Taxpayers to pay $2,000 to end open records lawsuit

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Taxpayers will pay nearly $2,000 to settle a lawsuit brought against a Democratic state representative who initially refused to turn over requested emails in electronic format.

The conservative law firm the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty sued Rep. Jonathan Brostoff, of Milwaukee, in February. Brostoff wanted to charge the group $3,200 for printed emails it had requested.

WILL sued, saying the records should be provided electronically as the law allows. It said Thursday that Brostoff agreed to do that to end the lawsuit and pay just over $1,800 in court costs and attorneys’ fees.

Brostoff said in a statement that he acted upon the advice of the Assembly chief clerk when completing the records request and he called for the clerk and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos to review policies and guidelines.

This case came after a Dane County judge ruled in January that Republican Rep. Scott Krug needed to provide electronic records when requested.