Judicial Watch Defends Mother Being Sued by Bucks County, Pa. for Requesting Release of School Board COVID Documents

Amber CoakleyAugust 22, 2022

Judicial Watch — RELEASE
UPDATED 1:44 PM PT – Monday, August 22, 2022

(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today that it is providing legal representation to Megan Brock, a parent who is being sued by Bucks County, Pa., to prevent the release of documents she requested under the commonwealth’s Right-to-Know Law that are related to COVID restrictions and the re-opening of the county’s schools (County of Bucks v. Megan Brock (Nos. 2022-03083 and 2022-02979)).

Bucks County filed multiple suits against Brock to prevent the release of the documents after the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records found in Brock’s favor and ordered Bucks County to search for and release the documents in two Right-to-Know Law requests.

Brock sent a February 7, 2022, request asking for all electronic correspondence by Bucks Co. Director of Policy and Communications Eric Nagy with Board Vice Chair Diane Ellis-Marseglia, Board Chair Bob Harvie, former Director of the Commissioners’ Office of Public Information Larry King, Chief Clerk Gail Humphrey, and Health Department Director David Damsker from 8/10/2021 to 8/28/2021, on the buckscounty.gov domain. Also, all communications about Bucks County Health Department School Guidance.

A March 8, 2022, request asks for a copy of an email sent to Acting Chief Operating Officer Margaret McKevitt on 8/23/2021 on the buckscounty.gov domain, which contained the final copy of the Bucks County COVID-19 Amended School Guidance, including all responses.

On July 18, 2022, Judicial Watch’s local counsel, J. Chadwick Schnee, filed answers to Bucks County’s lawsuits against Brock.

“Our client Megan Brock and other parents won’t be intimidated by Bucks County government’s abusive lawsuits designed to thwart basic information requests,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “Judicial Watch is honored to represent a concerned parent being punished through lawfare for daring to demand accountability from her local government.”

In July 2022, National Review profiled Brock and Jamie Walker, parents of children in Bucks County, PA who led the fight to reopen the county’s schools during the pandemic, “and then to keep schools open and opening close to normal.” Brock and Walker, “suspect county officials and two Democratic commissioners had a hand in updating the county’s guidance, and possibly overruling their own health director, a strong advocate for in-person leaning. They believe Pennsylvania governor Tom Wolf’s administration coerced the county into adopting its more restrictive Covid policies and its one-size-fits-all approach to school reopening.”