This is why large, well-funded news organizations still matter.
The Boston Globe reports that it has won a favorable court ruling in its three-year quest to obtain the names of people who have received large financial settlements from the state.
The administration of Gov. Deval Patrick, no friend of the state’s public-records law, had fought the request from the beginning — its defiance of a ruling by Secretary of State Bill Galvin’s office led the Globe to sue — and the governor may yet file an appeal.
At issue: “the names of 89 individuals who received settlements of $10,000 or more between January 2005 and March 2010.”
That’s our money. Good for the Globe for pushing to find out who got it and why.
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Patricia Bennett
I agree, it only raises more suspicion. Also I wonder when that senator that had to fork over $800 to get public information on EBT card balances will get the information she requested (I apologize but her name escapes me). She was told the cost was $800 and it would take 10 days, it’s been well over 3 weeks now.
So much for transparency, not only locally but we are certainly seeing the same thing on the national scale as well.
Cynthia Stead
Rep. Shauna O’Connell (R-Taunton). AFAIK, no word so far.
Pete Morin
Following on the story about the explosion of sex and race discrimination lawsuits against the state (what’s up with that???), you have to wonder who the heck is making decisions.
cynthiastead
DK – Small organizations do this as well. Tom Duggan of the Valley Patriot has two court orders to compel Mayor Lantigua to turn over records, and contempt citations have been issued. I asked him why he didn’t just get a constable and swear out an arrest warrant.
Dan Kennedy
@Cynthia: Good for Tom. A lot of news organizations are good about filing FOIA requests and pursuing it up to the secretary of state’s office. But once it starts costing money, they can’t afford it.