The open records complaint filed recently by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Channel 2 Action News against Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr could be headed to mediation.  The complaint alleges there is a “culture of political interference” with open record requests in Atlanta’s City Hall. 

The paper and news channel are requesting mediation in an effort to implement reforms and claims Georgia laws have been violated on several occasions.  The complaint includes 10 different examples that date back to the summer of 2016 of violations of the state’s Open Records Act.

The two news outlets are hopeful mediation could result in improved compliance with the open records law and that an independent public record officer would be appointment whose job it would be to prevent political meddling.

A criminal investigation into Atlanta’s handling of the act began in March after the news outlets claimed there was “potentially criminal behavior” between the city’s communication and law departments that were an effort to delay providing information. 

According to an attorney representing the outlets, “Recent revelations illustrate that public officials have interfered with, caused delay in, or intentionally obstructed the production of public records — particularly when WSB-TV or the AJC sought public information that city officials perceived as politically embarrassing or inconvenient. ”

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms recently announced efforts to improve transparency within the government, which would include an online portal for residents to search expenditures of the city.  She also stated the efforts would make it easier for City Hall to be more responsible to requests for information and she asked for resignations from more than two dozen senior city officials.