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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Utah Democrats have filed a lawsuit seeking records from last year's redistricting process.
Democrats have argued they shouldn't have to pay a bill of more than $9,000 to get the documents, saying the state should give up the records without charge.
Utah Democratic Party Chair Jim Dabakis said in a statement Wednesday that Democrats, the media and the public "are being locked out of our government."
Legislative officials say it took 55 employees a combined 506 hours to compile the records.
Republicans say Democrats want to use the documents for a lawsuit challenging how lawmakers handled redistricting. Democrats accuse Republicans, who control the Legislature, of conspiring behind closed doors to redraw state and congressional districts.
Utah Republicans have said the Democrats rejected an offer by the GOP to pay the bill.
Contributing: Mary Richards
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
