PUBLIC INFORMATION — The North County Times in Escondido reports that San Diego County reprimanded several employees and revised its ethics policies on accepting gifts after investigating a complaint from a whistleblower filed more than a year ago, according to a county spokesman and documents obtained under a public records request. However,
Officials declined to release the results of the yearlong inquiry or details of the complaint, saying the final report is protected under attorney-client privilege. The nature of the complaint also is unclear, but a spokesman for the county said the investigation found no major violations.
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The county released some documents last week related to the inquiry, including e-mails and meeting minutes, as a result of a California Public Records Act request from the North County Times. But the final report was not released because county officials said it was protected under attorney-client privilege.
Open-government advocates say the county should make the content of the report public to prevent future transgressions.
Governments can and should waive attorney-client privilege whenever possible, said Robert Stern, president of the Center for Governmental Studies, a Los Angeles-based government research organization.
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The county released some documents last week related to the inquiry, including e-mails and meeting minutes, as a result of a California Public Records Act request from the North County Times. But the final report was not released because county officials said it was protected under attorney-client privilege.
Open-government advocates say the county should make the content of the report public to prevent future transgressions.
Governments can and should waive attorney-client privilege whenever possible, said Robert Stern, president of the Center for Governmental Studies, a Los Angeles-based government research organization.
