Indiana faces records request backlog as Pence drags feet
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana governor's office faces a backlog of public records requests largely stemming from Vice President Mike Pence's tenure, and the delay has been exacerbated by Pence's refusal to give his successor digital access to his emails, including those sent from a private AOL account he sometimes used to conduct state business.
More than 50 records requests are pending before the office of Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb, who was Pence's hand-picked replacement on the ballot after Trump selected him to be the GOP vice presidential nominee last July.
The vast majority of the requests seek correspondence Pence had with staffers and political groups, including emails routed through his private AOL.com email account, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press through a public records request.
Indiana University journalism professor Gerry Lanosga, a former investigative reporter, said that state law requires Pence to provide digital records, like emails, in their original form.