(November 1, 2002)

Dr. James Purtilo, commentator and writer of the political newsletter Tripwire, today filed suit against the Maryland State Police for their withholding documents pertaining to the conduct of the affairs of the Handgun Roster Board, including contacts with the political campaign to elect Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend to the officer of Governor of the State of Maryland.

In September Purtilo had requested access to specific documents under the Public Information Act. Maryland law requires a timely response from officials, whose 'custodian of record' must answer within thirty days.

Today's lawsuit (in Montgomery County Circuit Court, case number 237862-V) came as the thirty-day deadline expired without response from the state.

Purtilo noted that this is only the latest in a string of suits against the administration concerning access to public records. "The standard administration answer to citizen requests is no answer," he said Friday. "They make us come and get it every time." In eight years, the administration or its police agencies have never provided information to the watchdog group within the deadlines mandated by law.

At issue is the use of Maryland State Police as a political arm in Kathleen Townsend's campaign for governor. "We wanted to have all the facts on the table before the election," said Purtilo. "If a surprise policy proposal surfaced just before the election, we wanted to be able to report if it had a history of real public safety consideration or was just election-eve grandstanding."

Lt. Gov. Townsend is widely quoted in the press as having proposed new public safety policies after consultation with the Maryland State Police. During this time, Purtilo's Public Information Request languished as the administration refused to either document any basis for Townsend's proposals or admit that no such documents exist.

As to the question of whether Townsend's recent campaign proposals have any public policy basis, Purtilo states: "The administration's silence speaks volumes. They'd rather break the law by keeping quiet than back up their public claims."