By Daniel Libit
Once. Twice. Three times transparency.
As part of my ongoing effort to help the University of New Mexico with its long-striving and oft-asserted commitment to openness, I have now filed a third public records lawsuit against a UNM component unit or direct-support organization. The latest defendant is arguably the most egregious offender of the trio: the UNM Lobo Club, the athletic department’s booster organization. Continue reading “Yep, We’re Now Suing the Lobo Club”
By Daniel Libit
Where is the inflection point for shame at Scholes Hall? That’s what I still want to know.
Because it would seem like the University of New Mexico’s leadership, having taken stock of the last two years, in which the school’s disclosure practices were repudiated by government watchdogs, editorial boards, a state District Court judge and the New Mexico Attorney General — and in which UNM’s new president has “emphatically” pledged a new era of transparency — might show some modicum of contrition.
But rather, in spite of everything, UNM’s leaders have recently decided to experiment with a new way of flipping their middle fingers at the virtue of public accountability. In response, I’ve filed another public records lawsuit against the university. Continue reading “UNM’s Public Records ‘Particularity’ Ploy”
By Daniel Libit
The University of New Mexico continues to run up a tab for its anti-transparency past.
As part of a recent settlement agreement, the school has agreed to pay $35,000 of my legal fees in order to be dismissed as a defendant in a public records lawsuit I filed against the UNM Foundation. Continue reading “UNM Coughs Up $35K to Exit Records Case”
By Daniel Libit
Facing mounting media scrutiny — and an adverse public records lawsuit ruling — The University of New Mexico Foundation acknowledged today that it quietly amended a gift agreement last year with university booster Margaret Branch, which cut the price of her naming-rights deal for the Lobo football field by almost half.
The Albuquerque Journal, which was first to report the news, said that it had made multiple requests for the Branch Field payment information over the last two years. But the disclosures came just weeks after NMFishbowl.com made an Inspection of Public Records Act request for these materials on September 12. Continue reading “UNMF Comes Clean on Branch Field Deal”
By Daniel Libit
The New Mexico Foundation for Open Government and the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information have jointly submitted an Amici Curiae brief in support of our public records lawsuit against the University of New Mexico Foundation. Continue reading “NMFOG, Brechner Center File Brief in Support of our IPRA Suit”
By Daniel Libit
In a week that has seen stunning reports about the University of New Mexico’s internal discussions on how to undercut the state’s Inspection of Public Record Act, we are still plowing ahead with our attempts to enforce it. Continue reading “Here’s Our Motion for Summary Judgment Against UNMF”
By Daniel Libit
A draft of a legal services agreement between the University of New Mexico and an outside law firm indicates that the school may be looking for changes to the state’s public record laws.
The Nov. 15 engagement letter from the Modrall Sperling law firm reads: “We have been engaged to advise the university in connection with questions concerning compliance and possible amendemtns (sic) to the Inspection of Public Records Act.” (Emphasis added.) Continue reading “Is UNM Anticipating IPRA Changes?”
By Daniel Libit
In a deposition earlier this month, former University of New Mexico Athletic Director Paul Krebs acknowledged that he regularly deleted work-related emails he considered to be “routine” — and that others in his department did the same. Continue reading “Krebs Admits he Deleted Lots of Emails”
By Daniel Libit
The blessing of public officials’ incompetence is that it doesn’t yield to their deceit, although this can only serve as small comfort to the public.
I write of the latest revealed blunder of the Paul Krebs era, as reported last Sunday by the Albuquerque Journal: an email the former University of New Mexico athletic director sent to two subordinates, in early May, instructing them to delete emails so that this reporter wouldn’t be able to obtain them through a public records request. The messages revolved around the draft of a press release the school was prepping to announce the reinstatement of its skiing program, after previously stating that the sport would be abolished. Continue reading “Lobos Warrant an IPRA Investigation”
