COVERITLIVE.COM

11:16

Steven Lane -

Send in your questions! Our guest Steven Lane will go live at 12:30.

12:30

Steven Lane -

Gonna get started and looks like there are lots of questions here, so I'll do my best to answer as many as I can. Thanks for your interest.

12:32

[Comment From Gregg Huber]
Why is Washington being given the choice to decide what should be published and what shouldn't? Seems like if they haven't been released that someone else should be in charge of what the public gets to see and what they don't.

12:35

Steven Lane - You are absolutely right. Judge Medley is the individual who should be deciding which emails should be published and which emails are privileged. Unfortunately, the court of appeal overruled Judge Medley and Ms. Washington was able to publish some of the emails. Now the Louisiana Supreme Court is reviewing the situation and it is hoped that they will reinstate Judge Medley's decisions and allow him to determine which emails should be public and which should be privileged.

12:36

[Comment From Leslie Brown]
Was Stacey unaware that her emails were public record? It seems as though she has a few personal issues.

12:41

Steven Lane -

Not all emails are public records. The only emails that are public records are those emails having to do with City of New Orleans business and the duties of a council member. Although people will react differently to Ms. Head's emails, the fact remains that personal matters are protected and that is why decisions as to what should or should not be published are best left to judge and not individuals who obtained the emails without the knowledge or approval of the person who wrote the emails.

12:41

[Comment From commentcava]
Will there be any charges filed or other reprimands against Veronica White?

12:43

Steven Lane - Veronica White's boss is Mayor Nagin, and he is the individual who needs to determine whether she should be reprimanded if there was a violation of city policy. In business as in government, the boss or mayor has to set the standard of performance that he demands from his employees.

12:44

[Comment From Guest]
what basis was the 4th circuit's decision to overturn on appeal the order to block the e-mails from being posted on tracie washington's website? why was the original judge's ruling overturned?

12:49

Steven Lane - The court of appeal felt that because Tracie Washington had possession of the emails for 90 days, that she should be permitted to communicate those emails to others even though the council was unaware that Ms. Washington had been placed in possession of the emails in violation of city policy. The council is now asking the Supreme Court to review the circumstances under which Ms. Washington obtained the emails and it is hoped that they will agree with Judge Medley and Judge Landrieu that the City Council has the right to review its own communications before those documents are placed in the hands of other individuals. The City Council has consistently taken the position that if there is a dispute as to what emails should be made public, a judge should decide which emails are public and which are protected.

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