Recently removed Office of Open Records Director Erik Arneson alleges his dismissal from that post without cause is a direct challenge to the office’s independence.

Arneson, along with the Senate majority caucus, filed suit Jan. 26 in the Commonwealth Court against Gov. Tom Wolf, the Department of Community and Economic Development and the Office of Open Records. Because Wolf had no clear reason for terminating Arneson, they said, the choice to do so was unlawful.