 The issue: Reports surfaced this year that the administration of Gov. Mike Easley may have told state public affairs personnel in the executive branch to delete e-mails to and from the governor's office each day. The governor has said this is not the policy. However, notes uncovered by reporters investigating use of e-mails indicate state personnel were told to destroy e-mails. Easley said the notes are being misinterpreted and formed a commission to review state policies on e-mail.
The problem: North Carolina Press Association and others point out that under current state law, government e-mails are public records. They are subject to state open records laws and must not be deleted. They also must be made available for public inspection.
Read all about it. Here are some links concerning the issue.
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Notes from comments by Steve Riley of N&O. 5/8/08
NCPA response from John Bussian to panel proposals on training and retention. 5/8/08
NCPA response to panel proposals from VP Rick Thames. 5/8/08
Letter to E-mail panel from Wade Hargrove of NCAB 4/18/08
Letter to E-mail panel from NCPA Legislative and First Amendment Counsel John Bussian 4/18/08
Copy of the lawsuit filed against Gov. Easley 4/14/08
NCPA representatives testify before state panel. 4/3/08
Statement of The Charlotte Observer editor before the state panel. 4/3/08
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Easley panel calls for longer e-mail storage 5/22/08
Email retention draws attention of agencies 5/21/08
E-mail deletions could continue 5/16/08
E-mail panel proposes longer storage, better training 5/16/08
Easley wants e-mail lawsuit thrown out 5/14/08
Officials take class on public records 5/14/09
Easley wants public records lawsuit dismissed. 5/13/08
UNC board gets refresher on records law 5/10/08
Attorney: Officials shunning e-mail. 5/9/08
State workers may get public records training, but panelists not happy about keeping all e-mails. 5/9/08
NC e-mail panel seeking more storage. 5/8/08
Panel: N.C. needs public records primer 4/30/08
Three state officials deleted e-mail, records show 4/27/08
Officials' text messages can pose FOI dilemma 4/24/08
NC candidates for governor agree e-mails are public record 4/23/08
Easley e-mail policy backed 4/19/08
UNC expert backs e-mail guidelines 4/18/08
Easley not alone in his e-mail troubles 4/18/08
Easley sued for deleting e-mails 4/16/08
News agencies sue governor over e-mails 4/16/08
N.C. media sue Easley, allege violations 4/15/08
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press 4/15/08
Media Sue Easley Over Public Records 4/15/08
Easley sued over government e-mails 4/14/08
NC media sue Easley, allege violations of public records law 4/14/08
Under the Dome blog: So who did fire Crane? 4/10/08
Easley pledges better public relations 4/10/08
Easley tells spokespeople to work with the press 4/9/08
Did the governor contradict records law? 4/4/08
Panel debates public records 4/4/08
NC media: Public records law is clear, state e-mail must be saved. 4/3/08
Easley: Meaning of e-mail notes unclear. 4/2/08
Easley seeks probe of e-mail directive. 4/1/08
Candidates for governor speak on issue. 4/1/08
Notes say Easley's office told workers to kill e-mail. 3/30/08
Easley press office wanted e-mails deleted. 3/29/08
E-mail panel off to a balky start. 3/28/08
Panel begins work amid records flap. 3/27/08
NC e-mail review panel meets for the first time. 3/27/08
Committee hears of millions of e-mails trashed. 3/27/08
Crane Speech a Plea for N.C. Open Government. 3/25/08
Private PCs complicate public e-mail 3/23/08
Crane addresses journalists on Sunshine Day 3/23/08
NC DOT May Be Breaking Law Thousands Of Times A Day. 3/21/08
State spokeswoman fired in mental health flap speaks out on public records 3/20/08
Easley lets users trash e-mail value. 3/14/08
Sides at odds over public records. 3/13/08
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Asheville Citizen-Times 5/20/08
Charlotte Observer 5/20/08
The Outer Banks Sentinel 5/14/08
The Charlotte Observer 4/20/08
The Charlotte Observer 4/17/08
Rocky Mount Telegram 4/17/08
The Star 4/17/08
Winston-Salem Journal 4/13/08
The Charlotte Observer 4/13/08
Asheville Citizen-Times 4/9/08
Scott Moonyham 4/5/08
Times-News (H) 4/4/08
The Pilot 4/4/08
The Daily Tar Heel 4/3/08
Winston-Salem Journal 4/1/08
News & Record 4/1/08
The Charlotte Observer 4/1/08
News & Observer 4/1/08
Star-News 4/1/08
Fayetteville Observer 3/31/08
Rocky Mount Telegram 3/28/08
News & Observer 3/20/08
The Daily Tar Heel 3/20/08
The Wilson Times 3/19/08
Rocky Mount Telegram 3/17/08
The Courier-Times 3/15/08
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Panel's final letter to the governor 5/20/08
Final version of archiving plan 5/20/08
Final version of training plan 5/20/08
Committee's final draft report 5/15/08
The governor's motion to dismiss 5/13/08
Subcommittee proposal on e-mail retention training. 5/5/08
Subcommittee proposal on an e-mail archiving. 5/5/08
Letter from David Lawrence of UNC's School of Government 4/18/08
Governor announces policy review committee additions. 3/27/08
Easley names members of e-mail records review committee. 3/25/08
Ferrel Guillory named to e-mail review panel. 3/19/08
Governor asks for review of e-mail policies. 3/18/08
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