Lawmakers Slam Secrecy Surrounding Washington Auditor Breach
Washington state senators probing the breach of a file transfer system used by the auditor’s office are criticizing the lack of transparency in the process. The breach exposed the information of 1.3 million residents. by Jim Brunner, The Seattle Times / March 4, 2021 Shutterstock
(TNS) State lawmakers probing the massive data breach at state Auditor Pat McCarthy s office say they re frustrated with ongoing secrecy surrounding the incident, which exposed personal information of at least 1.3 million Washingtonians.
Three state senators who have pressed for details about the breach say the auditor s office has conditioned private briefings on a confidentiality agreement, meaning they cannot share all they learn publicly. The auditor s office has justified holding briefings under so-called attorney-client privilege because the agency is being sued over
Seattle’s disclosure of police records lags as experts question legality of city’s practices, funding
Seattle also appears to be failing to devote necessary resources to meet even basic compliance with the records law, said Kathy George, a lawyer who specializes in government transparency issues.
“If they’re not devoting enough resources, at a certain point, it seems clear that it’s an intentional backlog, they’re planning to have slow responses,” she said. “You can’t do that under the Public Records Act.”
The law demands public agencies provide the “fullest assistance” possible and to respond to requests “promptly.” Neither “an extreme backlog” nor “staffing shortages” fall among the exceptions allowed for delaying responses, George said.