It appears the Associated Press has gotten an unnecessary, self-inflicted black eye from its recent request for detailed information on all Montana concealed-weapons permit holders.

Unnecessary, because the request was predictably denied by Montana Attorney General Tim Fox. And when word got out about the request on the Voices of Montana radio program this week, it predictably wasn’t well received in a state with a strong libertarian streak.

When asked about the request, the AP’s regional bureau chief said, “In general we refrain from commenting on our reporting efforts because sometimes they turn into stories, sometimes they don’t and sometimes the information informs further efforts that may go in a different direction than what we first contemplated.”

That approach is understandable, but also unfortunate in this case  because it means the AP can’t offer an explanation to justify why it was seeking the full name, address, employer, age and driver’s license number of all permit holders in the state.

We certainly can’t think of a good reason to seek that information, particularly in light of the fierce blowback an upstate New York newspaper got late last year after it published a map along with the names and addresses of all permit holders in two counties. A Bangor, Maine, newspaper came under withering criticism for acquiring similar information, even though the editor insisted there was no intention of publishing the information.

The AP’s request was probably futile in any case. It was made last spring, just after the Legislature passed a law explictly making most of that information confidential starting in October, but before Gov. Bullock had signed it.

The Inter Lake does believe information about concealed-weapons permit holders should be available to the public if there are justifiable reasons to seek it. If, for instance, there is a gun-related crime committed, acquiring  the perpetrator’s concealed-weapon permit information could be a legitimate journalistic pursuit. Getting aggregate information, such as the number of permit holders in each county, is also justifiable.

But a blanket request for detailed information on permit holders across the state? That just doesn’t compute, and Attorney General Fox in a memo from his office explained why:

“The Attorney General’s Office has notified the requesters informally that the privacy of permit holders exceeds the public’s right to know. After careful research and consideration of the requests, it is the opinion of this office that broad dissemination of CWP status and application information would unnecessarily invade the privacy of individuals in violation of the Montana Constitution.”

That’s a pretty straightforward response from the attorney general, and the AP should have seen it coming, along with an unfavorable reaction from Montanans, whether they hold a permit or not.

But let’s make one thing clear. Whether we agree with the AP or not in this instance, reporters have every right to request information from the government. That is a large part of their job.

The response against the Associated Press has been way overboard, with veiled threats made against AP reporters and staff members and even their family members. That is just the kind of outrageous behavior that makes it reasonable to ask for information about who has a gun! People have a right to protect themselves, and if someone who is making threats against you has a gun, you should be able to find that out.

Just as we believe in responsible journalism and responsible gun ownership, we also believe in responsible citizenship. Treating each other with respect will go a long way toward making our country safer for all of us.

Editorials represent the majority opinion of the Daily Inter Lake’s editorial board.