Houston Chronicle: Perry keeps Willingham memo a secret

[Heidi]

Governor’s office has a record of using attorney-client privilege

Oct. 18, 2009, 10:13PM

AUSTIN – Embroiled in a national controversy over whether he allowed the execution of an innocent man, Gov. Rick Perry adamantly has refused to release an advisory memo from his general counsel about granting a 30-day reprieve for Cameron Todd Willingham.

“That information has been privileged information back when Ann Richards was the governor and George Bush was the governor, and I suggest it will be privileged information after I am the governor,” Perry told reporters last week.

Perry's office has a demonstrated record of applying the attorney-client privilege to him.

<snip>

But when the Houston Chronicle and other news organizations sought similar memos written for Perry by his general counsel, the governor's office has fought it repeatedly and obtained rulings from Abbott that the information does not have to be made public.

It is part of a pattern, a shroud of secrecy that has descended on the governor's office since Perry took over as governor from Bush.

“Taxpayers are being shortchanged when it comes to the public record for this governor,” said Keith Elkins, executive director of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas. “That's not what transparency is all about.”

The most recent brush is over releasing copies of a clemency memo written for Perry prior to the 2004 execution of Willingham for the murder of his three daughters in a Corsicana house fire. Shortly before the execution, Perry's office received a forensics report that the fire could not be proved to be arson.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6673985.html">Read more

[TexasObserver]

1. Perry is committed to killing the report that would admit he executed an innocent man.

[Heidi]

2. Do you think he'll get by with it?

My dearest hope is that this situation will trigger a cascade of inquiries--and not only about this report. :hi:

[TexasObserver]

3. He'll get away with it until he's out of office.

The Texas AG could act, but won't. The Criminal Court has no interest in it. The legislature is run by the GOP. There's no authority in Texas other than the feds who could really step in and do something. Public pressure matters. A searing expose' on a top television show dramatically laying out the case and Perry's cover up might bring pressure on the Obama administration to act.

:hi:

[thenooch]

4. Well...

he threw it back on the last Democratic governor...

It's all politics for Perry. I'm surprised he dropped W's name in there...he didn't have to.

[dmr]

5. I read last week that both GW & Ann Richards did release documents

related to intervening in executions.

I wish I could remember where I read that.

Perry knows his office did wrong by that man; and to the state by dismissing members of the forensic committee.

How can anyone trust this governor to do the right thing, ever?

[Heidi]

6. That's a very good question, dmr.

How can anyone trust this governor to do the right thing, ever?

I believe these documents will come out, one way or another, and if Perry's smart, he'll release them without being forced to release them.