JACKSON -- Campaign finance records have been a constant source of complaints by government watchdogs who say Mississippi requires too little disclosure.
A national study by the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Center for Governmental Studies, the UCLA School of Law and the California Voter Foundation also gives Mississippi a failing grade for campaign finance laws because the state does not require candidates to file forms that are in a searchable, electronic form.
State Rep. Tommy Reynolds, D-Charleston, chairman of the House Elections Committee, has said for years that rules governing donations by political action committees are too lax. But efforts to tighten those rules have failed.
Filing a lawsuit to force access to meetings or records can be expensive, so those battles frequently are fought by news organizations on behalf of the general public.
In 2005, then-Hattiesburg Fire Chief Jim Fiero stopped providing details on fire calls because he said it violated privacy laws. Basic details, such as the address of a house fire, were no longer provided.
The Hattiesburg American objected and sought an opinion from the state attorney general, who ruled that the fire chief was wrong. However, it was two months after the ruling before the newspaper's attorney learned the ruling had gone in the newspaper's favor.
Leonard Van Slyke of Jackson, an attorney who represents the media in Freedom of Information lawsuits, said even people without deep pockets can fight for access to meetings or records. He said they need to be persistent.
"These kinds of sunshine matters, unfortunately, generally are not high priority with an individual citizen until he or she is personally impacted," Van Slyke said. "But when that day arrives, that person is generally appalled with the lack of recourse."
E-Mail
Print
@Nyx.CommentBody@