ACLU: Judge sides with lawmaker asking about Google money

October 15, 2018 5:20 pm

By: Associated Press

Twitter:@ABC6

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.

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.