Don't Limit Public Right To Know
May 3, 2009: "The state bureaucracy and the legislature's Judiciary Committee are up to mischief again, trying to weaken the Freedom of Information law in the name of privacy. State Victim Advocate Michelle Cruz, a former Massachusetts prosecutor, developed the legislation to prevent information considered embarrassing to victims from becoming a matter of public record.
But in her well-meaning yet misguided zeal to give comfort to victims, Ms. Cruz would damage the public's right to information about its government." Read the full editorial here.
Let’s not create more secret files
May 2, 2009: "State Victim Advocate Michelle Cruz has proposed sweeping changes that would eviscerate the public’s right to know laws in an ill-advised, ill-conceived attempt to protect crime victims. Aside from turning Freedom of Information laws upside down, she is also shooting in the foot the very people she’s trying to help.
She has proposed expanding the personnel and medical files exemption from public disclosure to include “documents, materials, photographs, videos, recordings or other tangible objects” as a punishable invasion of personal privacy if they were made public." Read the full editorial here.
Right to know vs. victim rights
April 23, 2009: "Does the public's right to know outweigh the privacy rights of a victim? That's the tough question state lawmakers are grappling with as the State's Victim Advocate attempts to amend the Freedom of Information law.
Three years ago, New Haven police investigated in a shooting spree that resulted in the death of 13-year old Jajuana Cole, an innocent bystander." Read the full article here.
Stratford councilman files FOI for data
April 23, 2009: "Town Councilman Gavin B. Forrester III, D-3, has filed a Freedom of Information complaint against Mayor James R. Miron seeking information that he contends would clarify whether town bids and purchases have been handled legally.
Forrester -- contemplating a challenge to Miron for the Democratic mayoral nomination -- filed the complaint April 12 against his fellow Democrat after what he says have been "four months of stalling" by Miron and his top administrators regarding an initial December request and followups seeking the number of services, projects and equipment procured through competitive bidding in the 2008 calendar year." Read the full article here.
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