Recently elected Albemarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney, Robert Tracci, has been added as a defendant in a Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) suit originally filed against his predecessor, Denise Lunsford, and the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Initiated in October 2015 by attorney, Matt Hardin, and on behalf of plaintiff, Tyler Pieron, the suit alleged that Commonwealth’s Attorney Lunsford violated Virginia’s FOIA statute in her response to an earlier open records request by Mr. Pieron. According to the suit, Lunsford withheld information through unlawful delaying tactics and unreasonable estimated charges for providing the requested documents.
Mr. Tracci, as legal custodian of all records belonging to the Albemarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s, office, must now decide how to respond to the suit and to the original request for records.
Update:2/17/2016 5:40 AM PM, statement from Robert Tracci:
“I have been named as a defendant in this case. Many claimed this suit would disappear after the election. They were wrong.
The Freedom of Information Act was enacted into law to advance transparency and accountability. As Justice Brandeis stated, ‘sunlight is the best disinfectant.’
I will carefully examine the civil suit that has been filed and do my utmost to uphold the public trust and dignity of the office I am privileged to serve.”
