The Rio Grande Foundation has settled its $15,000, 18-month public records suit against the City of Albuquerque and Mayor Tim Keller this week following complaints of a lack of transparency on the part of the mayor's office, according to a release from the foundation.
Following criticism in response to Keller's use of the city's website urging residents to vote in support of "Democracy Dollars", which was voted against in November 2019, an ethics complaint was filed by the Rio Grande Foundation with the City of Albuquerque Board of Ethics and Campaign Practices.
"It is with great pride that I announce that @RioGrandeFndn has settled a public records suit against @MayorKeller, @cabq, and @CABQCityClerk. Their actions have proven to be antithetical to the principles of open government," Patrick Brenner of the Rio Grande Foundation wrote in a tweet.
Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller
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According to the Errors of Enchantment, a publication from the Rio Grande Foundation, the suit came in response to a lack of transparency from Keller after the organization filed a public records request for text messages and emails surrounding the use of the city's website for campaign purposes. The records were never received, despite paying the required invoice, the Rio Grande Foundation said.
On May 12, 2020, the Rio Grande Foundation filed a legal complaint in District Court following the failure to provide the requested records for over ten months.