A state appeals court yesterday ordered the Bloomberg administration to turn over e-mails involving the appointment of failed schools chancellor Cathie Black, but city lawyers say they’ll keep fighting to keep them secret.
Black, 67, had a short, tumultuous reign as chancellor last year and was ousted after just 96 days on the job.
Then-Village Voice reporter Sergio Hernandez first asked to see the e-mails back in November 2010, submitting a Freedom of Information Act request for correspondence between Black, who was the head of Hearst Publishing at the time, and the mayor, as well as his office.
Robert Miller
Cathie Black
Hernandez also asked for any e-mails between City Hall and anyone using a hearst.com e-mail account during the time Black was nominated as chancellor and appointed to the job.
It’s unclear what’s in the e-mails. Hernandez told The Post yesterday that he believes they have to do with public-relations strategy over the controversial appointment of Black, who had no previous education experience.
The city refused to turn the information over, arguing that it would be an invasion of privacy.
Hernandez, who’s now a reporter for The Daily, filed suit to get the e-mails, and a Manhattan judge sided with him in November, ordering the city to turn the correspondence over within 15 days.
The city appealed, and in the ruling released yesterday, the state Appellate Division sided with Hernandez, finding that the information should be public.
City lawyer Susan Paulson said her department would ask for permission to appeal the case to the state’s highest court. Hernandez noted such requests are rarely granted — but the move does buy the city more time.
City loses in Black mail case
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City loses in Black mail case
