Thread: TX:Former Farmer's Branch council member sues city

Former FB council member sues city
By ANABELLE GARAY Associated Press Writer © 2008 The Associated Press
Dec. 17, 2008, 7:14PM


DALLAS — A former Farmers Branch City Council member sued the Dallas suburb Wednesday alleging officials have denied her access to public records connected to the city's attempts to ban home rentals to illegal immigrants.

The lawsuit filed by Carol Dingman in state district court is one of several state and federal lawsuits Farmers Branch has faced in the past two years over its fight to enforce measures to keep illegal immigrants from living in the city.

Dingman has requested copies of the legal and consulting bills stemming from defending the city's immigration-related ordinances, information that is public and available to anyone under the Texas Public Information Act.

City officials have repeatedly referred her requests to the Texas Attorney General's Office. The city contends that the legal bills are privileged communications between attorney and client, so they should be exempted from public disclosure. In its responses, the Attorney General's Office has told Farmers Branch the law requires it to reveal information related to expenditure of public funds. Claims of attorney-client privilege are not compelling reasons to withhold the information, the AG's office said.

Farmers Branch filed a lawsuit against the Texas Attorney General's Office in November challenging a ruling to provide invoices from the Strasburger & Price law firm, although it has previously provided invoices from the firm.

"During my eight years on the Farmers Branch city council, I can't recall us ever denying a taxpayer access to public information," Dingman said. "It is chilling to think that some members of this city council apparently consider themselves to be above the demands of their constituents or the Texas Attorney General."

Calls to an attorney for the city and other representatives were not immediately returned Wednesday night.

By referring each request for records to the attorney general, the city delays having to disclose the information, said attorney Bill Brewer, who represents Dingman and others in suing Farmers Branch over the ordinances.

"Unfortunately, this conduct follows a pattern of irresponsible, if not illegal, behavior on the part of this city council. The public has a right to know about the millions of dollars this city is spending on ordinances that have thus far been ruled unconstitutional," Brewer said.

Farmers Branch officials have approved several ordinances to prevent illegal immigrants from renting in the city. The latest version requires prospective tenants of houses or apartments to get rental licenses and calls for the city building inspector to verify with the federal government whether those who are not U.S. citizens have a "legal presence." Anyone deemed an illegal immigrant would have their rental license revoked, banning them from leasing in the city.

The ordinance is tied up in a legal challenge and was prevented by a federal judge from being enforced. A district judge in Dallas recently sanctioned Farmers Branch for failing to turn over all the documents in a case challenging its ordinance despite a court order.

Opponents of the ordinances estimate the city has spent more than a million dollars of taxpayer money to pay several law firms and a public relations firm to defend lawsuits over its controversial immigration-related ordinances.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/6170257.html

"Unfortunately, this conduct follows a pattern of irresponsible, if not illegal, behavior on the part of this city council. The public has a right to know about the millions of dollars this city is spending on ordinances that have thus far been ruled unconstitutional," Brewer said.

And yet, they have no problem with hiding things from American taxpayers who are against spending our tax money supporting illegal aliens and their offspring. Things that make ya go hmmmmm.