RECORDS SHOW THAT MAYOR SCOTT LIED ABOUT PAYMENT TO FIRM CONNECTED TO A STAFF MEMBER

RECORDS SHOW THAT MAYOR SCOTT LIED ABOUT PAYMENT TO FIRM CONNECTED TO A STAFF MEMBER

IN APRIL MAYOR SCOTT  SAID THIS RECORD DID NOT EXIST WHEN WE SENT A FOI REQUEST FOR IT

For someone that campaigned on transparency, our autocratic, feckless and frightened mayor has proven that was all talk.

 

"I AM THE CEO AND CUSTODIAN OF RECORDS FOR THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK"

The latest proof of that came to light this week.

In a response to this FOI request...

Scott provided a response and we were surprised to discover the purchase order that was for the Critical Incident video.

We were surprised because we made a documented and recorded verbal FOI request way back on April 9th seeking records regarding the cost to the city for the critical incident video (for the police shooting in late February) that was produced by the marketing company, The Design Group, which Mayor Scott stated he used during his campaign for office.

The city via it's FOI coordinator,  sent a response later that same day "Per the custodian there are no such records responsive to this request".

Mayor Frank Scott is the official custodian of all city records. All information flows through his office after he issued an edict to that effect.

The mayor did a similar thing when we sent an FOI request for records for his proposed budget changes. His response was no such records existed.

At a board meeting, he stated he did not release information to the media prior to the board meeting because he wanted city employees to hear his decisions about job cuts from him. We will follow-up on this matter in an upcoming post.

That is an admission that he violated the law. 

We are filing a criminal complaint against Mayor Scott regarding his willful violation of the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act. Also, we are filing a civil lawsuit on the same violations. 

Should Scott be convicted of a criminal violation, he could be removed from office. In fact there is an opinion from the Arkansas Attorney General that outlines just that. Click here to view the opinion.