Subpoenas Issued in Battle for Albuquerque’s Hidden Public Records
The Southwest Public Policy Institute (SPPI) is turning up the heat in its lawsuit against the City of Albuquerque and City Clerk Ethan Watson by issuing a subpoena to CivicPlus/NextRequest. This subpoena demands access to the city’s public records management database, hosted on the NextRequest platform, which tracks all public records requests submitted to Albuquerque. SPPI initially requested this database in December 2022 to investigate potential mishandling of public records requests, but the city has repeatedly delayed and denied access, claiming the request was overly burdensome and even stating they could not locate the database.
The subpoena to CivicPlus/NextRequest seeks the entire public records request database from January 1, 2019, to December 1, 2022. SPPI believes that access to these records is essential to substantiate its claim that Albuquerque has targeted certain requests or requesters for intentional delay or denial, potentially violating New Mexico’s Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA).
Patrick M. Brenner, President of SPPI, emphasized the importance of this legal action, stating, “Mayor Tim Keller, City Clerk Ethan Watson, the City of Albuquerque, and its officials have stonewalled SPPI’s efforts to access public records, a fundamental right protected by law. By turning to CivicPlus directly, we hope to finally uncover what the City is hiding and expose any potential misconduct in Albuquerque’s transparency practices. We remain committed to defending the public’s right to know and holding officials accountable when they fail to meet their obligations.”
SPPI’s legal actions underscore a broader concern about Albuquerque’s transparency under the leadership of Mayor Tim Keller and City Clerk Ethan Watson. This is the second major lawsuit filed by SPPI against Albuquerque, following an earlier case over the city’s refusal to release records tied to its Automated Speed Enforcement program. SPPI has faced persistent barriers to obtaining public information in both instances, raising questions about the city’s commitment to open government.
Brenner added, “Watson’s actions suggest a troubling disregard for transparency laws and a lack of respect for the public’s right to access information. If public officials like Keller and Watson continue to disregard the law, organizations like ours will continue to step up and ensure they are held accountable.”
Through this subpoena, SPPI hopes to secure documents revealing whether the City of Albuquerque has intentionally mismanaged or obstructed public records requests. SPPI’s case represents a broader effort to uphold transparency standards in New Mexico, demonstrating the Institute’s commitment to serving as a watchdog for government accountability.