Earlier this month, the Ohio Supreme Court heard arguments in a years-long case in which state Attorney General Dave Yost has been trying to avoid complying with public records requests. The Center for Media and Democracy is seeking records from a time period in which the Republican Attorneys General Association put together a letter opposing clean air restrictions to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The Center for Media and Democracy initially requested documents in March 2020. The appeals process since then makes it appear as though there is, in fact, something pertinent Yost is desperate to protect. Now, the question is whether the records should be turned over for review — not to the Center for Media and Democracy, but to a magistrate who would like to review the materials.

Public records are already supposed to be accessible to everybody. It is not supposed to be up to the politicians to define what is public.

Politicians will always try to diminish the public’s access to its own records. It’s why we have a Sunshine Act to begin with.

Surely the courts understand how dangerous it would be to allow them to do it.