Ombudsman’s Office Backs Jerry Enriquez’s FOIA Request

Tonight, social activist Jeremy Enriquez says he’s scored a big win in his fight for government transparency. After the Attorney General’s Ministry refused to honor his Freedom of Information request, Enriquez turned to the Ombudsman and now, the Ombudsman is backing him up. Enriquez had asked for details on how much taxpayer money has been spent on legal fees in recent constitutional cases, and which attorneys were hired. The AG’s Ministry said it couldn’t provide that information. But the Ombudsman disagrees. In a formal review, the Ombudsman’s office told the AG that the documents Enriquez requested are not exempt under the law because they involve contracts between the government and private service providers. They also reminded the AG that the Freedom of Information Act allows for partial disclosure if some parts of a document are sensitive. So, the Ombudsman is recommending that the AG release at least part of the information Enriquez asked for. But will the AG comply? That remains to be seen, and we’ll be watching closely.