Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Dean Records Decision
wcax.com ^

Posted on 02/18/2004 3:34:30 PM PST by chance33_98

Dean Records Decision

Burlington, Vermont - February 17, 2004

During Howard Dean's 11 years as Governor, he collected hundreds of boxes of correspondence. When he left office he signed a deal with the Secretary of State to seal 145 of those boxes for 10 years under executive privilege. "Governor Dean cannot avoid disclosure of these public records, by hiding behind his private agreement with the secretary of state, that's what he's tried to do, the court said, no that's not gonna fly," said Andrew Manitsky, Judicial Watch attorney.

The conservative watchdog group sued to have the records opened last year, just as Dean emerged as the front-runner in the field of Democratic presidential candidates. Tuesday, Superior Court Judge Alan Cook ruled the state must provide an index of the sealed records and explain why they should remain closed. "This is sort of an early weather forecast by the judge to both sides," said Attorney General Bill Sorrell. "Saying you don't win outright and you don't win outright and we have a lot of work to do to see how this is all going to come out."

The judge instead set up a 7 step process for deciding which of the sealed documents will remain off-limits and which can be made public. "If we fight on any document it is going to be a long time before these documents are in the public domain," Sorrell said.

Dean left an additional 190 boxes open to the public and cited his presidential run as the basis for sealing the rest. Even though the ruling does not open the records, Judicial Watch says it makes their case for first amendment rights. "No one, not a former Governor, not a secretary of State, not a presidential candidate can do an end run around the public records act," Manitsky said.

The ruling could set up years of additional legal proceedings.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Vermont
KEYWORDS: 2004; dean; deansecrets; judicialwatch

1 posted on 02/18/2004 3:34:31 PM PST by chance33_98
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: chance33_98
Clinton plumbers.
2 posted on 02/18/2004 3:36:17 PM PST by cripplecreek (you win wars by making the other dumb SOB die for his country)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: chance33_98
Moot now. I wonder if there's actually anything interesting in there...
3 posted on 02/18/2004 3:41:30 PM PST by prion
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: chance33_98
Goodness, I thought read "Dean Records Circumcision".....
4 posted on 02/18/2004 3:50:34 PM PST by Nachum (my eyes are getting wierd from reading all this small print.....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: chance33_98
So the judge has, in effect if not in practice, seen to it that the records will remain sealed for a long, long time.

See how easy that is?

Stand up and shout and put your hands together for judicial activism!

It really is all about the judges!

5 posted on 02/18/2004 3:58:08 PM PST by upchuck (Ta-ray-za now gets to execute her "maiming of choice." I'm hoping for eye gouging, how 'bout you?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson