Sunshine Laws For Bloggers
Nearly every state has some form of open records or "sunshine" law designed to make accessing public records at least somewhat less difficult than it otherwise could be. However, as useful as this tool has been to the mainstream media, many bloggers are unaware or unsure of how to take advantage of it. This panel discussion will provide a public records primer for bloggers and Netroots activists to learn how they can use public information laws to better report the news in their community, state and nation.
A wholesale mortgage banker by day, Trey McAtee is one of the leading progressive bloggers in Texas by night. Able to embarrass and humiliate Republicans with a keystroke, Trey (through his alter ego, McBlogger) fights for truth, justice and an end to the 2 a.m. shut-off time for bars in Texas.
Political blogger and attorney Mynor Rodriguez is an active part of the Texas progressive online community writing for Burnt Orange Report. Mynor’s campaign, GiveItBackStMarys.com, led the charge to expose the Department of Defense’s grant to St. Mary's University to study how to limit the Freedom of Information Act. He is a political advisor to State Rep. Juan Garcia and helped State Sen. Carlos Uresti in his surprise 2006 primary win. He served as the chief clerk for House Committee on Human Services during the tumultuous 78th Texas Legislature and as a briefing attorney for the 13th Court of Appeals.
Robert Guest is a criminal defense attorney serving clients in Dallas and Kaufman county. Robert is the author of dallascriminaldefenselawyerblog.com (formerly IWasTheState.com). He has a history of open records advocacy. Through open records Robert uncovered the Austin Police/Austin Energy warrantless surveillance program, exposed "fill in the blank" DWI blood search warrants, and discovered that Rick Perry's email is available for $54 a day. Robert has also written two open records how to guides for beginners. He is a member of NORML, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition and the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.
Deborah DeHay is a complex litigation paralegal, owner and author of BlueBloggin.com. Deborah is a member of the Texas Progressive Alliance and an active in the Democratic party. Deborah considers the open records act a vital tool in both her career and her blog. Through research and the use of opens records BlueBloggin has been named in the top ten of Austin's most influential blogs. Deborah has served on the board of directors, historian and newsletter chair for the Houston Legal Assistants Association, past president and board of directors Galveston Area Legal Assistants Association.
Vince Leibowitz is the editor and publisher of Capitol Annex, one of Texas' most prominent progressive political blogs. A former award-winning "main-stream media" journalist, Vince is active in Democratic Party politics and is the winner of the 2002 Nancy Monson Award from the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas and the Texas Press Association. Vince presently serves as Chair of the Texas Progressive Alliance, the nation's largest formalized coalition of state-level political bloggers and Netroots activists.
