Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is running out of time to keep a campaign promise. During her first gubernatorial run, she pledged to open the governor’s office to the state Freedom of Information Act.

Nov. 4 marked day 2,500 of the Whitmer administration. The governor has yet to keep her promise.

Here’s what Whitmer wrote in 2018: “If the legislature won’t act, I will use the governor’s authority under the Michigan State Constitution to extend FOIA to the Lieutenant Governor and Governor’s Offices.”

This was a significant pledge because Michigan is the only state in the country whose open records law expressly excuses the governor from following the law.

The Michigan Legislature enacted our public records law in 1976. The law had a simple and compelling purpose : “The people shall be info

See Full Page