The newly-installed state Republican party regime is wasting little time.
After Saturday’s contentious meeting that installed new Chair, Mark Harris, the state committee is looking for an executive director.
Social media advertising has posted the opening, with a prospective hire date of this Friday. The ad also notes “experience required.”
The speedy hire date and experience requirement has led to speculation that former Director Byron Fisher will return to the job. Fisher formerly held the position under ex-state Chair Melody Potter. He reportedly ended his prior tenure on less than good terms with Potter.
If Fisher is chosen, some say the selection is peculiar since Potter endorsed Harris. The former Raleigh County Chair won his new position after two ballots by just three votes.
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In a victory for government transparency, the state supreme court has ruled that officials cannot charge a “copying fee” if a citizen wishes to take photos or images of public documents with his or her own equipment.
In an appeal by freelance reporter Jay Lawrence Smith to a Grant County circuit court ruling that Circuit Clerk Angela Van Meter could charge Smith, the court sided for Smith. It ruled against Grant County officials who sought to charge him if he took pictures of the documents himself and remanded the case to Grant County.
Smith is a frequent crusader for open access to public documents throughout the state.
A reading of the case narrative illustrates, again, why the state’s current Freedom of Information Act language simply does not address the need for government transparency.
That’s a point I’ve been raising for multiple decades now.
Ron Gregory is a regular political columnist and political reporter for lootpress.com. Contact him at 304-533-5185 or ronjgregory@gmail.com.