The Illinois attorney general has ruled that Governor Bruce Rauner's office has withheld too much information on his daily appointment calendars from taxpayers.
The state's public access counselor issued an opinion in response to an appeal under the Freedom of Information Act by The Associated Press.
Public access attorney Joshua Jones says the AP correctly argues that Rauner's staff improperly used exemptions under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act to keep his whereabouts and activities secret.
Rauner spokeswoman Catherine Kelly did not comment because the issue is in court. The Illinois Times filed a lawsuit over the Rauner calendar in September.
Jones dismissed the Rauner administration argument that the calendars are not even public records.
The decision also applies to calendars of Rauner chief of staff Mike Zolnierowicz.
