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Outing Public Employees

News   June 3, 2009 at 3:32 pm Josh Feit

PubliCola has learned that Seattle Public Utilities received a public disclosure request for the names of members of the departments’ LGBT group. The following letter was sent to the members notifying them that SPU would have to honor the request.  

City of Seattle
Gregory J. Nickels, Mayor

Seattle Public Utilities
Ray Hoffman, Director

May 6, 2009

Dear Sir or Madam,

Re: PDR #1579 – LGBTQ&F Membership

This letter is to inform you that Philip Irvin has made a public records request for copies of records related to City of Seattle Affinity groups, in particular SPU’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning and Friends (LGBTQ&F) group including:

Your name is a part of one or more of the requested records.

Washington State’s Public Records Act requires that the City promptly release records upon request unless the records are specifically exempted from disclosure. In compliance with our obligations under the law, the City intends to release requested disclosable records in response to this and any other future requests for the same records.

As a person affected by the request, however, you have the legal right under RCW 42.56.540 to bring a legal action to enjoin the release of any records you believe may not be subject to disclosure. The City will make the requested records available to Phillip Irvin at the close of business on May 21, 2009, unless prior to that time you have obtained and the City has been served with a court injunction prohibiting disclosure.

If you have any questions, please contact me at (206) 733-9836.

Sincerely,

David M. Whiting
Assistant Public Disclosure Offic

We’ve heard that the employees are going to file an injunction challenging the release of the names.

Philip Irvin, who made the request, offered an explanation for his request on the Faith & Freedom Network website. (The Faith & Freedom Network is a social conservative lobbying group in Washington state):  

Curious to find out who was using City resources, I, a City Light employee, filed a public disclosure request seeking the names and attendees of their meeting. I was stunned when told that the gay group would be filing an injunction to block release of this information. There seems to be rank hypocrisy among the gay community. Publishing names and addresses on a website of those who oppose them by signing a petition is fair game but releasing the names of those who use city resources to promote their agenda causes them to howl. Call me a homophobe if you want to but I don’t think the City should fund a secret gay employees group.


  • J.R.

    Phil Ervin is a longtime Seattle City Light employee and Christian dude who has been obsessing about these sort of issues for years.

  • J.R.

    Phil Ervin is a longtime Seattle City Light employee and Christian dude who has been obsessing about these sort of issues for years.

  • Kimmy

    Perhaps, Phil Ervin, the GLBT employees would not be so concerned about their privacy if their rights weren’t continually threatened by idiots like you.

  • Trey

    Tell Philip Irvin what you think of his request – philip.irvin@seattle.gov.

  • Trey

    Tell Philip Irvin what you think of his request – philip.irvin@seattle.gov.

  • http://www.carniverse.blogspot.com/ noc noc

    Since the rightwingers tend to murder people they disagree with I can see why GLBT employees would want to keep their names private.

  • http://www.carniverse.blogspot.com noc noc

    Since the rightwingers tend to murder people they disagree with I can see why GLBT employees would want to keep their names private.

  • Nighthawks

    What was the purpose of this group?

  • Nighthawks

    What was the purpose of this group?

  • Tur Nabout

    The 5/6 date on the letter indicates Mr. Irvin got the jump on the Who Signed crowd. Expect to see a lot more of this in the future.

  • Tur Nabout

    The 5/6 date on the letter indicates Mr. Irvin got the jump on the Who Signed crowd. Expect to see a lot more of this in the future.

  • Highlander

    The comment was:
    —————————
    Publishing names and addresses on a website of those who oppose them by signing a petition is fair game but releasing the names of those who use city resources to promote their agenda causes them to howl. Call me a homophobe if you want to but I don’t think the City should fund a secret gay employees group.
    —————————
    Fair is fair.
    .
    If the group is using city property, i.e., PUBLIC RESOURCES, at PUBLIC EXPENSE, then it is INDEED hypocrisy for said group to hide behind a facade of fear.
    .
    THEY DID publish the names and address of those who oppose them, so THEY deserve to treated co-equally.
    .
    If they refuse to comply, then they should be charged FULL PRICE to cover the city expenses AND be sued for utilizing a public resource to commit a CRIME: STALKING.
    .
    End of story

  • Highlander

    The comment was:
    —————————
    Publishing names and addresses on a website of those who oppose them by signing a petition is fair game but releasing the names of those who use city resources to promote their agenda causes them to howl. Call me a homophobe if you want to but I don’t think the City should fund a secret gay employees group.
    —————————
    Fair is fair.
    .
    If the group is using city property, i.e., PUBLIC RESOURCES, at PUBLIC EXPENSE, then it is INDEED hypocrisy for said group to hide behind a facade of fear.
    .
    THEY DID publish the names and address of those who oppose them, so THEY deserve to treated co-equally.
    .
    If they refuse to comply, then they should be charged FULL PRICE to cover the city expenses AND be sued for utilizing a public resource to commit a CRIME: STALKING.
    .
    End of story

  • tpn

    I’ve done FOIA requests with SPU and this is a form letter they sent out. My feeling is that they are trolling for anyone that might object on very narrow legal grounds (look up the RCW) but also to compromise the polical standing of anyone making such a request by making it sound as if the person is somehow trying to get personal information on participants. The letter is unnecessary and is only a tactic to find justification to hold onto information, placing the onus on the requester to then drag them into court.

  • tpn

    I’ve done FOIA requests with SPU and this is a form letter they sent out. My feeling is that they are trolling for anyone that might object on very narrow legal grounds (look up the RCW) but also to compromise the polical standing of anyone making such a request by making it sound as if the person is somehow trying to get personal information on participants. The letter is unnecessary and is only a tactic to find justification to hold onto information, placing the onus on the requester to then drag them into court.

  • Kimmy

    Perhaps, Phil Ervin, the GLBT employees would not be so concerned about their privacy if their rights weren't continually threatened by idiots like you.