SanDOG sued San Diego City Attorney Jan Goldsmith for not turning over his personal e-mails dealing with official public business and for wasting taxpayer money to subvert the California Public Records Act. Goldsmith and his office have repeatedly–and falsely–claimed that SanDOG is trying to get his personal e-mails for his private communications. SanDOG only seeks his e-mails dealing with the public’s business. You can read the latest draft of the allegations here: First_Amended_Complaint.
After Goldsmith’s office failed to get the lawsuit thrown out early on (read the court’s ruling here: Demurrer_Final_Ruling_2014-06-06), he asked the city to hire and pay for outside lawyers to represent him in the case. The city council approved the request in July 2014, and based on the mayor’s authority the outside lawyers will be able to spend up to $250,000.
The new, outside lawyers renewed Goldsmith’s prior request to have the case thrown out and further requested that the judge prohibit SanDOG from requiring Goldsmith to answer more questions about his e-mails under penalty of perjury. At the hearing on the request, Goldsmith himself handled a substantial part of the argument instead of letting his outside lawyers handle all of it. You can read the transcript of the hearing here: 2014-09-05 Sdog City Goldsmith corrected final.
ON September 5, 2014, the judge refused to throw out the lawsuit the second time, noting that he had already rejected the same arguments for dismissal previously. You can read his ruling here: MJP_POs_Final_Ruling.
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