Vice President-elect Mike Pence
Michael (Mike) Richard PenceTrump schedules rallies in Iowa, Georgia Spotlight turns to GOP's McCarthy in Jan. 6 probe How will Biden's Afghanistan debacle impact NASA's Artemis return to the moon? MORE is heading to court in order to keep secret the contents of an email sent while serving as governor of Indiana.
The email was sent between Pence's administration and a private law firm in regards to a state lawsuit against President Obama over his immigration policies. The lawsuit originated in 2014 when Obama declared that parents of children who entered the U.S. before they were 16 years old would be offered deferred enforcement.
According to The Indianapolis Star, which originally reported the story, said "the email is being sought by a prominent Democratic labor lawyer who says he wants to expose waste in the Republican administration."
The issue, however, could extend beyond the lawsuit by setting a precedent limiting government transparency.
"It comes down to this — the court is giving up its ability to check another branch of government, and that should worry people," Gerry Lanosga, an Indiana University media professor, told the newspaper.
Paul Jefferson, a former professor of state constitutional law at Indiana University, told the Star a ruling in favor of keeping the email private "would severely limit the Access to Public Records Act."
Pence's request for privacy has been called "ironic" by some political observers, who note that he and President-elect Donald Trump
Donald TrumpTrump to offer commentary at heavyweight fight on 9/11 Trump schedules rallies in Iowa, Georgia USDA to provide 0M in COVID-19 relief for farm and food workers MORE made attacks on former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonClinton thrilled to have Joan Allen recording her new book Why the pro-choice movement must go on the offensive Jill Biden resuming in-person teaching at Virginia community college MORE's use of a private email server a major part of their presidential campaign against the Democratic nominee.
The Indiana Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments for the case next Monday.
