By KRWG News
New Mexico – The Albuquerque Journal has filed a lawsuit alleging that Gov. Bill Richardson's office violated New Mexico's open records law by withholding documents about 59 appointive state workers who lost their jobs because of budget cuts.
The lawsuit was filed earlier this month in state district court in Albuquerque and seeks a court order forcing the governor's office to provide requested records, including those that identify the workers and relate to how it was decided which positions should be eliminated and how much would be saved.
The lawsuit said only a handful of workers were identified in materials released by the governor's office.
Richardson spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said Wednesday the lawsuit "appears to be nothing more than a vendetta" against the governor.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.