A.G. Lynch sues Cranston over public records request
12:20 PM Mon, Jul 14, 2008 | Permalink
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Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch today announced his office is suing Cranston, asserting in blunt terms that the city violated the state Access to Public Records Act when it allegedly did not supply public documents twice sought by a Cranston man. Noting past incidents involving Cranston, Lynch's office said in a statement, the current case results from a "willful and knowing failure to respond" that "is unacceptable and illegal." Lynch said he is seeking fines under open-government laws "not only to rectify the City's past harms but to warn other public bodies that, when warranted, these types of cases are litigated aggressively." Lynch is suing on behalf of John Bina, who, in a complaint filed with the attorney general in March 2008, asserted that he had twice sought records from the city but had neither received the documents nor gotten response under the public records act. The attorney general's office said it reviewed past public records acts violations involving Cranston, finding the current case represents the fourth since March 2000, and the second time this year, that Cranston was found in violation by the attorney general's office. "This case is especially egregious because we repeatedly warned the city of Cranston about failing to respond to APRA requests," Lynch said in the statement. "During the same period of time that Mr. Bina's February 2008 request was pending, we actually warned the City that its violation of APRA in another finding could serve as evidence of a willful and knowing violation in any future similar case. And still the City failed to respond until May of this year, fully five months after Mr. Bina's initial request and after this Department's warning. 
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Why can't AG Lynch write a report on the blatant open meetings violations of the Woonsocket Personnel Board. The City Council President files a complaint in JANUARY and provided significant evidence.
What's holding up that complaint?
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