Open Those Records, Jerry Brown (and Former Governors)

In the process of researching a book about California government and a magazine profile of Jerry Brown, I learned an astonishing thing: state law permits former governors to control who has access to records of their governorship for 50 years or until death, whichever is later.

It's outrageous (and out of step with federal law, which gives ex-presidents control only for 12 years). How did this happen? I explain in this piece in the Los Angeles Times.

I also discussed the issue on Warren Olney's show, "Which Way, LA?" (About 8 minutes at the end of the show). And Reason magazine's web site picks up the issue.