The latest on those Kevin Johnson emails
SN&R’s legal fight for the mayor’s “secret” messages and other documents still awaits its day in court.
After more than a year, SN&R’s legal battle with Mayor Kevin Johnson—over whether the city should make public his secret National Conference of Black Mayors emails—is nearing an end.
This past Thursday, April 21, a Sacramento Superior Court judge issued an analysis of both this paper’s and Team K.J.’s legal arguments. The take-home: Johnson’s pro bono attorneys at Ballard Spahr failed to prove that the remaining 158 records in question are privileged conversations between the mayor and his legal team—but SN&R also has yet to prove that they should be made public as well.
Judge Christopher Krueger directed SN&R, the mayor and the city of Sacramento attorneys to meet again “in good faith to attempt to resolve (or at least narrow) their dispute informally,” he wrote.
If this is not possible, the judge ordered that SN&R and the mayor file a joint statement, “no longer than five pages,” detailing areas of disagreement. This statement would be due in approximately three weeks, or sooner, and a hearing will be scheduled for a later date.
This legal tussle dates back to March of last year, when SN&R reporter Cosmo Garvin filed a California Public Records Act request for all emails on the city server sent to or from the mayor’s secret omkj@gmail.com accounts. In response, Johnson sued SN&R and the city last July in hopes to block hundreds of emails from release by the city attorney. This paper stood up to the mayor and, after a hearing last summer, Ballard Spahr released more than 400 emails and records to SN&R.
But 158 emails and documents remain unreleased. SN&R argued that all of them should be made public, Sacramento News & Review - The latest on those Kevin Johnson emails - News - Local Stories - April 28, 2016:
Related stories:
Why Mayor Kevin Johnson sued SN&R, what we've learned—and what happens next
Mayor’s spokesman to SN&R: “It is what it is.” SN&R, 07.09.15.
How Kevin Johnson’s lawsuit against SN&R set in motion events that led to his political destruction
K.J. vs. SN&R returns to Sacramento County Superior Court on April 22. SN&R, 04.14.16.
14 National Conference of Black Mayors members threaten Kevin Johnson and city with lawsuit
The mayors and the group’s executive director claim defamation and lost income. SN&R, 03.31.16.
Related stories:
Why Mayor Kevin Johnson sued SN&R, what we've learned—and what happens next
Mayor’s spokesman to SN&R: “It is what it is.” SN&R, 07.09.15.
How Kevin Johnson’s lawsuit against SN&R set in motion events that led to his political destruction
K.J. vs. SN&R returns to Sacramento County Superior Court on April 22. SN&R, 04.14.16.
14 National Conference of Black Mayors members threaten Kevin Johnson and city with lawsuit
The mayors and the group’s executive director claim defamation and lost income. SN&R, 03.31.16.
