Ninth Floor still slow with records requests

Looking at Gov. Hobbs' first 100 days through public records requests

Governor Katie Hobbs said several times she would bring transparency back to the Ninth Floor, but it’s arguable that hasn’t really happened yet through her first 100 days leading Arizona.

It’d be incorrect to say there haven’t been some small improvements over her predecessor Gov. Doug Ducey given there was practically no transparency in that administration over the final three years, but Hobbs and her administration have a long way to go.

Her first 100 days was bookended by examples of opacity rather than transparency.

First she did not disclose donors for her inauguration ceremony, then she did after weeks of public pressure only to leave out $270,000 worth of sponsors.

Then, as recently as April 13, Hobbs closed her Bipartisan Elections Task Force Meeting to the press.

On top of that, it appears States United is involved with the task force even though the organization was not included in the original list of members, Votebeat’s Jen Fifield, notes.

Hobbs’ general counsel, Bo Dul, joined the Ninth Floor after working for States United¹ and represented Hobbs and the state against failed gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake in one of her many elections lawsuits. (Dul was also Hobbs’ first elections director in the Secretary of State’s Office.)

It’s not the first time Hobbs has closed off important meetings to the press.

On the other hand, Hobbs has held almost weekly press conferences (except after her press secretary resigned) and sends out her weekly whereabouts, which is a far cry from her predecessor during his final months and years.

It was a low bar to clear and Hobbs clearly has a long way to go with many months left of her first term.

Another low bar is her office’s handling of public records requests.

I’ve sent a lot to her office and am still waiting on most of them. I wrote about Ducey’s office’s response time being slow between 2018-2021 and right now, Hobbs’ office is pretty on par with the amount of time it takes to receive requests (or not, given a lot of requests have not yet been fulfilled).

Welcome to Fourth Estate 48: Doug Ducey's office slow walks public records requests

I was asked by the office early on for some patience as they gather staff together and hire a full-time records coordinator, and I think 100 days is a good sample size for now.

• The average response time per year under Ducey: 2018- 112 days (3-4 months); 2019- 76 days (2.5 months); 2020- 100 days (~3 months) and 2021- 71 days (2+ months).

• I also made several attempts at sitting down with Hobbs to discuss her efforts to bring transparency to the Ninth Floor. That still has not happened and that offer still stands.

To read up on Hobbs’ first 100 days check out this post from the Arizona Agenda (subscribers only).

It's been 100 days since Gov. Hobbs took office. What has she done so far?

I have roughly one dozen records requests I’m still waiting on not including ones I sent in yesterday. I’ve also asked multiple times for status updates on unfulfilled requests and was never given an answer except, “I am working on complying your additional public record requests.” Nothing more.

For my own transparency sake here are some of the requests I sent her office that still need to be fulfilled.

• I’m still waiting on several requests that were not fulfilled under the Ducey administration and additional records about his tenure

• All drafts and final versions of the letter sent to the Arizona-Mexico Commission members

• All applications received for the AMC between December 1, 2022 until this request is completed

• All communication records since January 2, 2023 through February 27, 2023 regarding the appointment and subsequent resignation of Matthew Stewart as Arizona Department of Child Safety director. To/from: senior staff and the governor

• Applications for the executive clemency board and the commission on appellate court appointments

I will continue to file public records requests from the Ninth Floor and following up on how long it’s taking. I am not afraid to call people out either, as I’m sure you’ve noticed if you have been following me for a bit.

Please share this post and feel free to tag Hobbs’ office asking them to hand over public records since the law states it should be done “promptly.” 91 days is the longest unfulfilled request thus far.

I don’t think that’s prompt.

1. I asked the Ninth Floor if they have an ongoing contract with States United, but have not heard back yet. I filed a public records request on the matter as well.