Carney Removes FOIA …
After an outcry from several media outlets, John Carney modified the State of Emergency (SOE) on Friday to allow Freedom of Information Act requests to be answered.
Prior to Friday’s modification of the SOE, the statutory time periods for responses to requests for public records made pursuant to 29 Del. C. § 10003 and for the filing of and response to petitions filed pursuant to 29 Del. C. § 10005 (e), whether such requests or petitions are presently pending or submitted hereafter, had been extended until fifteen (15) business days following the termination of any active Declaration of a State of Emergency. That language has been removed from the governor’s order.Several media outlets had taken to social media in recent weeks to shine a light on the FIOA request restrictions.
Carney Removes FOIA Request Restrictions After Murray Raises Issue, Media Outcry
#murrayfordelaware Reply:
“Isn’t it interesting that all FOIA requests have been suspended for over six months in an election year? I wonder what John Carney was trying to cover up or who he was trying to protect?” said Julianne Murray. “If he had nothing to hide then why did he ever suspend FOIA requests? You and I know the answer – he did not want to be held accountable for his failures. It was an attempted cover-up. And for those that say he wasn’t attempting to cover anything up? I would point out that the timing of this move is also calculated because they have fifteen business days to answer any FOIA requests. That doesn’t leave much time to get information out to Delawareans so they can make an informed choice. ” “Carney’s entire COVID response has been a political game and the businesses and people of Delaware were the losers. There needs to be accountability,” continued Murray. Murray also pointed out that this is now the third time that she has stood up to Carney on behalf of Delawareans and the third time the people have won. “First I sued him over the short-term rental ban and he lifted the ban. Second I released a Small Business Bill of Rights and he then announced a $100 million grant program for small businesses and now third I applied pressure about how wrong it is to suspend FOIA and he has now lifted the suspension I am the one showing leadership here – not John Carney.” #murrayfordelaware |