Texas judge rules pensions of former lawmaker-lobbyists must remain secret

[jsr]

http://www.statesman.com/news/news/state-regional-govt-politics/judge-totals-spent-on-pensions-of-former-lawmaker-/nWGQ5/

Judge: Totals spent on pensions of former lawmaker-lobbyists remains secret
Appeal possible in watchdog-group case seeking to get spending totals
By Mike Ward

Texas taxpayers cannot find out how much retired lawmakers as a group are collecting in retirement benefits from the state, an Austin judge ruled this morning.

The reason: Lawmakers have passed laws to keep that information secret, even if the retirees are not identified individually.

The decision by State District Judge Lora Livingston came in a lawsuit filed by the government-watchdog group Texans for Public Justice. The group is seeking to find out the total cost of retirement benefits being paid to 103 former lawmakers who are now lobbiysts.

“The information is confidential,” Livingston said, citing a series of state laws passed over the past decade that have tightened the information on lawmakers’ pension benefits. Now, even aggregate information and cumulative information about how much is being spent cannot be made public.

[Angry Dragon]

1. illegal laws

[leftyohiolib]

2. this is the problem -

The reason: Lawmakers have passed laws to keep that information secret, even if the retirees are not identified individually.

we should all be able to create laws to protect ourselves - they can hide their pension but teachers salaries get posted in the paper - disgusting bunch of crotch crickets