Judge sides with TV station asking Gov. Evers to release records

A Dane County judge has agreed with a Milwaukee TV station seeking the release of emails from Gov. Tony Evers.

In September 2019, FOX6 (WITI-TV) requested more than four weeks of emails to and from Gov. Evers and his chief of staff, Maggie Gau. The request was part of an open records spot check on public employees’ emails.

The governor’s office said the requesters had to submit search terms to narrow the request for information.

“What are my elected officials talking about? Who are my elected officials talking with?” Tom Kamenick, FOX6’s attorney in this matter and founder of Wisconsin Transparency Project said. “You don’t have to know ahead of time the answers to those questions to make a request.”

The ruling released this week says the governor’s office had an “incorrect interpretation” of the law and needs to give FOX6 the rest of the emails requested, along with attorney fees.

Read more about the case here.