David Buuck, Senior Deputy Knox County Law Director has responded and Dr. Martha Buchanan is violating the TN Open Meetings Law and was advised to NOT do it and she said she is operating as the Governor more or less.
Here you read the email to my inquiry, then read the email exchange from the law department and Dr. Buchanan.
Mr. Hornback, Thank you for your inquiry. At the county commission meeting last night, Dr. Buchanan, in her capacity as Knox County Public Health Director, was asked by a county commissioner what her intent was with regard to opening wedding and other venues. Her response was that the next step had not yet been decided. She said that the Knoxville-Knox County Reopening Task Force was meeting on Tuesday (today the 19th) to come up with the next step and that the Task Force would announce the next steps to the citizens on Thursday. The Committee was convened by the Health Director in her capacity as the sole governmental entity with policy making authority regarding closing of businesses during a pandemic.
This statement about the meeting to develop policy, triggered a query as to whether the meeting had been publicly noticed under the Open Meetings law which, as you know, states that it is “… the policy of this state that the formation of public policy and decisions is public business and shall not be conducted in secret.”
It turns out there was no notice.
I have attached the email string of public records emails regarding the issue.
My understanding is Buchanan changed the meeting from ZOOM to in person, still denying myself and one other media entity from covering the meeting.
Time for someone to remove her UNTIL an investigation into this state law violation is investigated.
Brian Hornback, the rules rarely apply to the loony left. The only ones they are interested in are the 9nes they can impose on the public that force compliance with what they believe. Be prepared for much spin and redirect if any coverage at all from the KNS and ll the other liberal media outlets.
Hell…they ALL seem to do that! (ignore State law) Good luck at fighting it! See why I said this stuff has to go to the FEDERAL courts and skip the State?
Hey….I am with ya. BUT….I also got zero help!
Why does everyone even follow these unconstitutional ludicrous rules. These are the same type of people who have the same agenda as many other governors in so many other liberally run states. If I owned a business in Knox county I would have never closed, and constitutionally I dont have to. Come on sheeples, these people are NOT highly educated in the covid field.
Buchanan needs to lose her job. This is not the first time she has ignored the law. It needs to be the last.