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Family of Man Killed by Cop Balks at Sheriff's $314K Bill

They want info on officer who killed him; lawyer says records fee is 'offensive'

(Newser) - When pedestrian Blane Land was struck and killed by a police officer in Jacksonville, Fla., in May, his family immediately began digging into the officer's prior conduct. As it turned out, Officer Tim James had been investigated at least 11 times by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and would...

Romney Staff Spent $97K to Purge Records

Digital records of his governorship erased at taxpayers' expense

(Newser) - Mitt Romney's aides' attempt to erase the electronic records from his time as Massachusetts governor cost the state's taxpayers nearly $100,000, Reuters finds. As Romney prepared to launch his first presidential bid in 2007, his staff bought the hard drives of their state-issued computers, wiped emails from...

Emails Reveal Todd Palin's Power

'First Dude' had say in virtually every aspect of Sarah Palin's administration

(Newser) - Todd Palin had a massive amount of power in his wife’s administration in Alaska, recently released emails confirm. The missives, obtained by NBC through the state’s public records law, show the “first dude” was heavily involved in judicial appointments, contract negotiations with public employees, and state board...

Alaska Democrats Complain of Palin Email Cover-Up

Year-old requests still unfilled

(Newser) - Democrats have been waiting more than a year for officials to release the thousands of Sarah Palin’s emails, and they’re starting to get suspicious. “I think they’re hiding something, I think this is a travesty of justice,” says the state’s Democratic Party chairwoman. “...

Rose Mary's Baby: FBI Named Worst at 'Losing' Files

Agency comes up empty on 2 of every 3 requests

(Newser) - "We never find our files" might be an apt motto for the FBI, according to a damning report from the National Security Archive. The private institution awarded the FBI its "Rosemary Award" for the worst Freedom of Information Act performance of any federal agency. It fails to fulfill...

Palin's 'Private' Emails Raise Accountability Flap

Two-account system undercuts public transparency, critics charge

(Newser) - Candidate Sarah Palin vowed to be an "open and transparent" governor, but as VP candidate she's drawing unwanted scrutiny with her use of private email to conduct state business, the Anchorage Daily News reports. Although the governor has a state email account, which is archived, she appears to use...

Cheney Sued to Expose Secrets

Citizens group asks judge to order his records preserved for public access

(Newser) - A federal judge is being asked to prevent Dick Cheney from destroying or hiding what some believe are the administration's best kept secrets, reports the Washington Post. The advocacy group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics is calling for a court order to force the powerful vice president to preserve his...

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