FRESNO (KMJ) – Important High Speed Rail documents disappear, now a local assemblyman is asking why, and demanding their return.

Fresno Assemblyman Jim Patterson is demanding the return of thousands of pages of public records that were removed from the California High Speed Rail Authority website last month.

“In the dead of night, without notifying anybody,” Patterson said.

Government watchdogs, legislators and media will only be able to access the information, including change orders, board meeting minutes, and business plans, with a time consuming Public Records Act request, that’s according to the rail authority website.

“So I say shame on them, return these to the public domain, and do it immediately,” Patterson said.

Patterson drafted a letter demanding the immediate replacement of all documents removed from the website.