This afternoon the judge kicked media out of Florida redistricting trial. GOP operatives testifying. [View all]

[madfloridian]

It seems the GOP gets to confess their deeds in private.

Leon County judge kicks media out of Florida redistricting trial

TALLAHASSEE – A high-stakes trial over the fate of Florida’s congressional redistricting plans was closed to the public Thursday as top Republican operatives testified about their insider roles in trying to influence the final maps.

Leon County Circuit Judge Terry Lewis ordered media to leave the courtroom at 1:40 p.m. in order to comply with a Florida Supreme Court decision earlier this week to allow a closed review of emails, maps, documents and other evidence pertaining to GOP operatives Rich Heffley along with Pat Bainter and his company, Data Targeting.

Bainter has argued in court for the last year that more than 500 pages of records are protected trade secrets, and the state’s high court ordered Lewis on Tuesday to close the court to the public when that evidence was presented. Bainter is still fighting use of the records in an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court his lawyer filed on Wednesday.

Several media organizations, including the Orlando Sentinel, the Associated Press, the Miami Herald and the Palm Beach Post, objected to the order to clear the court.

“So noted,” Judge Lewis said.