Ashe added to Open Government board

Victor Ashe

Well, this could be interesting. The Tennessee Coalition for Open Government has added former Knoxville Mayor Victor Ashe to its board of directors.

Victor, a columnist for The Shopper, has been feuding recently with current Mayor Madeline Rogero. In fact, it's gotten to the point where she's making any of his record requests go through the attorney's office, something she's not requiring for other members of the media (Rogero has stated that she doesn't consider Ashe a member of the media).

In addition to Ashe, the following also were added to the board:

• Braden Boucek, litigation director and representative for The Beacon Center of Tennessee
• Hedy Weinberg, executive director of ACLU-TN
• John Williams, attorney with Tune, Entrekin & White, P.C.
• Larry Wood, general manager of WNWS-FM, NewsTalk 101.5 FM in Jackson

TCOG, according to its website, is a non-partisan organization founded in 2003 whose mission rests on the belief that citizen access to government information, through public records and public meetings, is crucial in allowing informed participation in a democratic society, and is an essential component in government accountability.

“These board members reflect a diversity of background and experiences, but each has a rich history in Tennessee and share a common viewpoint that transparency in government in our state is essential,” said TCOG Board President Doug Pierce said in a released statement. “TCOG’s educational programs have been growing, and we hope to continue to improve understanding of the rights of citizens to know what their government is doing, and to promote a culture of openness in government at all levels.”

You can read more about the appointments RIGHT SMACK HERE.