What started as a simple public records request has instead turned into an example of how Mayor Brown's administration defies New York State law when it comes to providing information to the public
What started as a simple public records request has instead turned into an example of how Mayor Brown's administration defies New York State law when it comes to providing information to the public
ALL NEW FOR YOUTHIS MORNING--THE 7 EYEWITNESSNEWS I-TEAM ISDIGGING FORANSWERS-ABOUT WHAT TOOKPLACE DURING THEFBI RAID OF BUFFALOCITY HALL LASTNOVEMBER.I-TEAM CHIEFINVESTIGATORCHARLIE SPECHTREPORTS--CITY HALLSTONEWALLING HIM,WHEN IT COMES TOANSWERS FROM THEMAYOR'S OFFICE.THERE'S A GOODCHANCE NOV.
6 WASONE OF THE MOSTNERVE-WRACKINGDAYS OF BYRONBROWN'S 14 YEARS INOFFICE.A DAY AFTER THE RAID,THE MAYOR TOLD 7EYEWITNESS NEWS HEDIDN'T KNOW WHATFEDERAL AGENTSWERE LOOKING FORWHEN THEY CARRIEDNOT JUST BOXES, BUTWHOLE CARTS OFDOCUMENTS FROMROOM 315 OF CITYHALL.REPORTER/EILEENBUCKLEY:MAYOR, OF COURSEWE'RE ALL VERYINTERESTED TO FINDOUT WHAT YOU DOKNOW OR WHAT YOUCAN TELL US ABOUTTHE RAIDS THATOCCURRED YESTERDAYAT CITY HALL.MAYOR BROWN:I DON'T HAVE ANYINFORMATION ABOUTSEARCH WARRANTSTHAT WERE EXECUTEDAT CITY HALL IN ANOFFICE OF THEBUFFALO URBANRENEWAL AGENCY.THAT'S ALL I KNOW.STANDUP/SPECHT:SO IN THE LAST FEWMONTHS, WE'VE TRIEDTO FOLLOW THE PAPERTRAIL, FILING FREEDOMOF INFORMATION ACTREQUESTS FOR THEMAYOR'S EMAILS, TEXTMESSAGES ANDVOICEMAILS FROM THEDAY OF THE RAID.
WEWANTED TO KNOWWHAT HE AND HIS TOPAIDES WERE SAYING TOEACH OTHER AS THEFBI DESCENDED ONTHE BUILDING.BUT WHAT STARTED ASA SIMPLE PUBLICRECORDS REQUESTHAS INSTEAD TURNEDINTO AN EXAMPLE OFHOW THE BROWNADMINISTRATIONDEFIES THE LAW WHENIT COMES TOPROVIDINGINFORMATION TO THEPUBLIC.PAUL WOLF/BUFFALONIAGARA OPENGOVERNMENTCOALITION:IT SHOULDN'T TAKETHIS LONG, ITSHOULDN'T BE THATCOMPLICATED TOFULFILL YOURREQUEST.WE FIRST ASKED FORTHE COMMUNICATIONSOF THE MAYOR, HISADMINISTRATIVEASSISTANT AND TOPAIDE MIKE DEGEORGEON NOV.
27.STATE LAW SAYSPUBLIC AGENCIESHAVE "...FIVEBUSINESS DAYS." TO"MAKE.RECORDAVAILABLE.", DENYTHE REQUEST, OR"FURNISH A WRITTENACKNOWLEDGMENTOF THE RECEIPT" OFTHE REQUEST AND ANESTIMATED DATEWHEN THE RECORDSWILL BE PROVIDED.ON DEC.
6, CITYLAWYERS SAID ITWOULD TAKE "UP TOTWENTY BUSINESSDAYS" TO DETERMINEWHETHER THEYWOULD PROVIDE THERECORDS...ADEADLINE THAT CAMEAND WENT...SPECHT/AT DESKPHONEAND THE FOIL REQUESTWAS EMAILS AND TEXTMESSAGES FROM THEMAYOR'S OFFICE.SPECHT/AT DESKPHONEAND IT'S NOW BEEN 25BUSINESS DAYS AND IHAVEN'T HEARDANYTHING BACK FROMTHE CITY.THIRTY DAYS AFTERTHE CITY'S RESPONSE-- 10 DAYS PAST THELEGAL DEADLINE -- WEFINALLY GOT A CITYLAWYER ON THEPHONE.
HE COULDN'TCITE A REASON FORTHE DELAY BUT SAIDTHE MAYOR'S OFFICEWAS TAKING CARE OFIT.SPECHT/AT DESKPHONESHOULD I CALL MIKEDEGEORGE TO CHECKIN ON THIS STUFF?HE DIRECTED US TOCITY SPOKESMANMIKE DEGEORGE,WHO'S PAID $108,000TO SPEAK FOR THEMAYOR.SPECHT AT CITY HALLHI...IS MIKE DEGEORGEHERE?DEGEORGE:YOU SENT ME AN EMAILYESTERDAY SAYINGTHAT WE'D GET INTOUCH AND TO SETSOMETHING UP, ANDTHE ONLY THING, IKNOW, CHARLIE RIGHTNOW, IS THAT IT'S UP INLAW, AND THEY'RELOOKING INTO IT ANDTRYING TO PROCESSIT.STOP RIGHT THERE.WE WERE TOLD BYTHE LAW DEPARTMENTTHAT OUR FOILREQUEST, WHICH WESENT TO THE LAWDEPARTMENT, WASNOW BEING HANDLEDBY THE MAYOR'SOFFICE...AND HERE,THE MAYOR'SSPOKESMAN SAYS IT'SBEING HANDLED BYTHE LAWDEPARTMENT.SPECHT:SO IS THERE A REASONFOR THE DELAY?DEGEORGE:I DON'T KNOW IFTHERE'S A DELAY.FOIL LAW IN NY STATEIS PERMISSIVE.THAT MEANS IF THEMAYOR WANTED TOPROVIDE THESERECORDS IN THEINTEREST OFTRANSPARENCY,THERE IS NOTHING INTHE LAW STOPPINGHIM FROM DOING SO.I'LL HAVE THE FULLSTORY TONIGHT AT 11.ASK QUESTICHARLIRESPONSEADLIBAND RIGHT NOW ONWKBW DOT COM--YOU CAN SEE HOWBUFFALO STACKS UPAGAINST OTHERLOCAL GOVERNMENTSWHEN IT COMES TOTRANSPARENCY.AND ALL NEW FORYOU TOMORROWMORNING --THE 7 EYEWITNESSNEWS I-TEAMCONT