Assembly Releases Legislator Spending Records

The state Assembly released records detailing spending by individual legislator offices this week following a lawsuit that resulted from a conflict between the legislature's Democratic leadership and local Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, D-La Canada Flintridge.

The lawsuit was filed by the Los Angeles Times and the Sacramento Bee, which reported the release of the documents on its website Friday.  Judge Timothy Frawley in the case last month, with a written opinion that largely dismissed the arguments of the Assembly that the spending records should be kept hidden from the public:

In a somewhat ironic twist, the Assembly argues that the "Open Records Act" should be given a narrow interpretation that restricts the public's right to inspect legislative records.  Further, the Assembly argues that the constitutional doctrine of separation of powers prohibits this court from enforcing any other interpretation.  Both arguments lack merit.

Portantino originally asked for information on office budgets after Democratic leadership officials accused him of overspending his office budget and threatened to furlough his staff last summer.

Portantino filed an open records request, and was followed in that pursuit by the Times and the Bee, which later filed the lawsuit arguing that publicly elected officials' office budget records should be disclosed to the public.

Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez told the Bee that the Assembly did not see any point in further contesting the lawsuit or filing an appeal.

Portantino had the following reaction on his Facebook page on Friday

"Transparency has arrived. Thank you media for holding the Assembly's feet to the fire and forcing the release of budget documents!"

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