Paso Robles councilman provides over 5,700 emails and text messages

May 21, 2025

By KAREN VELIE

Paso Robles City Councilman Chris Bausch responded last week to a barrage of records requests from the San Luis Obispo Tribune by providing over 5,700 emails and text messages.

“I have finally delivered all relevant and non privileged documents requested,” Bausch said during the Paso Robles City Council meeting on Tuesday. “When all was said and done I have reviewed nearly 60,000 emails, many of them multiple times due to the redundancy of the Tribune’s searches.”

The Tribune filed a lawsuit against Bausch and the City of Paso Robles over 19 records requests its reporters made over four months that according to Bausch included more than 700 searches. Because Bausch had received texts and emails regarding city business on his personal devices, Bausch was required to review all texts and emails that showed up on the searches of his devices and then download the relevant documents.

Of the 60,000 emails Bausch reviewed, he downloaded over 2,000. He also reviewed over 26,863 text messages and then extracted over 3,763 for the Tribune.

In response to the Tribune’s demands for Bausch’s itemized phone bills and all call logs, Bausch explained he does not keep call logs nor does he receive an itemized phone bill. The Public Record’s Act requires public officials to provide records, but not to create records.

San Luis Obispo Superior Court Judge Michael Kelley had ordered Bausch to turn the records over by May 15. Bausch explained that he started emailing sets of emails and text messages on May 15, but because of the large amount of records, he did not finish sending the records until May 16.

Kelly had ordered Bausch to send the records to the city attorney, Elizabeth Hull of Best Best & Krieger, for her review and to allow her to redact or pull restricted information.

If public officials fail to abide by the California Public Records Act, the requester can file a lawsuit asking the court to order the official to turn over documents. In most cases, the judge then allows the plaintiff to seek legal fees and court costs.

Judge Kelley set a hearing for Nov. 4 to look at the merits of the Tribune’s lawsuit.

Because we believe the public needs the facts, the truth, CalCoastNews has not put up a paywall because it limits readership. However, we are seeking qualification as a paper of record, which will allow us to publish public notices, but it requires 5,000 paid subscribers.

Your subscription will help us to continue investigating and reporting the news.

Support CalCoastNews, subscribe today, click here.