Constitutional Law

Ariz. judge won't order release of mayor's activity logs

By By The Associated Press

PHOENIX — A judge is refusing to order Phoenix to release police worksheets that recorded two years of Mayor Phil Gordon?s unscheduled activities.

A ruling issued Nov. 4 by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge John Rea concluded that Phoenix was not violating Arizona?s public-records law by withholding security detail worksheets requested by Judicial Watch.

The Washington-based government-watchdog sued to obtain worksheets that police kept for police timekeeping purposes. The worksheets list Gordon?s comings and goings and the people he saw.

Rea says individual privacy concerns don?t block disclosure. But he said concerns for safety and for confidentiality for governmental activity outweigh Arizona?s public policy in favor of disclosure.

Full post as published by First Amendment Center on November 07, 2010 (boomark / email).