Communications about the Newseum's FBI exhibits prior to opening
| Tracking # |
1371105-000 1371105-000, |
| Submitted | March 25, 2017 |
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Communications
From: Brandon Smith
To Whom It May Concern:
This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act. I hereby request the following records:
All communications between staff of the "Newseum" and the three FBI staff most heavily involved in the development of the FBI's two iterations of its exhibits at the Newseum. (You must determine the three most relevant FBI staff for the development of each exhibit. These groups may or may not be different for each exhibit iteration, because they debuted years apart.) The subject matter limitation is that I only request communications which are in whole or in part about this museum's FBI exhibits. This includes all communications during the exhibit development process. You will set the time frame for the searches of communications, as the exhibits could have been in development for as few as three months or as long as two years. (I also do not know a start to a date range, because I do not know when development started, but this should be easy enough to figure out in your search process.) The first iteration of the FBI Newseum exhibit debuted in or around December 2008, while the second iteration debuted in or around November 2015. If the exhibits became stationary at these times, I do not request communications after their debuts, but if they changed after debuting, I request communications about those changes.
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment or direct download link if available or CD-ROM if not. Please send any CD-ROMs to Brandon Smith, 1300 13th St NW, Apt 402, Washington, DC 20005.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Brandon Smith
From: Federal Bureau of Investigation
A copy of documents responsive to the request.
There are too many files to display on this communication. See all files
From: Brandon Smith
Dear FBI Office of Information Policy:
I would like to appeal the FBI FOIA office's decision on what to grant me in response to my 3-25-17 FOIA/FOIPA request, which FBI assigned processing number 1371105-000.
The basis of the FBI's response to my request was that it had provided the same material to another requester. First, I would like to request the FBI provide me with the previous request that this material was in response to. That will let me know how similar the other person's request was to mine. I also request the FBI's full response communications to that requester, as that will let me know what exemptions, if any, the FBI claimed in that response.
Next, I object to redactions on any material that was communicated to a person outside the FBI personnel structure, in this case, any representative of the Newseum. By the very nature of giving the information in question to a third party outside the scope of any FBI official business or investigation, the FBI waives its right to claim investigative privacy when responding with this material in a freedom of information request.
I also received the following in the FBI's FOIA response to me:
"Documents or information referred to other Government agencies were not included in this release."
I ask that you please explain this statement.
For your convenience, you may wish to involve the office stated below in your appeal process, as the FBI FOI officer referred me to them for additional processing if I need any. (Clearly I need some additional processing.)
Please be advised that additional records potentially responsive to your subject may exist. If this
release of previously processed material does not satisfy your information needs for the requested subject,
you may request an additional search for records. Submit your request by mail or fax to – Work Process
Unit, 170 Marcel Drive, Winchester, VA 22602, fax number (540) 868-4997. Please cite the FOIPA Request
Number in your correspondence."
Thank you for your assistance.
Sincerely,
Brandon Smith
From: Brandon Smith
Greetings.
I did not receive a response to my FOIA clarification/appeal dated 4-28-17. Please advise as to the status of the request following my letter. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Brandon Smith
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on March 25, 2017. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #1371105-000.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on March 25, 2017. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #1371105-000.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Brandon Smith
Dear FBI FOIA officers:
By statute you have 20 business days to respond to an appeal. My appeal was sent via email 4-28-17, so it has been about 55 business days since I filed it. Please advise as to when I can expect a response to my appeal.
Sincerely,
Brandon Smith
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on March 25, 2017. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #1371105-000.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: OIP-NoReply@usdoj.gov
DOJ-AP-2017-004205 has been processed with the following final disposition: Partially affirmed & partially reversed/remanded -- Improper request for other reasons.
From: Federal Bureau of Investigation
A letter stating that the request appeal has been received and is being processed.
From: Federal Bureau of Investigation
A copy of documents responsive to the request.
