Muddying the Waters on Sunshine

I meant to address this yesterday, but got bogged down in maps etc. The Register of Des Moines carried news Thursday that legislation creating a panel to help enforce open meetings and records laws in Iowa exempts the governor, judicial branch and Legislature.

From the DMR:

Lawmakers are considering creation of a new board to better enforce Iowa's open records and meetings laws, but there's a notable exemption from the board's oversight: the governor and his office.The board's oversight also would not extend to operations of the legislative and judicial branches, reflecting current open records and meetings laws. But it's the governor's exemption that is raising eyebrows."We believe, and this is where the anger comes in, that this is a very cynical bill," said Larry Pope of the Iowa League of Cities. "We have had the governor's office staff lobbying the bill, pushing the bill, but at the same time lobbying to get out of it."

The board's oversight also would not extend to operations of the legislative and judicial branches, reflecting current open records and meetings laws. But it's the governor's exemption that is raising eyebrows.

"We believe, and this is where the anger comes in, that this is a very cynical bill," said Larry Pope of the Iowa League of Cities. "We have had the governor's office staff lobbying the bill, pushing the bill, but at the same time lobbying to get out of it."

OK, do I wish that the board's reach would extend to the governor, lawmakers and Judicial branch? Yes I do. And I disagree with Branstad's lame arguments as to why his office should be exempted.

But this proposal has been around for years, and it's never applied to the governor. So this is not a surprise. Maybe someday, if the board ever gets off the ground, it's scope can be expanded.

What this is, really, is an attempt by Larry Pope and the League of Cities to muddy the waters and kill the bill. The league could give a rip whether the panel can investigate the governor. What it cares about is whether this panel will be looking into municipal-level shenanigans. It's not the bill that's cynical, it's the league for thinking it would be tough to see through its obvious strategy.

Look, this board isn't needed because no one's watching the governor's office. Many people have full-time jobs that include keeping close tabs on what the governor, Legisalture and judicial branch are doing or not doing.

The board is really needed to help Iowans who don't work for news organizations, who who live in places where reporters seldom tread and who believe their local leaders are playing it fast and loose with the law. Right now, unless they're prepared to pay for a potentially long legal fight, there's a fair chance no one will listen to them. This board could change that. It could give them a place to take their concerns.

It's certainly not perfect legislation. It's been amended so many times it's tough to keep up with its contents.

But it's evidently potent enough to worry the elected officials who provide taxpayer-supported dues to the League of Cities to lobby and, in this case, kill this bill. They apparently think it might be effective. Otherwise they wouldn't be so intent on making sure it never happens.