Bobby Jindal Refuses to Release Work Email

Bobby Jindal has dinged Hillary Clinton over her use of private email while in office, but he appears less than eager to release his own work-related correspondence, the Advocate reports. When the newspaper asked for access to the emails, the Louisiana governor's team said that the documents were protected by exemptions in public-records rules. "Aside from the obvious reason for excluding security information, these content-based exemptions support the environment of open discussion and full analysis necessary for staff to make recommendations to assist the governor in the usual course of the duties and business of his office," wrote Jindal's top lawyer.

The AP, which also sought emails from Jindal's office, got a similar response from lawyer Thomas Enright. "Aside from email communications with internal staff and emails with family, friends, and personal business, Governor Jindal discusses, debates, and resolves issues relating to official duties either face-to-face or on the telephone," he said. Jindal, who called for a transparent government in his first gubernatorial campaign, supported a law that included protecting communications tied to the "deliberative process." Fair enough, a transparency advocate tells the Advocate: "What is out of line is how [the law has] been interpreted." Proposed legislation could, however, rid the law of the exemptions. (More Bobby Jindal stories.)