State gets chief transparency officer

Washington state Attorney General Nick Brown named 22-year department veteran Morgan Damerow as the agency's chief transparency officer, the Attorney General's Office announced today.

Damerow will lead the office’s new Public Records and Open Government Unit, which Brown created during his first year in office. 

Morgan Damerow — MRSC phoot

Brown's office previously said the new unit will "modernize public records and retention processes, enhance staff training on open government issues, and innovate solutions to hurdles between the business of government and the public’s right to know."

Damerow spent eight years advising local governments on the state Public Records Act. Official statements suggest that Damerow will focus on the Attorney General's process for fulfilling records requests, with an eye for making it more efficient and effective.

Previous state Attorney General Rob McKenna in 2005 established an open government ombuds position within the agency that could advise and even advocate for the public. Under McKenna's successor, Bob Ferguson, the ombuds role moved away from public counsel in favor of advising other government agencies. WashCOG thought the change further tilted the playing field in the government's favor.

As the state's in-house law firm, the Washington State Attorney General's Office sets the standard for compliance with state statutes, including the Public Records Act. A more effective and up-to-date public records office within the agency should improve requesters' experience and serve as a model for other agencies.

Follow the link to the state Attorney General's press release.