Oklahoma Tells City It Can't Charge $17,125.44 for a Records Request Related to Data Center Arrest

In Oklahoma, a city attempted to charge a farmer over $17,000 to fulfill a public records request related to a data center project and his subsequent arrest. However, the state's attorney general intervened and instructed the city to drop the fees and provide the documents promptly. Darren Blanchard, the farmer, was arrested at a city council meeting for speaking too long.

He left with police and later fought the trespassing charge, which came with a $200 penalty. Blanchard and his lawyers requested bodycam footage from the arrest and city records pertaining to similar disturbances. The city demanded $17,125.44 for this information. The city's lawyers argued that the fees were justified due to the potential damage from public distribution of the records.

However, the Oklahoma Attorney General disagreed, stating that the city could only charge for direct costs like copying and reproduction. The attorney general also criticized the city for not posting a fee schedule and not providing a valid reason for charging search fees. The attorney general further suggested that the city should release the bodycam footage without delay, as there was no privacy expectation in a public meeting attended by many people.