A leading advocate of open government is calling on Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf to reconsider his firing of his predecessor's appointee as director of Pennsylvania's Office of Open Records.
The Pennsylvania Freedom of Information Coalition said Monday that Wolf's decision last week to oust Erik Arneson and appoint an acting director will have a long-term, negative impact on its integrity. Arneson was appointed by Republican Gov. Tom Corbett a week before he left office.
The coalition says Wolf's action could lead to firings by future governors who dislike the agency's rulings and erode the agency's authority.
The coalition, part of a national network of more than 50 similar groups, is a non-profit volunteer group working to increase government transparency and help citizens understand the state's open-records and open-meetings laws.
