​

Access to public records has been an issue for many years.  Under a 2017 state law, the legislature authorized the creation of a new Public Records Advocate to assist in the display and access to public records.  The public records advocate is supposed to function independently of any political official however, Ginger McCall, Oregon's Public Record Advocate whose office was located in the Governor's office, informed the governor that she plans is resigning effective Oct. 11. She cited what she said was pressure from the governor's staff to advance Brown's public records policy priorities over the publics.    A draft opinion from the Oregon Department of Justice determined there is no evidence lawmakers intended The Governor's office nor staff were to play any role in supervising the advocate or sign off on her work products. The draft opinion also said lawmakers clearly intended to constrain the governor's powers to direct the advocate and to give the advocate an unusual degree of independence from her office.

The Public Advocates office, in addition to providing education and training on public records, is to serve as a mediator in resolving disputes between requestors and public bodies. The position was touted as innovative and revolutionary as Governor Brown professed transparency as one of her top priorities. We can see now, that the reality was the opposite. It seems that the Governor's staff wanted to stop McCall from finding and fixing weaknesses in Oregon's public records law, which is exactly what she was hired to do.  Unforutnately, the new Advocate faces the same opposition to any transparency from the Governor, Attorney General, and Legislative Assembly itself.

As has been stated before, "Secrecy" and "government" are two words that should not go together in Oregon, but too often do.  As an elected official, it is my job to represent my constituents and be transparent in those actions.  Unfortunately, I am routinely denied public records in the Legislature and by bureaucrats.  These denials are then backed by the Attorney General with unlimited funds to destroy citizens in any court challenge.  Nothing will improve unless citizens take action themselves to demand transparency.