It remains to be seen whether The Oregonian/OregonLive will be able to collect the nearly $128,000 in legal fees that former first lady Cylvia Hayes has been told to pay by Marion County Circuit Judge Tracy Prall. Hayes, who unsuccessfully fought media requests for her emails regarding public business, has already vowed that she would not "give a dime" to The Oregonian, as The Oregonian/OregonLive's Molly Young reported.
And Hayes, who faces a federal criminal investigation, may not have the financial wherewithal to cover such a judgment, considering that she qualifies for representation by a federal defender at taxpayer expense.
But the value of Prall's decision goes beyond the monetary figure. As Prall noted in her letter detailing her findings and conclusions, Hayes' contention that she was not subject to the public records law because she was not a "public body" was "objectively unreasonable."
Prall added that "public policy favors disclosure. An award of attorney fees would deter public bodies from denying that they are public bodies."
Media organizations have written exhaustively about the ways public officials and agencies, from Portland Public Schools to the governor's office, have tried to stymie release of public information. Here's hoping that Prall's statement - with the sting of a financial judgment attached - will help make that obligation to turn over such information crystal clear.
- The Oregonian/OregonLive editorial board