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DNC host committee asks court to keep donor list secret

Posted at 12:48 PM, Jul 21, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-21 12:48:18-04

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The host committee for the Democratic National Convention wants to keep its donor list under wraps until after the convention even though a Pennsylvania state agency has ordered its release.

A lawyer for the Philadelphia 2016 Host Committee told a judge Thursday the release could hurt ongoing efforts to raise funds and negotiate vendor contracts for the four-day convention that begins Monday.

The group intends to raise about $60 million from private sources.

But organizers obtained a $15 million line of credit from the city that comes with a requirement to file fundraising updates.

Independent journalist Dustin Slaughter believes those reports are public documents, and the state's open records office agrees.

Committee lawyer David Pittinsky argues the committee has until September to release the records under federal law.

The judge promised to rule quickly.