Attorney general: Rauner improperly withholding details from his calendar

via the Chicago Tribune on 12/31/15

Gov. Bruce Rauner‘s official events calendar is a public record and his office is withholding too much of it from taxpayers, the Illinois attorney general’s office said Wednesday.

The state’s public access bureau issued the opinion in favor of The Associated Press in its pursuit of details that are frequently redacted on Rauner’s calendar.

The Republican’s office cannot black out information on the basis of security, internal policy debate or an attorney-client relationship, areas where the Illinois Freedom of Information Act allows a government agency to withhold records, public access attorney Joshua Jones said. The opinion could be challenged in court.

Rauner, wrapping up his first year in office, pledged as a candidate to be open about his affairs. His office initially argued in response to AP FOIA requests that his schedule is not a public record and that he was voluntarily releasing parts of it.

The AP appealed to the public access bureau in April because it appeared the administration was improperly redacting names of meeting participants, short summaries of the reasons the meetings were scheduled and more.

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