Emanuel Broke Law In Withholding Emails: Judge

CHICAGO, IL — A Cook County judge has ruled that Mayor Rahm Emanuel illegally withheld emails related to city business for nearly 18 months. The emails — which were sent and received on his personal accounts — included correspondence about the city's controversial red light camera program. The judge found that Emanuel violated the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.

The Chicago Tribune sued the city after Emanuel's office denied a request to gain access to emails and text messages about the red light camera program under the open records act.

The city did not respond to requests for comment by deadline, however a spokesman for the city's Law Department told the Tribune that a process is in place that ensures any emails about city business from the mayor's personal devices and accounts are released under FOIA.

Emanuel has argued that texts and emails on his personal cellphones and accounts about city business are not subject to the open records law, the Tribune reported.

Circuit Judge Kathleen Pantle said that if government officials are allowed to discuss public business over personal devices and in personal emails without being subject to FOIA, that would "open the door" for the officials to "shield public records."

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