Casual bLAWging at the AGO

All Consuming has an interesting niche. We’re a government blog. We’re a consumer blog. We’re a chameleon, of sorts. A horse of many colors. A wearer of multiple hats. A proud manipulator/abuser of clichés …

Anyway, we received a nice mention in this month’s Washington State Bar News because we’re also a law blog. The story spotlights lawyers who are “blazing a cyber-trail here in the Northwest” by blogging.

In June 2007, Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna was one of the first to launch a blog in his capacity as the state's chief legal officer. The AG's blog, All Consuming (www.atg.wa.gov/allconsuming.aspx), took a bold stand (for government blogs, at least) by allowing user comments. As a result, the blog has become a gateway for residents to voice concerns to the attorney general.

I must admit, I wish I’d receive more comments from readers who aren’t here to gripe. A compliment from someone other than a comment spammer is as exhilarating as a double-shot latté during a Mariners game that's spilled over into an extra inning.

Maybe that's not the best example. But blogging is fun. When asked about how All Consuming is different than other communications, I replied, “It's like coming to work in jeans when you're used to wearing a suit and tie.” Of course, I don't actually wear a tie with my suit and heels. But you get the point.

Greg Overstreet, former open government ombudsman for the AGO, was also interviewed for the article. Overstreet, now in private practice, runs the Open-Government Blog at www.og-blog.com and frequently gets calls from news reporters who need an expert quote for a specific dispute.

Current ombudsman Tim Ford produces our new Unredacted site (www.atg.wa.gov/Unredacted.aspx), where he answers questions about the state’s public records and open meetings acts. Check it out.