John Bussian is the principal of the Bussian Law Firm, which specializes in media litigation and has long been a national leader in defending the First Amendment. Bussian and the firm, as its website says, have litigated myriad libel and open government issues, as well as subpoenas directed to newsrooms, courtroom and court records access...
“Chapel Hill professors question group’s public records requests.” “Governor and NC media settle dispute over McCrory’s records.” “Public records lawsuit filed against state Rep. Beverly Boswell.” All real headlines. All spanning North Carolina’s news cycles over the past decade. All present important questions about transparency and access to government records, which are, by statute, open...
A government body can’t block the media from reporting on one of its public meetings because its leader doesn’t like the coverage he thinks it will get. Nor can it list an item on its public agenda, remove the item until the audience leaves the room, and then discuss it once the public has vacated...
Open government violations at a Feb. 7 North Carolina Military Affairs Commission meeting prompted legislation to make such offenses a crime. The incident could affect the Senate confirmation process of Larry Hall as secretary of military and veterans affairs, according to state Sen. Norman Sanderson, R-Pamlico. Sanderson said he co-sponsored Senate Bill 77 partly in response...
Rick Henderson on potential tax fraud in N.C.; legislators debate pros & cons of death tax; Thom Goolsby on consequences for violating open meeting/public records laws; John Staddon on science & religion; JLF's Jon Sanders on renewable energy mandate
