This was a synopsis provided by a member of another listserv to the responses received following a similar question. Let me add, that in another exchange, some suggested adopting a local ordinance making it a municipal infraction to violate the rules of executive session by disclosing information and then charging the person but allowing the council the authority by super majority to decline to prosecute or vice versus requiring it by super majority to authorize a charge. What follows is a very good synopsis of the other exchange: Just to summarize and close this out, if you weren't following the ListServ discussion, I heard from about 10 different municipal attorneys from a number of jurisdictions and the almost unanimous consensus was that (at least in the absence of specific enabling legislation from the state) there was very little that a public body could do to sanction a member of that public body for disclosing information that was discussed in the executive session. I was cited to one AG Opinion from Illinois which "held" essentially that, as well as two opinions from the New York State Committee on Open Government which essentially concurred. Some who commented felt that the disclosure of such information might be in the nature of a breach of fiduciary duty, especially if it resulted in financial damage to the municipality, but no one apparently knew of such a claim ever being asserted. The gist of the responses was that, at best, a public body might "censure" (publicly or privately reprimand) a member for disclosing confidential information discussed in executive session so that the voters might be aware of that conduct, but absent enabling legislation, even local ordinances or codes of ethics might not be sufficient to impose much stronger sanctions (e.g. removal from office, exclusion from executive sessions, fines). Thanks to all who chimed in. [cid:image009.png@01D3AEF0.7E565ED0] Charles W Thompson, Jr Executive Director / General Counsel at International Municipal Lawyers Association, Inc. A 51 Monroe St., Suite 404, Rockville, MD, 20850 [cid:image011.jpg@01D3AEF0.7E565ED0]<http://www.facebook.com/IMLA-259977855541/> [cid:image013.jpg@01D3AEF0.7E565ED0] <http://www.linkedin.com/company/international-municipal-lawyers-association-inc./> [cid:image014.jpg@01D3AEF0.7E565ED0] <http://twitter.com/imlalegal> [cid:image015.jpg@01D3AEF0.7E565ED0] <http://soundcloud.com/internationalmunicipallawyersassociation> P (202) 466-5424 ext. 7110 M (240)-876-6790 D (202) 742-1016 W www.imla.org<http://www.imla.org/> Plan Ahead! IMLA's 83rd Annual Conference<http://imla.org/events/conferences>, October 17-21 in Houston, TX!