K.J. lawsuit update: SN&R challenges mayor on attorney-client privilege claim
Earlier this summer, Mayor Kevin Johnson sought an injunction from the court. He wanted a judge to stop the city of Sacramento from releasing emails and records pertaining to the National Conference of Black Mayors to SN&R. The mayor named his own city and this paper as defendants. The public’s response: Yikes!
Welcome to business as usual at City Hall 3.0.
Johnson, of course, had no ground to sue this paper. The editorial staff here at SN&R enjoys a legal right to do newsgathering. It’s our job as journalists, and it’s protected under California and U.S. law. The mayor and his attorneys should know this. Yet K.J. went ahead and sued us, anyway. It’s crazy.
Originally, there were fewer than 100 emails that K.J. considered shielded because of attorney-client privilege. But, on the heels of an afternoon in court in early July, that number ballooned to nearly 500. The city said that it was flagging additional emails out of an “abundance of caution.”
It may be of little surprise, then, that the city was a smidge too cautious.
Johnson’s attorneys at Ballard Spahr recently provided SN&R with a list of all the emails and documents Sacramento News & Review - K.J. lawsuit update: SN&R challenges mayor on attorney-client privilege claim - Editorial - Opinions - August 13, 2015:
Big Education Ape: Kevin Johnson and Co. could face ethics test in 2016 - Sacramento News & Review http://bit.ly/1h6NdJs
Big Education Ape: Mayor Johnson’s attorney releases list of ‘private’ emails | The Sacramento Bee http://bit.ly/1h6NjAC
Big Education Ape: K.J. attorneys admit vast majority of 'privileged' emails in SN&R lawsuit not privileged after a... http://bit.ly/1LSbIF7
Big Education Ape: K.J.'s former adviser reveals email and elections wrongdoing inside mayor's office - Sacramento ... http://bit.ly/1h6Ntba