ALEC - AGs Request (Mississippi)
It is a clone of this request.
| Submitted | May 13, 2015 |
| Est. Completion | None |
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Communications
From: Alex Richardson
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to Mississippi's Public Records Act, I hereby request the following documents:
- All communications between members of this office and employees or representatives of the American Legislative Exchange Council.
- All communications containing the keywords "ALEC" or "American Legislative Exchange Council".
- Any files or documents attached to the above communications.
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.
In the event that fees cannot be waived, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 7 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Alex Richardson
From: BLAKE BEE
Please see the attached.
Blake Bee
Executive Counsel
Special Assistant Attorney General
Office of the Attorney General
P.O. Box 220
Jackson, MS 39205-0220
PH: (601)359-3070
FX: (601)359-2009
blbee@ago.state.ms.us<mailto:blbee@ago.state.ms.us>
This message is being sent by the Office of the Attorney General for the State of Mississippi and is intended only for the use of the individual to which it is addressed and may contain information that is legally privileged or confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any distribution or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the original sender or the Office of the Attorney General at (601) 359-3680 immediately by telephone or by return e-mail and delete this message from your computer. Thank you.
From: Alex Richardson
Hello Blake Bee,
Thank you for responding to my request! I would like to respectfully reiterate my request that fees be waived in light of the fact that this public records request is in the public interest. I would also like to ask that, if the Mississippi Public Records Act contains provisions for waived/reduced fees for media requesters, that this provision be applied in my case. Upon demand, I can supply published and televised recognition of my status as a journalist and MuckRock's status as a media company.
Thank you,
Alex Richardson
From: BLAKE BEE
Hi Alex,
No such exemption exists under Mississippi law.
Thanks, Blake
Blake Bee
Executive Counsel
Special Assistant Attorney General
Office of the Attorney General
P.O. Box 220
Jackson, MS 39205-0220
PH: (601)359-3070
FX: (601)359-2009
blbee@ago.state.ms.us<mailto:blbee@ago.state.ms.us>
This message is being sent by the Office of the Attorney General for the State of Mississippi and is intended only for the use of the individual to which it is addressed and may contain information that is legally privileged or confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any distribution or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the original sender or the Office of the Attorney General at (601) 359-3680 immediately by telephone or by return e-mail and delete this message from your computer. Thank you.
From: Alex Richardson
Hi Blake,
In that case, allow me to narrow the scope of my request. Please amend the search as follows.
- Limit the search to the time span from 2010 to the present.
- Limit the search for 'communications with ALEC representatives' to a search for communications to/from/cc/bcc email addresses with the domain '@alec.org'.
- Limit the keyword search to the term 'American Legislative Exchange Council' and search only the email address of the Attorney General and his/her assistants.
Thank you, and please let me know if you think this request might benefit from further clarification.
Best,
Alex Richardson
From: BLAKE BEE
Alex,
Can you please clarify the meaning of “assistants” in your third bullet?
Thanks,
Blake
Blake Bee
Executive Counsel
Special Assistant Attorney General
Office of the Attorney General
P.O. Box 220
Jackson, MS 39205-0220
PH: (601)359-3070
FX: (601)359-2009
blbee@ago.state.ms.us<mailto:blbee@ago.state.ms.us>
This message is being sent by the Office of the Attorney General for the State of Mississippi and is intended only for the use of the individual to which it is addressed and may contain information that is legally privileged or confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any distribution or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the original sender or the Office of the Attorney General at (601) 359-3680 immediately by telephone or by return e-mail and delete this message from your computer. Thank you.
From: Alex Richardson
Hi Blake,
It's a little tricky for me to clarify the meaning without better knowing the makeup of your office. The idea I have in mind is of anyone handling the AG's communications, schedule, etc. An example taken from another AG office was the two Executive Assistants who serve the AG. Do you have something of this nature?
Best,
Alex Richardson
From: BLAKE BEE
Alex,
We do have something of that nature in our office. We will revise our time and cost estimate according to your amended request and get back with you.
Thanks, Blake
Blake Bee
Executive Counsel
Special Assistant Attorney General
Office of the Attorney General
P.O. Box 220
Jackson, MS 39205-0220
PH: (601)359-3070
FX: (601)359-2009
blbee@ago.state.ms.us<mailto:blbee@ago.state.ms.us>
This message is being sent by the Office of the Attorney General for the State of Mississippi and is intended only for the use of the individual to which it is addressed and may contain information that is legally privileged or confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any distribution or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the original sender or the Office of the Attorney General at (601) 359-3680 immediately by telephone or by return e-mail and delete this message from your computer. Thank you.
From: BLAKE BEE
Alex,
Can you please give me a call regarding your request. I’m at 601-359-3070.
Blake
Blake Bee
Executive Counsel
Special Assistant Attorney General
Office of the Attorney General
P.O. Box 220
Jackson, MS 39205-0220
PH: (601)359-3070
FX: (601)359-2009
blbee@ago.state.ms.us<mailto:blbee@ago.state.ms.us>
This message is being sent by the Office of the Attorney General for the State of Mississippi and is intended only for the use of the individual to which it is addressed and may contain information that is legally privileged or confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any distribution or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the original sender or the Office of the Attorney General at (601) 359-3680 immediately by telephone or by return e-mail and delete this message from your computer. Thank you.
From: BLAKE BEE
Alex,
Please see the attached.
Blake
Blake Bee
Executive Counsel
Special Assistant Attorney General
Office of the Attorney General
P.O. Box 220
Jackson, MS 39205-0220
PH: (601)359-3070
FX: (601)359-2009
blbee@ago.state.ms.us<mailto:blbee@ago.state.ms.us>
This message is being sent by the Office of the Attorney General for the State of Mississippi and is intended only for the use of the individual to which it is addressed and may contain information that is legally privileged or confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any distribution or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the original sender or the Office of the Attorney General at (601) 359-3680 immediately by telephone or by return e-mail and delete this message from your computer. Thank you.
From: Alex Richardson
Hi Mr. Bee,
Thanks for the update. I would like to request that a fee waiver be applied in this instance, as these documents are within the public interest. The public is very interested in the work done by ALEC, which has unprecedented access to local lawmakers and helps to craft a significant amount of public policy. By its own estimates, ALEC introduces thousands of bills across the country each year, about a fifth of which are passed into law.
I am a media professional and I have been published by a variety of outlets, including MuckRock and Motherboard. It is in this capacity that I am requesting these documents - they are of no commercial value to me personally.
For the reasons outlined above, I believe that fees should be waived in this instance. Thank you for your consideration.
Best,
Alex Richardson
From: BLAKE BEE
Alex,
There is no provision for a fee waiver under Mississippi law. The fee must be paid before our office can proceed further.
Blake
Blake Bee
Executive Counsel
Special Assistant Attorney General
Office of the Attorney General
P.O. Box 220
Jackson, MS 39205-0220
PH: (601)359-3070
FX: (601)359-2009
blbee@ago.state.ms.us<mailto:blbee@ago.state.ms.us>
This message is being sent by the Office of the Attorney General for the State of Mississippi and is intended only for the use of the individual to which it is addressed and may contain information that is legally privileged or confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any distribution or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the original sender or the Office of the Attorney General at (601) 359-3680 immediately by telephone or by return e-mail and delete this message from your computer. Thank you.
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