Public Records lawsuit filed against Seattle for withholding texts and emails from press

Olympia, Wash., October 22, 2023—On October 20, the Citizen Action Defense Fund (CADF) filed a lawsuit against the City of Seattle for its failure to provide public records pursuant to a request made by unDivided Media LLC and podcast host Brandi Kruse regarding a controversial vote by a Seattle Councilmember. Jackson Maynard “The Public Records Act exists so that citizens and the media alike can hold their elected officials accountable. There is no legitimate reason it should take five months to provide the records in question, particularly given the narrow scope of the request,” said Jackson Maynard, Executive Director of CADF regarding the public records lawsuit against the City of Seattle. “Brandi Kruse is a respected member of the Seattle media, and in withholding these records until after the November election, the city is acting in bad faith. Period. Unfortunately, this is not the first recent instance of Seattle violating public records law to protect a city official from scrutiny. We intend to seek the full remedies available under the law to hold the city accountable for its political gamesmanship.”   On June 6, 2023, Councilmember Andrew J. Lewis voted to reject a proposal by the city attorney to prosecute drug offenses. His vote was
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