OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Even though Republican Governor Mary Fallin remains locked in two legal battles over her office's refusal to release documents, her top lawyer insists Fallin's administration is the most transparent Oklahoma has ever seen.
Fallin signed a pledge while running for office to uphold both the spirit and the letter of the state's open government laws, but critics say she is falling far short. A statewide organization dedicated to supporting the state's sunshine laws gave both Fallin and her general counsel its annual "Black Hole Award" this year for thwarting the free flow of information.
Fallin's general counsel Steve Mullins maintains some records fall under an "executive privilege" that critics say doesn't exist.
Both the American Civil Liberties Union and a former Fallin employee are suing Fallin over the release of records.