By WPRO News and The Associated Press
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) – The American Civil Liberties Union says a judge has ordered the attorney general to waive thousands of dollars in fees for documents related to how the state is spending $50 million forfeited by Google.
Republican state Rep. Patricia Morgan filed a public records request. She says she has paid about $3,750 for records and asked for a fee waiver for additional payments.
The ACLU of Rhode Island filed a brief to support Morgan. It says a Superior Court judge ruled Monday the attorney general must waive fees for additional documents and rejected its argument that requestors should prove financial hardship for fee waivers.
“The judge ruled that was irrelevant, which we think is also important in the future for anybody who seeks to get fees waived,” said ACLU Executive Director Steven Brown.
Morgan called it a partial victory because the judge let redactions to the documents stand.
Google forfeited the money after an investigation into its distribution of ads for illegal prescription drug sales.
