The Public Records Officer Podcast

@governorferguson.bsky.social ordered state agencies to stop auto-deleting their messages. Two days later, WaTech held a meeting to explain it. Someone asked if it would be recorded. WaTech's reply: “And make it discoverable? LOL.” Nothing funnier than covering up the public’s business. 🤷 #waleg

Free Press and the Committee to Protect Journalists Lead Brief in Support of Detained Journalist Mario Guevara The targeting, muzzling, detention and possible deportation of beloved journalist Mario Guevara is as legally unjust as it is a sign of the Trump administration’s censorship scheme.

We are proud to join this brief in support of journalist Mario Guevara, who faces imminent deportation to El Salvador for reporting the news.

If you were outraged about Jimmy Kimmel, you should be doubly outraged about this case.

We take the right’s hypocrisy on free speech to task in Ep. 9 of #ThePROP Why is it ok for Trump to call his fellow American’s fascist, Marxist, vermin, but if left leaning leaders use the same language it becomes an unforgivable sin? Get real. #waleg

FCC Chair Brendan Carr, who intends to monitor bias while wearing the president's bust as a lapel pin, is the poster child for why the Constitution bars the government from meddling in newsrooms' editorial decisions.
www.cbc.ca/news/worl...

Spoiler alert... the meeting was not recorded! Hilarious right? They make decisions about what you can and cannot see behind closed doors, then are all 🤷 "Wish we could do something for you." #waleg

The level of disdain WaTech, @governorferguson.bsky.social @wastateauditor.bsky.social, & @atg.wa.gov
have shown for Washington's transparency laws is laid bare all in this exchange. This is corruption. The culture of "Screw 'em if they don't like it" come across loud and clear. #waleg

a man in a suit and tie is saying good one . ALT: a man in a suit and tie is saying good one .

A staffer from @wastatedes.bsky.social asks if the meeting will be recorded. Angie Sherrer of WaTech answers "And have it be discoverable LOL. I'm not sure how to answer that question. 😊" #waleg

Cover Up much!!! One day after @governorferguson.bsky.social announces the suspension of the auto-deletion of Washington's public records, WaTech calls a meeting to discuss the matter with records and IT staff from across the executive branch. #waleg

Silly Jimmy Kimmel. He should have just called for all homeless people to be killed and he’d still have a job.

🚨 New Episode 🚨
Ep. 9 When Hypocrisy Makes You Vomit. Hypocrisy isn’t just annoying, it’s dangerous. This week we break down Brandi Kruse’s latest meltdown and her bigger game of silencing truth while enabling extremism. thepublicrecordsofficer.com
#ThePROP #waleg

Spivack talks with us about: The Obstruction Playbook: delay, deny, over-redact, “Transitory” as a bogus excuse to delete records, The honor system of open gov & why it fails, Where hope comes from in the fight for transparency. #Transparency isn’t a gift. It’s your right. #waleg #opengov

“Secrecy isn’t just about hiding documents it’s about shifting power away from the public.” -@mirandaspivack.bsky.social joined @ssowersby.bsky.social and I to discuss her excellent new book Backroom Deals In Our Backyards #waleg #transparency

a woman says your definition of transparency is very bizarre in front of a bottle ALT: a woman says your definition of transparency is very bizarre in front of a bottle

Even Brandi Kruse nailed it: “Lawmakers shouldn’t even freaking use the delete button. Shouldn’t be able to delete shit.” Transparency isn’t a partisan value. It’s a "small d" democratic value. #waleg #transparency #opengov #accountability

a man in a suit and tie says that doesn 't make sense ALT: a man in a suit and tie says that doesn 't make sense

Failure at WaTech isn’t an accident. It’s the habit. Somehow, that gets @governorferguson.bsky.social to reward Washington's CIO Bill Kehoe with his “full support.” #waleg #transparency #opengov #accountability

Ep. 6 Transparency Isn't a Team Sport WaTech just burned through a decade and nearly $300 million on a project that never left the planning phase. Meanwhile, Fish & Wildlife commissioners were caught te…

Ep. 6 of The Public Records Officer Podcast is out: @governorferguson.bsky.social comes down hard on Fish & Wildlife for deleted texts… but gives WaTech a free pass after years of IT failures & record destruction. #waleg #transparency #opengov www.thepublicrecordsofficer.com/ep-6-transpa...

With U.S. Custom and Border Protection agents searching phones at record pace, learn how to prepare your devices in anticipation of international travel.

We put together a list of questions the press might want to ask Ferguson about this matter if he shows the courage to do the right thing and stand for questions. Episode 4, live now! #waleg t.co/EfDTlajrxg

a cartoon character holding a microphone with the words real leaders own it above him ALT: a cartoon character holding a microphone with the words real leaders own it above him

In Ep. 4 we take a look at how we got here and set expectations for what should be an upcoming announcement from Ferguson about what now. However, he must stand before the press and take questions on this matter. Anything less than full accountability will be a loss. #waleg

Ep. 4 Ferguson's Folly The clock is running out on Governor Bob Ferguson’s six-month “pause” of Washington’s Microsoft Teams chat auto-deletion policy, and with it, the last thin excuse f…

Sunday will mark the 6 month point since Ferguson suspended the auto-deletion of tens of millions of your public records every week. He’s been holed up deciding on his own how to handle your records contrary to the very words of the PRA he is sworn to uphold and abide by #waleg tinyurl.com/4xk54rzp

“The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know” The Public Records Act. Yet, @governorferguson.bsky.social has been conducting a secret review of auto-deletions? #waleg

Ep. 3 The Watchdog's Blind Eye What happens when the agency tasked with transparency goes silent? When the watchdog looks away, or worse, helps cover the tracks? In this episode, we confront the …

The @wastateauditor.bsky.social's mission is "To promote accountability and transparency in government." So why wont their top attorney explain his accusation of WaTech and their staff of a year long COVER UP? Listen to the explosive audio on Ep. 3 of #ThePROP #waleg tinyurl.com/m36bknwf

Ep. 3 “The Watchdog’s Blind Eye” Lead counsel at SAO must resign!

The State Auditor says the public deserves answers. Her top attorney told agencies they don’t owe us one.

We dig into the contradiction and the cover-up Rose still hasn’t explained. @wastateauditor.bsky.social
#waleg #opengov

WA House lawmakers get OK to auto-delete records after 30 days A new policy by the state House comes amid a legal battle over lawmakers' efforts to exempt themselves from public records laws.

As a former #waleg staffer, this is disappointing.

The people of WA deserve better than this. The rules that the Legislature imposes on every other government in Washington State should be good enough for them also. We all deserve to know what happens behind the scenes as laws are drafted.

We'll see if the "cover up" continues am I right Al? 😉@wastateauditor.bsky.social #waleg #transparency #opengov

At some point this month @governorferguson.bsky.social is going to announce a new policy on the retention/autodeletion of Teams chats, and he will not have done ANY of it transparently. Totally behind closed doors. So transparent he is. #waleg #transparency #weakleadership

What the LEG is doing, is exactly what the AG's model rules on public disclosure literally says should not be done. The shamelessness of WA's leaders knows no bounds.

WA House lawmakers get OK to auto-delete records after 30 days A new policy by the state House comes amid a legal battle over lawmakers' efforts to exempt themselves from public records laws.

As discussed in Ep. 2 of The Public Records Officer,
WA House okays deleting emails after 30 days.
AGO still defends 7-day Teams deletions, despite warning agencies of legal risks. This isn't a partisan issue, or #waleg members would have made clear their opposition. tinyurl.com/casvm3zc

It seems @governorferguson.bsky.social has scared his staff so badly with his poor decision making that this is what they've resorted to. It takes courage in the face of fear to do something like this when you work with/for powerful people. #courage #waleg #whistleblower #ThePROP #transparency

Go to our website where you will find the transcript for Ep. 2 and read the AG’s formerly redacted advice to agencies on auto-deletions for yourself. The “chickens are coming home to roost” am I right Al? @wastateauditor.bsky.social #waleg #transparency #opengov #accountability
#ThePROP

The current @atg.wa.gov is now continuing that defense in the face not only of that 2021 advice, but also form the AG’s own Model Rules on Public Disclosure. How can they justify wasting tax payer money on a defense of that which AG explicitly warned agencies against? #waleg #opengo #ThePROP