Secrecy has always been a fetish for Washington politicians and bureaucrats who claim a regal right to read documents and hold meetings involving the public's business. Now this poisonous, anti-democracy mindset has crept into government in Idaho at several levels.
The Republican-controlled state Legislature has twisted the state Constitution's requirement for conducting business in public to exempt committee meetings. Unhappily, the state Supreme Court accommodated this interpretation last week by upholding closed-door committee sessions in a strained ruling.
In Ada County, however, a judge has set course in the opposite direction, declaring that a closed-door county commission meeting last June was illegal. The meeting was held to discuss a controversial housing project. The judge has decreed token fines as punishment for commissioners.
Renewed criticism of politicians meeting in secret has had one salutary effect. State lawmakers are on notice and are writing rules that would limit what sort of legislative meetings could be convened behind closed doors.
Yet, that's not good enough. Exceptions will inevitably become the norm.
Consider the state statutes that allow local government bodies to discuss pending litigation, personnel issues and land acquisition in closed "executive sessions." These are lame reasons behind which officials can hide from public view.
Litigation? This is supposed to allow officials to discuss lawsuits involving the public with attorneys who represent the public. The public bears the costs and consequences of litigation. Yet, public officials often use this to shut the doors on strategy sessions that should be held in public.
Personnel? Rationale for this exception is that some applicants for government jobs don't want current employers to know they're negotiating for new work. Or, that government boards need to discuss legal issues involving public employees. Too many government bodies use this exception to discuss unpaid appointments to public boards. There's no reason the public should be deprived of this information.
Land? This exemption has been justified as a way of secretly deciding how and where to buy land for public purposes with public funds without knowledge of landowners who might jack up the price. Government has ample recourse in the courts to keep prices in line and to prevent speculation without secret discussions.
Secrecy in government can be the spawning ground for skullduggery and for breaches and abuses of the public trust.
Idaho government bodies should be champions of greater openness, more open doors, more sunshine.
Not less.