The Open Records Act provides one of the strongest tools for Georgia journalists and citizens to ensure accountability among their elected officials and government appointees. It gives everyone in Georgia the ability and right to make open records requests and acquire documents shared within agencies and governmental bodies at both the state and local level. It has long been a cornerstone of transparency in our state.
Open records requests have been in the news a great deal lately, not least of all because the City of Atlanta is currently under criminal investigation for potential violations of the Act last year. The consequences for these potential violations have yet to be determined, but it is difficult to imagine that all parties involved will get off scot-free. Compliance with the Open Records Act is essential in maintaining trust in our government.
Unfortunately, the Georgia Legislature does not always seem to share that sentiment. Recently, legislative counsel David Bundrick argued that the General Assembly “is not an agency” of the state and is therefore “not subject to Georgia laws pertaining to open records.” The legislature has long claimed this exemption as a matter of law, rather than a matter of moral or ethical responsibility. After all, the legislature is the most powerful decision-making body in our state, and it stands to reason that citizens of Georgia should be allowed an honest look at how some of those decisions are made.
Tolerance for this lack of transparency will no doubt continue to dwindle in the coming months and years. Citizens are increasingly wary of those in power and shielding the entire state government in this manner makes it difficult to build trust between elected officials and electors. It is long past time to put the General Assembly on the same footing as every other government and agency in the state, and if they continue to refuse to do so, voters should seriously consider where their representatives’ allegiances lie.
Tharon Johnson is a consultant with Paramount Consulting Group and a Democrat strategist.
