Post by fiberisgoodforyou on Sept 12, 2007 11:23:39 GMT -5
www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-8/1189571512318190.xml&coll=1
GOP chief seeks specifics on Katz e-mails
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
The state Republican chairman asked a judge yesterday to order the governor's office to spell out in more detail what it did to track down e-mails and other correspondence between Gov. Jon Corzine and state employee union leader Carla Katz.
The motion is the latest in an ongoing legal battle over whether communications between the governor and Katz, his former girlfriend, during negotiations on a state worker contract must be made public.
Last month Superior Court Judge Paul Innes ordered Corzine and his staff to turn over all such communications so he could review them privately and decide whether to make them public. The governor's office complied Sept. 4.
Republican State Committee Chairman Tom Wilson said yesterday the governor's lawyer failed to provide the judge with specifics on how his staff checked for e-mails between Corzine and Katz.
The court filing by William C. Brown, senior associate counsel to Corzine, said he had asked 21 people in the governor's administration whether they had records of communications with Katz, and had asked Corzine's campaign attorney for any such documents.
Wilson said yesterday that's not enough. "To be certain that every document was supplied, we have to know that the search was thorough and complete and that it was conducted by someone legally responsible for complying with the Open Public Records Act," Wilson said.
He also said the governor's office did not address what was done about any messages on private e-mail servers used by Corzine and his former chief of staff, Tom Shea.
Corzine contends the communications with Katz are private under privileges afforded governors.
Yesterday, Corzine spokesman Anthony Coley dismissed the latest GOP motion as part of a continuing "attempt to use the courts for partisan political purposes."
GOP chief seeks specifics on Katz e-mails
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
The state Republican chairman asked a judge yesterday to order the governor's office to spell out in more detail what it did to track down e-mails and other correspondence between Gov. Jon Corzine and state employee union leader Carla Katz.
The motion is the latest in an ongoing legal battle over whether communications between the governor and Katz, his former girlfriend, during negotiations on a state worker contract must be made public.
Last month Superior Court Judge Paul Innes ordered Corzine and his staff to turn over all such communications so he could review them privately and decide whether to make them public. The governor's office complied Sept. 4.
Republican State Committee Chairman Tom Wilson said yesterday the governor's lawyer failed to provide the judge with specifics on how his staff checked for e-mails between Corzine and Katz.
The court filing by William C. Brown, senior associate counsel to Corzine, said he had asked 21 people in the governor's administration whether they had records of communications with Katz, and had asked Corzine's campaign attorney for any such documents.
Wilson said yesterday that's not enough. "To be certain that every document was supplied, we have to know that the search was thorough and complete and that it was conducted by someone legally responsible for complying with the Open Public Records Act," Wilson said.
He also said the governor's office did not address what was done about any messages on private e-mail servers used by Corzine and his former chief of staff, Tom Shea.
Corzine contends the communications with Katz are private under privileges afforded governors.
Yesterday, Corzine spokesman Anthony Coley dismissed the latest GOP motion as part of a continuing "attempt to use the courts for partisan political purposes."