An Arkansas judge on Monday dismissed a lawsuit by Attorney General Tim Griffin that accused the Board of Corrections of violating the state's Freedom of Information Act. It's part of an escalating dispute between the Board of Corrections and Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders over who runs the prison system.
Griffin said he plans to appeal a two-page ruling by Pulaski County Circuit Court Judge Tim Fox dismissing complaints stemming from the hiring of outside counsel in the dispute.
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The committee and Mr. Sanders have been at odds over the governor's push to add temporary prison beds, despite concerns from committee members. The commission voted earlier this month to fire Corrections Secretary Joe Profili four weeks after he was suspended.
Mr. Sanders nominated Mr. Profili to the position before taking office and received board approval. The commission replaced Sanders after another judge blocked a law that Sanders signed last year that stripped the commission of its authority to hire and fire corrections commissioners.
An Arkansas judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by the state attorney general's office against the Board of Corrections.
A lawyer for the commission said it was satisfied with the decision.
“The board did not violate FOIA and there is no reason to continue the FOIA lawsuit,” Abutin Mekhizadegan said in a statement. “We call on the Attorney General to meet with the Board to directly resolve these differences once and for all.”
In his decision, Fox said the AG's office failed to follow his previous orders to retain a special counsel for the board or approve an outside attorney as special counsel.
