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Michigan Lawmakers Exempt From Public Records Requests

By DAVID EGGERT/Associated Press

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Michigan legislative leader has released his state emails and a weekly meeting schedule, hoping to reinforce his push for the Legislature to no longer exempt itself from the state's public records law.

House Minority Leader Tim Greimel disclosed a week's worth of emails and meeting calendars from February at the request of The Associated Press. Michigan's other top lawmakers denied the request. So did Gov. Rick Snyder.

Michigan's Freedom of Information Act explicitly exempts the governor's office from records requests. And an opinion by a former state attorney general says lawmakers also intended to exclude themselves, though financial documents are subject to disclosure.

Greimel, a Democrat from Auburn Hills, says he decided to make public his records to "lead by example" and because "it's the right thing to do."

 

© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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