Media outlets to join lawsuit against Gov. Blunt over e-mail access.

JEFFERSON CITY — Three news outlets can join a lawsuit against Gov. Matt Blunt over access to e-mails.

Earlier this week, former Democratic Lt. Gov. Joe Maxwell and Republican attorney Louis Leonatti refiled a lawsuit against Blunt. The two were appointed to take over a lawsuit filed by investigators picked by the attorney general's office.

The most recent lawsuit wants the court to decide if e-mails are subject to open-records and document retention laws. It also asks that governor's office e-mails be turned over for free.

The Associated Press, Kansas City Star and St. Louis Post-Dispatch sought to join the suit to pursue separate Sunshine Law requests for documents. The court has ruled that the media can intervene in the suit.