses her previous opposition to making such videos public. Bowser’s proposal, which has the potential to shed light on thousands of recorded interactions between police and the public, would allow private citizens to obtain copies of video recorded on street corners, during traffic stops and elsewhere outdoors. The proposal would draw a bright line, however, between such recordings and those made in private spaces. Citing privacy concerns, the city would restrict access to video recorded indoors, for the most part allowing it only in court proceedings.
Washington Post