Open records lawyers for the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association toiled for hours writing up a challenge to an open records request that was largely unsuccessful.
But the records they fought to withhold were often single words, including “re,” “and,” “draft” and “on.”
The newly released records also include correspondence to former employee Bill Tassin, who was fired in July. In a letter to TWIA from Tassin’s lawyer, he alleges his firing violated TWIA policy.
Tassin had moved to Austin from Lafayette, La., to work for TWIA. Tassin still represents himself as a TWIA employee.
But most records showed very little change and nothing apparent that would compromise or violate the state’s open records laws.
For example, this newly released version of billing from law firm Mitchell Williams simply includes the words, “with implementation amendment” and shows preparation for a meeting with the “lieutenant governor’s staff and senate business and commerce committee.”
The words, “redraft of amendments for” are also added, as well as “and review of latest draft of” regarding a meeting with interim General Manager John Polak.
In another revised document, also billing for Mitchell Williams, the words “with draft” are added, as well as the phrase “and revision of.”
Based on records, it takes nearly three hours, at $545 an hour, for the Vinson & Elkins law firm to draft a request for an open records letter ruling from the attorney general. Following a ruling, lawyers spend more ratepayer-supported time excising the redactions from the documents. The agency spent $415,000 on open records legal fees between November 2010 and October.
The newly released records also include correspondence to former employee Bill Tassin, who was fired in July. In a letter to TWIA from Tassin’s lawyer, he alleges his firing violated TWIA policy.
Tassin had moved to Austin from Lafayette, La., to work for TWIA. Tassin still represents himself as a TWIA employee.
But most records showed very little change and nothing apparent that would compromise or violate the state’s open records laws.
For example, this newly released version of billing from law firm Mitchell Williams simply includes the words, “with implementation amendment” and shows preparation for a meeting with the “lieutenant governor’s staff and senate business and commerce committee.”
The words, “redraft of amendments for” are also added, as well as “and review of latest draft of” regarding a meeting with interim General Manager John Polak.
In another revised document, also billing for Mitchell Williams, the words “with draft” are added, as well as the phrase “and revision of.”
Based on records, it takes nearly three hours, at $545 an hour, for the Vinson & Elkins law firm to draft a request for an open records letter ruling from the attorney general. Following a ruling, lawyers spend more ratepayer-supported time excising the redactions from the documents. The agency spent $415,000 on open records legal fees between November 2010 and October.
***
Contact Steve Miller at 832-303-9420 or stevemiller@texaswatchdog.org.
Keep up with all the latest news from Texas Watchdog. Fan our page on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Scribd, and fan us on YouTube. Join our network on de.licio.us, and put our RSS feeds in your newsreader. We're also on MySpace, Digg, FriendFeed, and tumblr.
Photo of boat by flickr user Linda_Bisset, used via a Creative Commons license.
Contact Steve Miller at 832-303-9420 or stevemiller@texaswatchdog.org.
Keep up with all the latest news from Texas Watchdog. Fan our page on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Scribd, and fan us on YouTube. Join our network on de.licio.us, and put our RSS feeds in your newsreader. We're also on MySpace, Digg, FriendFeed, and tumblr.
Photo of boat by flickr user Linda_Bisset, used via a Creative Commons license.
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