11.27.09
Bradley’s secrecy looks problematic
Via the Star-Telegram, (via Grits), Chairman of Texas forensic science panel oversteps his authority.
What is it John Bradley doesn’t want the public to know about the work of the Texas Forensic Science Commission?
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Star-Telegram reporter Dave Montgomery wrote Saturday that commission staff coordinator Leigh Tomlin had asked members for all correspondence about the Willingham case in order to comply with an open records request.
But her Oct. 30 message went further, instructing that commission policy is to “delete all commission correspondence” and saying “if you feel there is something that needs to be saved, forward it to my office.”
Bradley told Montgomery that the idea was to centralize data to make it easier to comply with media inquiries.
But any direction to delete public records — which e-mails by members of a public board are — looks problematic, whatever the purpose.
It would be easier to take Bradley at his word if members hadn’t received other e-mails telling them Bradley would handle all media inquiries and statements about the commission.
Providing consistent and accurate information is an admirable goal. But all nine members of the Texas Forensic Science Commission are appointed independently. They are not subordinate to the chairman, who is not given any specific powers in the law creating the commission.
As public officials, panel members should be free to talk to the media or public as they choose, as long as they don’t undercut the commission’s responsibilities.
Each member should be focused on conducting credible, independent investigations with as much transparency as possible.
No one should use the agency as a tool for aggregating power, steering outcomes, stifling dissent or shielding from public scrutiny the work done on behalf of Texans.