Home > Postcards > Archives > 2008 > August > 19 > Entry
DPS appeals open records ruling
The Texas Department of Public Safety has appealed the ruling of a state District Court judge that the agency must release travel documents submitted by Gov. Rick Perry’s security detail.
Three newspapers, including the Austin American-Statesman, had requested the travel vouchers from the DPS troopers that accompany Perry last year under the state’s Public Information Act.
But the information was not released because Attorney General Greg Abbott’s office said it would compromise the governor’s safety. In court, lawyers for the paper said state law explicitly states that vouchers are public information.
On Aug. 1, state District Judge Scott Jenkins ruled that the information had to be released.
The appeal was filed Monday in the Third Court of Appeals.
Permalink | Comments (9) | Post your comment Categories: Open government
Comments
Click here to report comment abuse.
By Mr. T
August 19, 2008 1:12 PM | Link to this
Ok, so if it is so we will not know where he will be, how about telling us where all he went. Or is that something else we are not to know? Are we spending some money that we should not be spending? Then lets follow the rules here. If you can request open records for everything else then this should be available as well.
By lricks
August 19, 2008 12:10 PM | Link to this
More “Texas Justice.” It seems that the lawmakers make these rules (“open records act”) and then in small, tiny print somewhere hidden in the statute, makes the lawmakers (or any judicial employee) exempt from the very laws they signed! Man! I need to get elected to one of those offices so I can be above the law!!!
By Sheilagh
August 19, 2008 11:25 AM | Link to this
OK, we are dealing with the government- it really doesn’t matter what level. If they let us know, in detail, what they are doing, we might be able to be proactive with getting involved to correct goverment misuse of our tax dollars. Who wants that? The tax payers or the people in charge of the flagarant abuse? Exactly…….why ruin a good thing!
By Chris W
August 19, 2008 11:16 AM | Link to this
Give me a break. You have to be able to hold the DPS accountable for what they spend.
We shouldn’t be spending millions of dollars on the Govenor’s security. Maybe they could channel some money into protecting a TX Landmark, the Gov. Mansion.
Chris
By Clutch
August 19, 2008 10:56 AM | Link to this
What would you exspect from a Bush blower….
By Clutch
August 19, 2008 10:55 AM | Link to this
What would you exspect from a Bush blower….
By Penthor
August 19, 2008 10:55 AM | Link to this
Left-handed aggies, sheesh!
By Hal
August 19, 2008 10:39 AM | Link to this
How can past travel vouchers compromise future safety? What’s the argument?
By Tom Brown
August 19, 2008 10:26 AM | Link to this
The notion that such info would compromise the guvs security is really a joke. It’s no more than boilerplate to hide the personal expenses lavished on the guv during travel which might, in retrospect, make him look bad to the public. The guv must live high off the state to look good while traveling and by any prudent standards such expenses would look extravagant and excessive. Not something the guv wants to get out.