City Releases Log Of Privileged Johnson Emails

The city of Sacramento has released a description of 158 emails related to Mayor Kevin Johnson's tenure with the National Conference of Black Mayors.

The content of the emails is the subject of a California Public Records Act request first filed by the Sacramento News and Review and the Sacramento Bee and joined by Capital Public Radio and other Sacramento news organizations.

Johnson sued to block the release of this batch of emails. He and attorneys for the conference's bankruptcy trustee say the conversations fall under attorney-client privilege.

The emails between attorneys, the mayor, his staff and his interns on both city and private email accounts discuss legal advice and options related to NCBM's former Executive Director, Vanessa Williams.

When Mayor Johnson became president of the group in 2013, he ordered an audit of the organization. A Fox 5 Atlanta investigative report showed Williams had spent $623,000 dollars of NCBM funds for personal use.

The NCBM sued Williams when she failed to cooperate with the audit.

She lost a countersuit that claimed Johnson was improperly elected as president of the organization.

Privilege Log - 20150729

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