July 20, 2021
The Idaho Press Club is suing Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin after several journalists said they were wrongly denied access to public records.
The statewide press association filed the lawsuit in 4th District Court on Monday, asking a judge to order McGeachin to fully release the records about her Education Task Force and comply with the timelines set under the state’s Public Records Act. The Idaho Press Club also wants McGeachin to pay for the club’s legal fees and pay penalties for having improperly denied the records requests.
Idaho’s Public Records Act protects residents’ right to monitor state and local officials and agencies by providing access to government records. The law generally holds that government records are presumed to be open to the public, though it also allows some records to be kept confidential, like those that would interfere with active law enforcement investigations.