Florida attorney general files lawsuit against ACC over FSU exit

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody officially joined the legal battle for Florida State University to leave the Atlantic Coast Conference on Thursday.

Moody has filed a lawsuit against the athletic conference for wrongfully withholding public records under review pertaining to FSU's attempts to exit the conference. 

READ: Judge refuses to halt Florida State's lawsuit against ACC

"The ACC is asking a state entity - Florida State University - to potentially pay and lose more than half a billion dollars but is refusing to produce the documents related to that outrageous price tag," Moody said. "We sent a public records request to the ACC in January, but they failed to fully comply."

Specifically, Moody is referring to the ACC's media rights deal with ESPN. All of this came under fire in December when the Seminoles were left out of the College Football Playoff and became the first undefeated Power 5 conference champion to miss the postseason. 

Moody said her office requested the media rights contract in January, but the ACC refused to provide it. She argues that the contracts are public records because ‘they were made or received in connection with the official business of a public state university, or persons acting on their behalf.’

READ: FSU challenge to ACC hits snag

FSU and the ACC have been in court in both North Carolina and Florida, as the university attempts to leave the ACC without paying over $500 million in exit fees. 

Clemson has also filed a lawsuit to leave the ACC. 

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