‘Political interference’: AJC, Ch. 2 file AG complaint against Atlanta

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Channel 2 Action News filed a complaint Wednesday with Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr alleging “a culture of political interference” with open records requests at Atlanta City Hall, and requesting mediation to implement reforms for repeated violations of state law.

The complaint outlines 10 examples of alleged violations of the Georgia Open Records Act and “a pervasive culture of non-compliance” dating to July 2016. The AJC and Channel 2 seek mediation through Carr’s office to create enforcement measures to ensure compliance with the law and the appointment of an independent public records officer who would be free from political meddling.

“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,” the complaint from attorney Michael Caplan said.