President Bush's public papers as governor are now unsealed

[phirili]

All 2,100 boxes of Bush's statehouse records were moved from the presidential library to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission in July 2002, according to a state archivist. Two months earlier, a Texas attorney general's opinion had established that they were subject to the state's open-records law.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29684-2003Dec2.html


Dean has the power to unseal his records.

[dusty64]

1. Why the delay then?

Wonder how heavily "editted" they have been and have to guess why no reporters have been going through them yet.

[papau]

6. Texas open records not open - Austin Chronicle article

http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2003-11-07/pols_feature.html

SNIP..Closing the Door
"During recent years, state agencies have increasingly begun stamping documents as confidential or indicating that the work is subject to attorney-client privilege. The practice has a counterpart among federal documentation -- the "secret" classification, for example -- but even sensitive federal papers may be automatically declassified after 15 years, while no statutory time limit exists on the "confidential" papers of state agencies in Texas..."

SNIP..."At the Texas State Library the assumption had long been that once a state document reached the archives, it was open to public inspection, whatever the original nature of the document. Only those exceptions mandated by law (home telephone numbers of state officials, some Social Security information, e-mail addresses, etc.) would be blocked out, or "redacted." Gradually, however, because of the increasing number of state documents designated as classified, archivists have increasingly been required to seek attorney general opinions before opening them to the public...."

AND several other paragraphs, then this:
SNIP..In the future, if Gov. Perry, for example, decides that a document out of Gov. Bush's files -- an opinion by Al Gonzales might be a good example -- should be treated as confidential, it will now be submitted to the attorney general for a ruling (the same attorney general who just endorsed the idea of attorney-client privilege for state officials). In the past, there was a presumption of openness -- and with all due respect to his position, the governor would have been told to go fish. Now -- gradually, and then abruptly -- Gov. Rick Perry has laid his hands on the keys to Gov. George W. Bush's filing cabinet. ....."

A long read, but it is worth it to understand what is meant by "open" records in Texas.

[RBHam]

2. Big Deal

I'll be impressed when Bush releases the Reagan papers, Cheney's Energy summit minutes and his private briefing notes while his Administration was planning 9-11.

[meegbear]

3. Do the need to view the public papers?

It seems that mainly journalists and researchers would be interested in this and I would think a Governor's actions would be documented in media reports.

What type of things would surface? Notes? Doodlings?

[Le Taz Hot]

4. I take it you haven't been to LBN yet

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=249850

[DoYouEverWonder]

5. Any links to the actual records?

Or do you have to jump through numerous hoops in order to get anywhere near them?

What is the procedure for viewing these records?

[Rose Siding]

8. Hoops and rivers of fire...

http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2003-11-07/pols_feature.html

SNIP..Closing the Door
"During recent years, state agencies have increasingly begun stamping documents as confidential or indicating that the work is subject to attorney-client privilege. The practice has a counterpart among federal documentation -- the "secret" classification, for example -- but even sensitive federal papers may be automatically declassified after 15 years, while no statutory time limit exists on the "confidential" papers of state agencies in Texas..."
snip>
"At the Texas State Library the assumption had long been that once a state document reached the archives, it was open to public inspection, whatever the original nature of the document. Only those exceptions mandated by law (home telephone numbers of state officials, some Social Security information, e-mail addresses, etc.) would be blocked out, or "redacted." Gradually, however, because of the increasing number of state documents designated as classified, archivists have increasingly been required to seek attorney general opinions before opening them to the public...."
snip>
In the future, if Gov. Perry, for example, decides that a document out of Gov. Bush's files -- an opinion by Al Gonzales might be a good example -- should be treated as confidential, it will now be submitted to the attorney general for a ruling (the same attorney general who just endorsed the idea of attorney-client privilege for state officials). In the past, there was a presumption of openness -- and with all due respect to his position, the governor would have been told to go fish. Now -- gradually, and then abruptly -- Gov. Rick Perry has laid his hands on the keys to Gov. George W. Bush's filing cabinet. ....."

[DoYouEverWonder]

9. So you have to ask the AG for his approval

How many months/years does that process take? And even then, the AG is very unlikely to grant your request? Doesn't sound like the documents are available to the public to me.

[papau]

7. ENRON correspondence has yet to be released

and I do not expect it soon under the Texas "Open Records" law.

[phirili]

11. Amazing how Deaners can avoid certain issues, like sealed records

[Le Taz Hot]

12. May I refer you to post #4?

and this:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=815516

[Hep]

13. Avoid?

ITYM non issues,

Good luck, and thanks for keeping the focus on my guy.

[Don_G]

10. Released, Unsealed AND Unedited????

I wonder what's missing?

[Hep]

14. What's missing

The OP coming out and saying, "I hate dean for no specific reason" is missing. This person needs the same treatment that the guy got yesterday when he posted that terrible article.