Delafield, Wis. – Last week, the Institute for Reforming Government sent a demand letter to help the Dairyland Sentinel seek closure on a year-old public records request filed with the Department of Public Instruction.
Monday, DPI complied and delivered many (although not all) of the requested records.
On Tuesday, the Legislature paused $1,000,000 earmarked for DPI operations due to what those records uncovered – including $368,885 spent by DPI last year at a waterpark conference center where DPI worked on their plan to change state standards.
THE QUOTE:
“Bottom line, when the state government hides or delays access to records, we push back. When the public deserves answers, we work to get them. This time, that pressure paid off. The public has a right to know what its government is doing and IRG will continue to hold public officials accountable for failing to produce public records the public has a right to review.” said Jake Curtis, IRG’s General Counsel and Director of its Center for Investigative Oversight. “We applaud lawmakers for pausing the money earmarked for DPI until they can dig into what happened at the water park.”
From Brian Fraley at the Dairyland Sentinel: “After a year of stonewalling by DPI, the team at the Institute for Reforming Government turned up the heat and got results.”
WHAT’S NEXT:
IRG’s work demanding transparency from DPI is but one example of its efforts to demand accountability. More to come on those requests later this month, including stalled requests to Governor Evers and Attorney General Kaul.
