Wisconsin secretary of state settles open records lawsuit brought by conservatives

Wisconsin’s Democratic secretary of state settled an open records lawsuit brought by a conservative policy group on Wednesday, agreeing to respond to all future requests even when her office has no responsive records. The Institute for Reforming Government sought records in 2023 related to Democrat Sarah Godlewski’s appointment as secretary of state. The Wisconsin-based group filed its request the day Gov. Tony Evers appointed Godlewski in a move that even she said came as a complete surprise. Under the settlement, Godlewski agreed to respond to future open records requests as soon as practicable and without delay, even when the office determines that no records exist.