Joe Larsen

Texas high court carves “monstrous loophole” for government secrets

FOIFT2016-08-08T14:54:29-05:00

By Jim Malewitz The Texas Tribune Originally published Aug. 5, 2016 Thanks to the Texas Supreme Court, McAllen taxpayers cannot find out how much their city paid Enrique Iglesias to belt out his Latin pop lyrics at a holiday parade. And Houston cannot release, among other information, how many driver permits it has issued to ride-hailing giant Uber. A Kaufman County school district’s food service deal? Much of that is now secret, as are details of a Texas Department of Insurance contract for interpretation services. Those are a few instances among many over the past year in which Texas Attorney General [...]

Texas high court carves “monstrous loophole” for government secretsFOIFT2016-08-08T14:54:29-05:00

Houston Mayor Turner uses search firm to keep police chief candidates from public view

FOIFT2016-06-01T13:28:59-05:00

By James Pinkerton Houston Chronicle Originally published May 31, 2016 Mayor Sylvester Turner has chosen to select Houston's next police chief through a private executive search firm, taking the position that the applications and résumés of job candidates do not have to be made available through the Texas Public Information Act. The process stands in stark contrast to that used by his predecessor, Annise Parker, who in 2010 released the applications of 26 candidates for police chief in response to a records request. "I am not going to conduct this process in the media," Turner said via email Friday. "I didn't [...]

Houston Mayor Turner uses search firm to keep police chief candidates from public viewFOIFT2016-06-01T13:28:59-05:00

Questions raised in sex assault case as Bexar sheriff refuses to release basic report

FOIFT2016-01-19T19:11:51-06:00

By Brian Chasnoff Metro Columnist San Antonio Express-News Originally published Jan. 18, 2016 Last month, Bexar County Sheriff Susan Pamerleau seemed to acknowledge the role the media can play in cases of potential officer misconduct. Previously, her office had refused to release to the media even a basic incident report of a fatal deputy-involved shooting. That day, after a grand jury declined to indict two deputies in the shooting of Gilbert Flores, Pamerleau told a roomful of reporters that “times have changed … and going forward, we may make different decisions on information, on whether it’s releasable or not.” The times, [...]

Questions raised in sex assault case as Bexar sheriff refuses to release basic reportFOIFT2016-01-19T19:11:51-06:00

AG: Full juvenile consultant contract can be withheld

FOIFT2015-12-17T14:29:35-06:00

By Jessica Priest Victoria Advocate Originally published Dec. 15, 2015 The Victoria Advocate will not receive a copy of District Attorney Stephen Tyler's full contract with a consulting firm he hired to analyze the juvenile detention center. The Texas Attorney General's Office ruled Monday that the contract is excepted from disclosure. The AG's Office ruled that Tyler established the contract was privileged attorney-client communication under Texas Rule of Evidence 503 (b)(1). That rule allows a client "to refuse to disclose or to prevent from disclosing confidential communications made to facilitate the rendition of professional legal services to the client." A communication [...]

AG: Full juvenile consultant contract can be withheldFOIFT2015-12-17T14:29:35-06:00

HCC board hired lawyer without vote

FOIFT2015-12-15T14:05:53-06:00

By Benjamin Wermund Houston Chronicle Originally published Dec. 14, 2015 As conflict roiled the upper reaches of Houston Community College early last year, the institution's board chairman, Neeta Sane, told her fellow trustees during a closed-door session that they needed to hire an outside lawyer to negotiate a contract for an incoming chancellor. The attorney, Vidal Martinez, would come to do much more and earn a total of $200,463 in legal fees working both for the board and, later, HCC's administration - though no vote or discussion of Sane's decision to hire him ever took place in public. In addition to [...]

HCC board hired lawyer without voteFOIFT2015-12-15T14:05:53-06:00

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