Advice from attorneys general remains secret in some states

By MEAD GRUVER and DAVID A. LIEB
Associated Press

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Legal advice from state attorneys general sought by other government officials often has been treated as a public record — but not in every state. Wyoming’s attorney general has declined to publicly release the advice she provided to local officials about how to handle citizen requests for election recounts. The attorney general says that’s closed as a matter of attorney-client privilege. An Associated Press review found that about one-fifth of states haven’t publicly posted attorney general’s opinions in recent years. Some attorney general offices say they haven’t provided any recent formal opinions.