California AG's office says former press aide secretly recorded 6 interviews with reporters

Associated Press

Last update: November 10, 2009 - 12:56 PM

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A report by California Attorney General Jerry Brown's office says a spokesman secretly recorded phone calls with five reporters, even though he was explicitly warned not to do so.

Chief Assistant Attorney General Dane Gillette reports that Scott Gerber was repeatedly warned that California law requires both parties to give consent before a conversation is recorded. Gerber, 33, resigned last week after one of the secret recordings came to light.

The report released Monday says Gerber recorded six interviews with five reporters from April to October, including three with reporters from The Associated Press.

It says Brown and other senior staff members did not know about the secret recordings. The report says no crime occurred, concluding that an on-the-record interview with a reporter is not a confidential communication.

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