GAB and the Walker Recall Petitions

UPDATE, January 31, 2012: The Government Accountability Board today announced plans for public release of copies of recall petitions for Governor Walker.

“In the interest of full transparency, the Board has always planned to release copies of recall petitions to anyone who requested them, and to post them online,” said Kevin Kennedy, director and general counsel. “However, we recently heard from a number of people who are concerned about their personal safety if their names and addresses are made public. As a result, our staff had to do a thorough analysis under Wisconsin’s Public Records Law. These are serious issues which must be given thorough consideration and addressed in light of the Statutes and the responsibilities of the Board.”

Kennedy said the staff has concluded, and Judge David Deininger, the Board chairperson, has concurred, that the petitions will be released under Wisconsin law, as well as a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, Doe v. Reed, involving the release of referendum petitions in Washington State. That position is also supported by the Wisconsin Department of Justice. Unlike an elector’s vote, which is private and confidential, the signing of recall petition is a public process.

In addition to providing copies to requestors, the G.A.B. will continue its past practice, and put all 153,335 pages of PDF copies of the petitions online later today, Kennedy said. The PDF copies are not computer-searchable.

At least the petitions are finally posted.

The GAB's explanation for the delay is truly an embarrassment.
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The Government Accountability Board is not doing as it promised. The recall petitions of Governor Scott Walker were supposed to be available online Monday.

Didn't happen.

The Board is dragging its feet, citing privacy concerns.



This makes no sense at all.

Other recall petitions are published online. The recall petitions for four state senators are posted.

See them here.

Apparently, there are no privacy issues with these petitions.

What's the deal?

It seems like the Democrats don't want everyone with access to the Internet to have access to the petitions.

Obviously, it's not a privacy matter.

It's not fair to publish the state senate recall petitions online but withhold the governor recall petitions.

The Government Accountability Board adds to its record of shame.