Wisconsin law requires open records requests to be fulfilled “as soon as practicable and without delay.” Custodians can deny a request, but have to explain why in writing.
So what happens when a government entity ignores a request completely? That dilemma became a reality for Isthmus newspaper this summer, when their staff – and later, the city attorney’s office – requested records from the Office of the Independent Monitor and was answered with radio silence.
Staff writer Liam Beran sat down with our News Producer Faye Parks today to go over the timeline of events – and the other controversies swirling around Madison’s independent police oversight office…