International COVID communications
| Tracking # |
24-00133-FOIA |
| Submitted | Oct. 21, 2023 |
| Due | Dec. 8, 2023 |
| Est. Completion | July 26, 2024 |
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Communications
From: ALEXANDER RICCIO
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:
In FY22 Q2, the following two FOIA requests were placed and later fulfilled:
request for a complete and thorough search for records maintained by the CDC pertaining to the following employees: • Weigong Zhou, Medical Officer, Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases • Ray R. Arthur, Director of the Global Disease Detection Operations Center Part I. We request copies of records held created, received and/or in the possession of the CDC that reflect communications – whether in writing or verbal communications that were later reduced to writing (including any emails and their attachments, non-email correspondence, or other forms of communication) – to or from the above-named employees – including attachments, CC and BCC – and the following email addresses: 1. j.farrar@wellcome.ac.uk 2. collinsf@mail.nih.gov 3. afauci@niaid.nih.gov Part II. We request communications containing any of the following key words/phrases: ? “Wuhan Institute of Virology” ? “Baric” ? “Gain-of-function” ? “GOF” ? “passage through cell culture” ? “Huanan Market” ? “Wet market
–
This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552, et seq., to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) seeking the production of documents concerning communications with the World Health Organization about the origins of COVID-19 and/or SARS-CoV-2. We request a complete and thorough search for records maintained by the CDC pertaining to the following employees: • Weigong Zhou, Medical Officer, Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases • Ray R. Arthur, Director of the Global Disease Detection Operations Center Part I. We request copies of records held created, received and/or in the possession of the CDC that reflect communications – whether in writing or verbal communications that were later reduced to writing (including any emails and their attachments, non-email correspondence, or other forms of communication) – to or from the above-named employees – including attachments, CC and BCC – and the following email addresses: j.farrar@wellcome.ac.uk collinsf@mail.nih.gov afauci@niaid.nih.gov Part II. We request communications containing any of the following key words/phrases: “Wuhan Institute of Virology” “Baric” “Gain-of-function” “GOF” “passage through cell culture” “Huanan Market” “Wet market” The time period covered by this request is from February 1, 2020, to March 3, 2020.
I am submitting this FOIA request anew, with a few changes. The aforementioned two requests are to be rerun, with the timeframe expanded to December 1, 2019 through December 1 2021.
In the government's response to that FOIA request, hundreds and hundreds of pages of responsive records originating from the WHO were redacted under exemption (b)(5).
For example, an attachment titled "WHO Confidential Situation Report, Saturday, 13 June 2020", in an email from moffettd@who.int, sent on Saturday, June 13, 2020 4:24 AM.
Countless other examples abound in the responsive records. GORAN call notes. Slide decks. Various reports and drafts of reports.
In Lucaj v. FBI, No. 16-1381 (6th Cir. 2017), The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled:
"Key to answering this question is the Supreme Court’s admonition that “the first condition of Exemption 5 is no less important than the second; the communication must be ‘inter-agency or intra-agency.’” Klamath, 532 U.S. at 9. Indeed, the first condition here is all-important. However broad the term agency can be, see Anne Joseph O’Connell, Bureaucracy at the Boundary, 162 U. Pa. L. Rev. 841 (2014), FOIA offers, for our purposes, a more limited
definition: “‘agency’ means each authority of the Government of the United States.” 5 U.S.C. § 551(1), cited in 5 U.S.C. § 552(f)(1) (elaborating that “‘agency’ as defined in section 551(1) of this title includes any executive department, military department, Government corporation, Government controlled corporation, or other establishment in the executive branch of the Government (including the Executive Office of the President), or any independent regulatory agency”). So, to be inter-agency memorandums or letters, the RFAs must have been sent from an authority of the Government of the United States to an authority of the Government of the United States. The OIA, undoubtedly an authority of the Government of the United States, sent the RFAs to the Central Authority of Austria and an unnamed country, undoubtedly not authorities of the Government of the United States. The RFAs’ recipients having failed to meet
FOIA’s definition of agency, we hold that the RFAs from the OIA to the Central Authority of Austria and the unnamed country are not inter-agency. And given that the RFAs are not intra-agency either, they may not be withheld under Exemption 5."
...and later in the ruling:
"But in the end, Congress chose to limit the exemption’s reach to “inter-agency or intra-agency memorandums or letters,” 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(5), not to “memorandums or letters among agencies, independent contractors, and entities that share a common interest with agencies.” In view of our responsibility to “narrowly construe[]” FOIA’s exemptions, see Schell, 843 F.2d at 937 (quoting Dep’t of the Air Force v. Rose, 425 U.S. 352, 361 (1976)), our response today echoes that of the Supreme Court and Congress: however important it may be for the OIA to have frank communications with the Central Authority of Austria and an unnamed foreign government, however common the interest between the OIA and its international partners, the Central Authority of Austria and an unnamed foreign government are not, so far as Congress has defined the term, agencies. Therefore, the RFAs from the OIA to these countries are not “inter-agency or intra-agency memorandums or letters” within the scope of Exemption 5."
In accordance with this, all responsive communications to and from agencies of *foreign* governments must be released under the law, they may not be redacted or withheld under (b)(5). According to the court opinion, this applies no matter if they're deliberative, predecisional, or redactable under any (b)(5) privilege. If the CDC FOIA officers cannot provide a superseding court decision, they will be in violation of law. I am willing at this point to retain legal counsel.
This should include all manner of foreign documents previously incorrectly redacted or withheld under (b)(5), including but absolutely not limited to GORAN call notes, slide decks, various reports and drafts of reports, emails that were sent to many other recipients in addition to being to or from the CDC, and anything similar.
To my great surprise, several responsive records in the aforementioned FOIA request (and other, similar, requests) appear to have been withheld entirely under (b)(4). GORAN call notes are one such record.
The Department of Justice Guide to the Freedom of Information Act explains of exemption 4:
"The exemption also affords protection to those submitters who are required to furnish commercial or financial information to the government
by safeguarding them from the competitive disadvantages that could result from disclosure.4 The exemption covers two distinct categories of information in federal agency records, (1) trade secrets, and (2) information that is (a) commercial or financial, and (b) obtained from a person, and (c) privileged or confidential"
(And)
"The D.C. Circuit's decision in Public Citizen represented a distinct departure from what until then had been almost universally accepted by the courts -- that a "trade secret" encompasses virtually any information that provides a competitive advantage. In Public Citizen, a "trade secret" was more narrowly defined as "a secret, commercially valuable plan, formula, process, or device that is used for the making, preparing, compounding, or processing of trade commodities and that can be said to be the end product of either innovation or substantial effort."8 This definition also incorporates a requirement that there be a "direct
relationship" between the trade secret and the productive process.9"
I find it highly questionable that the GOARN call notes - about an ongoing disease outbreak - contain entirely "commercial or financial" text. I also find it wildly unlikely that the GOARN calls were only ever about the implementation of specific manufacturing techniques.
In light of that knowledge, I am also requesting separately the following documents from the CDC:
Any and all communications between the CDC, or related records between 1, December 2019, and 1 December 2021, involving:
Emails to or from drtedros@who.int, or any other communications to or from Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at the WHO. Similarly for the following email addresses and individuals:
vankerkhovem@who.int, Maria Van Kerkhove of
greint@who.int (Dr Thomas Grein)
ryanm@who.int (Mike Ryan)
Jeremy Farrar - chief scientist at the World Health Organization, may not be using who.int email address in official capacity
sterng@who.int (Gabriellea Stern)
Additionally, broadly, any individuals and email addresses associated with the who.int top level domain.
Furthermore, and separately, any individuals and email addresses of officials associated with the following top level domains:
.sn
.nl
.uk
.hk
gov.ng
.kr
.ru
.de
.qa
.ca
.gov.cn
.jp
.gov.cr
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 if available or CD-ROM if not.
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,
ALEXANDER RICCIO
From: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Dear ALEXANDER RICCIO,
Case Number 24-00133-FOIA has been assigned to the request you submitted. In all future correspondence regarding this request please reference case number 24-00133-FOIA.
Regards,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention / Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
From: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Dear RICCIO,ALEXANDER,
The status of your FOIA request #24-00133-FOIA has been updated to the following status 'Received'. To log into the CDC FOIA Public Access Link click on the Application URL below.
https://foia.cdc.gov/
Sincerely,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention / Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
From: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
November 1, 2023
Request Number: 24-00133-FOIA
Dear Mr. Riccio: This is regarding your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request of October 31, 2023, for: Please see the attachment for descriptions.(International COVID communications).
Please see the attached letter.
Sincerely,
CDC/ATSDR FOIA Office
770-488-6399
From: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
November 3, 2023
Request Number: 24-00133-FOIA
Dear Riccio: This is regarding your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request of October 31, 2023, for:
"Please see the attachment for descriptions.(International COVID communications)."
Please see the attached letter.
Sincerely,
CDC/ATSDR FOIA Office
770-488-6399
From: ALEXANDER RICCIO
22-01216-FOIA, 22-01221-FOIA, yes.
From: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
November 17, 2023
Request Number: 24-00133-FOIA
Dear Mr. Riccio: This is regarding your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request of October 31, 2023, for:
"Please see the attachment for descriptions.(International COVID communications)."
Please see the attached letter.
Sincerely,
CDC/ATSDR FOIA Office
770-488-6399
From: ALEXANDER RICCIO
Ok. However much I'd like to be able to conduct broad searches, I will work to refine my request in the coming days.
From: ALEXANDER RICCIO
I will work on this more in the next few weeks when I have more time to address it, but in the meantime, I have a question:
Would I be able to request you search custodians who are mentioned or owners of records furnished in 22-01216-FOIA & 22-01221-FOIA, or should I list them myself?
From: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Dear Mr. Riccio:
Thank you for your message. You certainly may reference either or both of the CDC staff who were identified as custodians.
Thank you for your consideration of this matter.
Sincerely,
Gilan Shamir
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
FOIA Office
-
~WRD0000
From: ALEXANDER RICCIO
Ok. It took a while, a lot of tedious combing through documents. I imagine this is what it's like to be a records access officer!
This list should capture nearly everything I could possibly want:
acy9@cdc.gov <acy9@cdc.gov>
Armstrong, Gregory (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/OD) <gca3@cdc.gov>;
Azziz-Baumgartner, Eduardo (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/ID) <eha9@cdc.gov>;
Baldwin, Grant (CDC/DDNID/NCIPC/DOP) <gfb3@cdc.gov>;
Beach, Michael J. (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DFWED) <mjb3@cdc.gov>;
Bennett, Sarah D. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/GID) <iyk3@cdc.gov>;
Blain, Amy (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/DBD) <wgi9@cdc.gov>;
Bower, William (wab4@cdc.gov)
Bresee, Joseph (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/ID) <jsb6@cdc.gov>;
Bunga, Sudhir (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHT) <hno1@cdc.gov>
Burns, Erin (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/ID) <eub5@cdc.gov>;
Sherry L Burrer
Cetron, Marty (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DGMQ)Cetron, Mar <mzc4@cdc.gov>
Chase, Martine (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHT) <xih5@cdc.gov>
Kevin Chatham-Stephens, (xdc4@cdc.gov?)
Clarke, Kevin R. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHP) <kvc6@cdc.gov>;
Amanda Cohn
Dahl, Benjamin A. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/GID) <bid5@cdc.gov>;
Maryann m D’Alessandro
Damon, Inger K. (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DHCPP) iad7@cdc.gov
Dawood, Fatimah S. (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/ID) <hgj0@cdc.gov>;
dbj0@cdc.gov <dbj0@cdc.gov>,
Lisa Delaney (lkd2@cdc.gov?)
Destefano, Frank (CDC/OID/NCEZID) <fxd1@cdc.gov>,
Deyde, Varough (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHT) <che5@cdc.gov>;
directorsincoming@cdc.gov <directorsincoming@cdc.gov>.
Dirlikov, Emilio (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHT) <kit9@cdc.gov>;
Doshi, Reena H. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/GID) <HQO3@cdc.gov>
Chad Dowell (crd7@cdc.gov?)
Edens, William (Chris) (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/DBD) <iek4@cdc.gov>;
Fleming, Monica (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/GID) <njl9@cdc.gov>;
Fowlkes, Ashley C. (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/ID) <ahl4@cdc.gov>;
Fox, LeAnne M. (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/DBD) <Iff4@cdc.gov>;
Fry, Alicia (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/ID) <agf1@cdc.gov>
fwf7@cdc.gov <fwf7@cdc.gov>,
gbq7@cdc.gov <gbq7@cdc.gov>,
Geissler, Aimee L. (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DFWED) <ihq5@cdc.gov>;
Ghiselli, Margherita (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/GID) <wkz8@cdc.gov>;
gll9@cdc.gov <gll9@cdc.gov>,
William (Todd) Going (wtg0@cdc.gov)
Greene, Carolyn M. (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/ID) cqg4@cdc.gov>;
Helfand, Rita (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/OD) <rzh7@cdc.gov>;
Henao, Olga (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHP) <dot8@cdc.gov>;
Henry, Ronald (Ronnie) (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DGMQ) <boq3@cdc.gov>;
Herzig, Carolyn (nqw6@cdc.gov?)
John Howard
Hyde, Terri (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/GID) <tkh4@cdc.gov>;
hjn0@cdc.gov <hjn0@cdc.gov>,
isq8@cdc.gov <isq8@cdc.gov>,
Ijaz, Kashef (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHP) <kil6@cdc.gov>
Jernigan, Daniel B. (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/ID) <dbi0@cdc.gov>;
Johnson, Alison (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHP) <abj0@cdc.gov>;
Kaiser, Reinhard (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHP) <rik9@cdc.gov>;
Killerby, Marie (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHP) <lxo9@cdc.gov>;
Killam, William P. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHT) <imi5@cdc.gov>;
Kirivong, Douan (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHT) <bpg7@cdc.gov>;
Knight, Nancy (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHP) <fma2@cdc.gov>;
Klena, John D. (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DHCP <irc4@cdc.gov>;
kok4@cdc.gov <kok4@cdc.gov>,
Kolwaite, Amy R. (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DHQP) <izj9@cdc.gov>;
LaPorte, Kathleen (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/ID) <wng2@cdc.gov>;
Lee, Sarah M. (CDC/DDNID/NCCDPHP/DPH) <bvv5@cdc.gov>;
Lessa, Fernanda (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DHQP) <dta3@cdc.gov>;
Lindell, Kristine (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DVBD) <LGZ7@cdc.gov>;
Loharikar, Anagha (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/GID) <igd2@cdc.gov>;
jmk9@cdc.gov <jmk9@cdc.gov>,
Mandel, Samantha (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/ID) <mvi0@cdc.gov>;
Marston, Barbara J. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DPDM) <bxm5@cdc.gov>;
Martin, Rebecca (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/OD) <rtm4@cdc.gov>;
McCarron, Margaret (Meg) (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/ID) <dme8@cdc.gov>;
McElroy, Peter (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DPDM) <pgm9@cdc.gov>;
McFarland, Jeffrey (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/GID)
Robert McGowan
McQuiston, Jennifer H. (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DHCPP)<fzh7@cdc.gov>;
Meltzer, Martin I. (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DPEI) <qzm4@cdc.gov>;
Mikus, Kristie (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/OD) <Igg1@cdc.gov>;
Millman, Alexander J. (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/ID) <irm6@cdc.gov>;
Moolenaar, Ronald L. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHP) <rim8@cdc.gov>;
Montandon, Michele (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHT) <nkf3@cdc.gov>;
Montgomery, Joel M. (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DHCPP) Montgomery, <ztq9@cdc.gov>;
mrolfes1@cdc.gov <mrolfes1@cdc.gov>,
Mujawar, Mohammed (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHT) <Irz5@cdc.gov>
nar5@cdc.gov
Neatherlin, John C. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHP) <jjn6@cdc.gov>;
Nelson, Lisa J. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHT) <lbn9@cdc.gov>;
Nichol, Stuart T. (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DHCPP) <stn1@cdc.gov>;
Emily Norton
OConnor, John (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/OD) <jpo2@cdc.gov>;
OMara, Elizabeth A. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/OD) <eco1@cdc.gov>;
Parise, Monica E. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DPDM) <mep0@cdc.gov>;
Park, Benjamin (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DHQP) <bip5@cdc.gov>;
Patel, Anita (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/OD) <bop1@cdc.gov>;
Pejavara, Anu ((CDC/DDNID/NCCDPHP/DNPAO) <bkz5@cdc.gov>;
Pesik, Nicki (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/OD) <ndp9@cdc.gov>;
Prue, Christine (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/OD) <cep9@cdc.gov>;
Quick, Linda (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHP) <maq2@cdc.gov>
Rasberry, Catherine N. (CDC/DDID/NCHHSTP/DASH) <fhh6@cdc.gov>;
Roohi, Shahrokh (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DGMQ) <snr2@cdc.gov>;
Raghunathan, Pratima (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/OD) <pgr4@cdc.gov>;
Arthur Ray
Ricks, Philip M. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHP)
Robert RedField (olx1@cdc.gov?)
Rotz, Lisa (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DGMQ) <ler8@cdc.gov>;
Rouse, Edward N. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CPR/DEO) <dmz0@cdc.gov>;
rxl3@cdc.gov <rxl3@cdc.gov>,
Anne Schuchat (acs1@cdc.gov)
Schluter, W. William (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/GID) <wbs8@cdc.gov>;
Jill shugart (ahe8@cdc.gov)
Simonds, R. J. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/OD) <rxs5@cdc.gov>;
Smith, Rachel M. (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DHQP) <vih9@cdc.gov>;
Soeters, Heidi (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/GID) <hzx8@cdc.gov>;
Soke, Gnakub (Norbert) (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/GID) <yxo2@cdc.gov>;
Spath (CDC) <Spath@cdc.gov>;
Stanojevich, Joel G. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/OD) <yhi9@cdc.gov>;
tft9@cdc.gov <tft9@cdc.gov>,
Thrasher, Janelle (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/OD) <yhy8@cdc.gov>;
tnc4@cdc.gov <tnc4@cdc.gov>,
Vinter, Serena (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/OD) <uvv3@cdc.gov>;
Vitek, Charles (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHT) <cxv3@cdc.gov>
Walke, Henr <hfw3@cdc.gov>;
Yvette M Washington
David Weissman
Wiesen, Eric (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/GID) <ejw2@cdc.gov>;
Williams, lan (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DFWED) <law3@cdc.gov>;
Williams, Seymour (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHP) <sjw9@cdc.gov>
xzd2@cdc.gov <xzd2@cdc.gov>,
Zhou, Weigong (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/ID) <waz6@cdc.gov>;
Non person addresses:
GDD-OUTBREAK (CDC) <GDDOUTBREAK@cdc.gov>;
CDC IMS Incident Manager -2 <eocim2@cdc.gov>;
PHMIT (CDC) <phmit@cdc.gov>;
EOC IM <eocim2@cdc.gov>;
CDC IMS Policy Unit-2 <eocpolicy2@cdc.gov>;
CDC IMS Modeling Unit <eocmodelingunit@cdc.gov>;
CDC IMS EPI/ Surveillance <eoceltflabdiag@cdc.gov>; CDC IMS Incident Manager -2 <eocim2@cdc.gov>;
It's in rough alphabetical order. Some addresses lacked names, others had names but no addresses.
If it is too long a list, we can discuss breaking it up into parts, or narrowing it a bit. There's a lot of overlap in the publicly available documents (from prior FOIA requests by others).
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I'm following up on the following Freedom of Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Oct. 31, 2023. You had previously indicated that it would be completed on Dec. 15, 2023. I wanted to check on the status of my request, and to see if there was a new estimated completion date. You had assigned it reference number #24-00133-FOIA.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: ALEXANDER RICCIO
Hello,
I suspect my 12/08/2023 communication may have gotten lost in the mix as an honest mistake somewhere. I am copying it below:
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information Act Request #24-00133-FOIA
Email
Ok. It took a while, a lot of tedious combing through documents. I imagine this is what it's like to be a records access officer!
This list should capture nearly everything I could possibly want:
acy9@cdc.gov <acy9@cdc.gov>
Armstrong, Gregory (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/OD) <gca3@cdc.gov>;
Azziz-Baumgartner, Eduardo (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/ID) <eha9@cdc.gov>;
Baldwin, Grant (CDC/DDNID/NCIPC/DOP) <gfb3@cdc.gov>;
Beach, Michael J. (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DFWED) <mjb3@cdc.gov>;
Bennett, Sarah D. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/GID) <iyk3@cdc.gov>;
Blain, Amy (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/DBD) <wgi9@cdc.gov>;
Bower, William (wab4@cdc.gov)
Bresee, Joseph (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/ID) <jsb6@cdc.gov>;
Bunga, Sudhir (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHT) <hno1@cdc.gov>
Burns, Erin (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/ID) <eub5@cdc.gov>;
Sherry L Burrer
Cetron, Marty (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DGMQ)Cetron, Mar <mzc4@cdc.gov>
Chase, Martine (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHT) <xih5@cdc.gov>
Kevin Chatham-Stephens, (xdc4@cdc.gov?)
Clarke, Kevin R. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHP) <kvc6@cdc.gov>;
Amanda Cohn
Dahl, Benjamin A. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/GID) <bid5@cdc.gov>;
Maryann m D’Alessandro
Damon, Inger K. (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DHCPP) iad7@cdc.gov
Dawood, Fatimah S. (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/ID) <hgj0@cdc.gov>;
dbj0@cdc.gov <dbj0@cdc.gov>,
Lisa Delaney (lkd2@cdc.gov?)
Destefano, Frank (CDC/OID/NCEZID) <fxd1@cdc.gov>,
Deyde, Varough (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHT) <che5@cdc.gov>;
directorsincoming@cdc.gov <directorsincoming@cdc.gov>.
Dirlikov, Emilio (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHT) <kit9@cdc.gov>;
Doshi, Reena H. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/GID) <HQO3@cdc.gov>
Chad Dowell (crd7@cdc.gov?)
Edens, William (Chris) (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/DBD) <iek4@cdc.gov>;
Fleming, Monica (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/GID) <njl9@cdc.gov>;
Fowlkes, Ashley C. (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/ID) <ahl4@cdc.gov>;
Fox, LeAnne M. (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/DBD) <Iff4@cdc.gov>;
Fry, Alicia (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/ID) <agf1@cdc.gov>
fwf7@cdc.gov <fwf7@cdc.gov>,
gbq7@cdc.gov <gbq7@cdc.gov>,
Geissler, Aimee L. (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DFWED) <ihq5@cdc.gov>;
Ghiselli, Margherita (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/GID) <wkz8@cdc.gov>;
gll9@cdc.gov <gll9@cdc.gov>,
William (Todd) Going (wtg0@cdc.gov)
Greene, Carolyn M. (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/ID) cqg4@cdc.gov>;
Helfand, Rita (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/OD) <rzh7@cdc.gov>;
Henao, Olga (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHP) <dot8@cdc.gov>;
Henry, Ronald (Ronnie) (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DGMQ) <boq3@cdc.gov>;
Herzig, Carolyn (nqw6@cdc.gov?)
John Howard
Hyde, Terri (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/GID) <tkh4@cdc.gov>;
hjn0@cdc.gov <hjn0@cdc.gov>,
isq8@cdc.gov <isq8@cdc.gov>,
Ijaz, Kashef (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHP) <kil6@cdc.gov>
Jernigan, Daniel B. (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/ID) <dbi0@cdc.gov>;
Johnson, Alison (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHP) <abj0@cdc.gov>;
Kaiser, Reinhard (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHP) <rik9@cdc.gov>;
Killerby, Marie (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHP) <lxo9@cdc.gov>;
Killam, William P. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHT) <imi5@cdc.gov>;
Kirivong, Douan (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHT) <bpg7@cdc.gov>;
Knight, Nancy (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHP) <fma2@cdc.gov>;
Klena, John D. (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DHCP <irc4@cdc.gov>;
kok4@cdc.gov <kok4@cdc.gov>,
Kolwaite, Amy R. (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DHQP) <izj9@cdc.gov>;
LaPorte, Kathleen (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/ID) <wng2@cdc.gov>;
Lee, Sarah M. (CDC/DDNID/NCCDPHP/DPH) <bvv5@cdc.gov>;
Lessa, Fernanda (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DHQP) <dta3@cdc.gov>;
Lindell, Kristine (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DVBD) <LGZ7@cdc.gov>;
Loharikar, Anagha (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/GID) <igd2@cdc.gov>;
jmk9@cdc.gov <jmk9@cdc.gov>,
Mandel, Samantha (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/ID) <mvi0@cdc.gov>;
Marston, Barbara J. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DPDM) <bxm5@cdc.gov>;
Martin, Rebecca (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/OD) <rtm4@cdc.gov>;
McCarron, Margaret (Meg) (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/ID) <dme8@cdc.gov>;
McElroy, Peter (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DPDM) <pgm9@cdc.gov>;
McFarland, Jeffrey (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/GID)
Robert McGowan
McQuiston, Jennifer H. (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DHCPP)<fzh7@cdc.gov>;
Meltzer, Martin I. (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DPEI) <qzm4@cdc.gov>;
Mikus, Kristie (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/OD) <Igg1@cdc.gov>;
Millman, Alexander J. (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/ID) <irm6@cdc.gov>;
Moolenaar, Ronald L. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHP) <rim8@cdc.gov>;
Montandon, Michele (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHT) <nkf3@cdc.gov>;
Montgomery, Joel M. (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DHCPP) Montgomery, <ztq9@cdc.gov>;
mrolfes1@cdc.gov <mrolfes1@cdc.gov>,
Mujawar, Mohammed (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHT) <Irz5@cdc.gov>
nar5@cdc.gov
Neatherlin, John C. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHP) <jjn6@cdc.gov>;
Nelson, Lisa J. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHT) <lbn9@cdc.gov>;
Nichol, Stuart T. (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DHCPP) <stn1@cdc.gov>;
Emily Norton
OConnor, John (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/OD) <jpo2@cdc.gov>;
OMara, Elizabeth A. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/OD) <eco1@cdc.gov>;
Parise, Monica E. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DPDM) <mep0@cdc.gov>;
Park, Benjamin (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DHQP) <bip5@cdc.gov>;
Patel, Anita (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/OD) <bop1@cdc.gov>;
Pejavara, Anu ((CDC/DDNID/NCCDPHP/DNPAO) <bkz5@cdc.gov>;
Pesik, Nicki (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/OD) <ndp9@cdc.gov>;
Prue, Christine (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/OD) <cep9@cdc.gov>;
Quick, Linda (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHP) <maq2@cdc.gov>
Rasberry, Catherine N. (CDC/DDID/NCHHSTP/DASH) <fhh6@cdc.gov>;
Roohi, Shahrokh (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DGMQ) <snr2@cdc.gov>;
Raghunathan, Pratima (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/OD) <pgr4@cdc.gov>;
Arthur Ray
Ricks, Philip M. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHP)
Robert RedField (olx1@cdc.gov?)
Rotz, Lisa (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DGMQ) <ler8@cdc.gov>;
Rouse, Edward N. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CPR/DEO) <dmz0@cdc.gov>;
rxl3@cdc.gov <rxl3@cdc.gov>,
Anne Schuchat (acs1@cdc.gov)
Schluter, W. William (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/GID) <wbs8@cdc.gov>;
Jill shugart (ahe8@cdc.gov)
Simonds, R. J. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/OD) <rxs5@cdc.gov>;
Smith, Rachel M. (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DHQP) <vih9@cdc.gov>;
Soeters, Heidi (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/GID) <hzx8@cdc.gov>;
Soke, Gnakub (Norbert) (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/GID) <yxo2@cdc.gov>;
Spath (CDC) <Spath@cdc.gov>;
Stanojevich, Joel G. (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/OD) <yhi9@cdc.gov>;
tft9@cdc.gov <tft9@cdc.gov>,
Thrasher, Janelle (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/OD) <yhy8@cdc.gov>;
tnc4@cdc.gov <tnc4@cdc.gov>,
Vinter, Serena (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/OD) <uvv3@cdc.gov>;
Vitek, Charles (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHT) <cxv3@cdc.gov>
Walke, Henr <hfw3@cdc.gov>;
Yvette M Washington
David Weissman
Wiesen, Eric (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/GID) <ejw2@cdc.gov>;
Williams, lan (CDC/DDID/NCEZID/DFWED) <law3@cdc.gov>;
Williams, Seymour (CDC/DDPHSIS/CGH/DGHP) <sjw9@cdc.gov>
xzd2@cdc.gov <xzd2@cdc.gov>,
Zhou, Weigong (CDC/DDID/NCIRD/ID) <waz6@cdc.gov>;
Non person addresses:
GDD-OUTBREAK (CDC) <GDDOUTBREAK@cdc.gov>;
CDC IMS Incident Manager -2 <eocim2@cdc.gov>;
PHMIT (CDC) <phmit@cdc.gov>;
EOC IM <eocim2@cdc.gov>;
CDC IMS Policy Unit-2 <eocpolicy2@cdc.gov>;
CDC IMS Modeling Unit <eocmodelingunit@cdc.gov>;
CDC IMS EPI/ Surveillance <eoceltflabdiag@cdc.gov>; CDC IMS Incident Manager -2 <eocim2@cdc.gov>;
It's in rough alphabetical order. Some addresses lacked names, others had names but no addresses.
If it is too long a list, we can discuss breaking it up into parts, or narrowing it a bit. There's a lot of overlap in the publicly available documents (from prior FOIA requests by others).
From: ALEXANDER RICCIO
Please confirm with me that you have received my 12/08/2023 and/or my 12/15/2023 communications.
From: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Dear Mr. Riccio:
Thank you for your December 15, 2023 e-mail communication regarding your U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request numbered 24-00133-FOIA. We are conducting a search for records responsive to your clarified records request. At this time, I am unable to estimate with certainty when we will complete the processing of your clarified records request, but I hope the processing will be completed by February 15, 2024.
Thank you for your patience. Please reach out to me if you have additional questions.
Sincerely,
Gilan Shamir
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
FOIA Office
E-mail: umm1@cdc.gov<mailto:umm1@cdc.gov>
Telephone: (404) 498-2436
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From: ALEXANDER RICCIO
Hello hello,
Can you provide me with a status update on this request? Will it still be met by February 15?
From: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Dear Mr. Riccio:
Thank you for your February 7, 2024 e-mail message, below. At the moment, we are gathering records. I need to check for completeness before commencing a redaction analysis. If the fruits of the searches are voluminous, I may reach out to you for refinement.
I am going to be out of the office quite a bit over the next week or so, but this records request does have my attention.
I thank you for your inquiry and for your patience.
Sincerely,
Gilan Shamir
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
FOIA Office
E-mail: umm1@cdc.gov<mailto:umm1@cdc.gov>
Telephone: (404) 498-2436
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From: ALEXANDER RICCIO
Hello hello,
Hope all is well. It's been more than a month since I got an update!
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I'm following up on the following Freedom of Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Oct. 31, 2023. You had previously indicated that it would be completed on Feb. 15, 2024. I wanted to check on the status of my request, and to see if there was a new estimated completion date. You had assigned it reference number #24-00133-FOIA.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I'm following up on the following Freedom of Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Oct. 31, 2023. You had previously indicated that it would be completed on Feb. 15, 2024. I wanted to check on the status of my request, and to see if there was a new estimated completion date. You had assigned it reference number #24-00133-FOIA.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I'm following up on the following Freedom of Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Oct. 31, 2023. You had previously indicated that it would be completed on Feb. 15, 2024. I wanted to check on the status of my request, and to see if there was a new estimated completion date. You had assigned it reference number #24-00133-FOIA.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
June 14, 2024
Request Number: 24-00133-FOIA
Dear Mr. Riccio: This is regarding your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request of October 31, 2023, for:
Please see the attachment for descriptions.(International COVID communications).
Please see the attached letter.
Sincerely,
CDC/ATSDR FOIA Office
770-488-6399
From: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Good morning Mr. Riccio,
My name is Zachary Roberts and I am the CDC FOIA analyst that has been re-assigned your FOIA case 24-00133-FOIA.
In looking over the details of the case as it stands, two search scopes have been completed that returned records that are ready for processing. The remaining searches, composed of a very large number of custodians and domains, will not be possible with a reasonable amount of effort. As such, I would like to propose to you that we process the records returned from search for the following scopes:
Search Scope No. 1
Date Range: December 1, 2019 through December 1, 2021.
Custodians:
WAZ6@cdc.gov<mailto:WAZ6@cdc.gov> Weigong Zhou
RCA8@cdc.gov<mailto:RCA8@cdc.gov> Ray R. Arthur
E-mail messages and attachments transmitted to or from either custodian and any of the following e-mail accounts:
j.farrar@wellcome.ac.uk<mailto:j.farrar@wellcome.ac.uk>
collinsf@mail.nih.gov<mailto:collinsf@mail.nih.gov>
afauci@niaid.nih.gov<mailto:afauci@niaid.nih.gov>
Search Scope No. 2
Date Range: December 1, 2019 through December 1, 2021
Custodians:
WAZ6@cdc.gov<mailto:WAZ6@cdc.gov> Weigong Zhou
RCA8@cdc.gov<mailto:RCA8@cdc.gov> Ray R. Arthur
E-mail messages and attachments transmitted to or from either custodian and any the following e-mail accounts:
j.farrar@wellcome.ac.uk<mailto:j.farrar@wellcome.ac.uk>
collinsf@mail.nih.gov<mailto:collinsf@mail.nih.gov>
afauci@niaid.nih.gov<mailto:afauci@niaid.nih.gov>
that contain any of the following search terms:
"Wuhan Institute of Virology"
"Baric"
"Gain-of-function"
"GOF"
"passage through cell culture"
"Huanan Market"
"Wet market"
When these records are processed and released to you, they can be used to develop additional strategic searches for FOIA requests.
In addition, I am proposing to you that we conduct the following additional search for records, which I derived from your request filed with 24-00133-FOIA:
Proposed Search No. 3
Date Range: December 1, 2019 through December 1, 2021.
Emails to or from:
drtedros@who.int<mailto:drtedros@who.int>
vankerkhovem@who.int<mailto:vankerkhovem@who.int>
greint@who.int<mailto:greint@who.int>
ryanm@who.int<mailto:ryanm@who.int>
"Jeremy Farrar" and "WHO" and "scientist"
sterng@who.int<mailto:sterng@who.int>
that contain any of the following search terms:
"Wuhan Institute of Virology"
"Baric"
"Gain-of-function"
"GOF"
"passage through cell culture"
"Huanan Market"
"Wet market"
I know you have been waiting a long time for this FOIA to be processed and I really appreciate your patience with the timeline. I believe this is the best path forward to get you responsive records to your request and to proceed with any future requests that may be responsive to your research interests. As soon as I hear back from you, I can begin processing these records from the two scopes above and submit the third scope for search.
Please feel free to call me at 770-488-3929 if you have any questions that you would like to discuss by phone.
Sincerely,
Zachary
Zachary Roberts
Government Information Specialist
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
CDC/ATSDR FOIA Office
Phone: 770-488-3929
ltk2@cdc.gov<mailto:ltk2@cdc.gov>
From: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
July 5, 2024
Request Number: 24-00133-FOIA
Dear Alexander Riccio: This is regarding your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request of October 31, 2023.
Please see the attached letter.
Sincerely,
CDC/ATSDR FOIA Office
770-488-6399
From: ALEXANDER RICCIO
I think the proposed scope is mostly fine. Can proposed scope #3 include the following non-single-person addresses:
GDD-OUTBREAK (CDC) <GDDOUTBREAK@cdc.gov>; CDC IMS Incident Manager -2 <eocim2@cdc.gov>; PHMIT (CDC) <phmit@cdc.gov>; EOC IM <eocim2@cdc.gov>; CDC IMS Policy Unit-2 <eocpolicy2@cdc.gov>; CDC IMS Modeling Unit <eocmodelingunit@cdc.gov>; CDC IMS EPI/ Surveillance <eoceltflabdiag@cdc.gov>; CDC IMS Incident Manager -2 <eocim2@cdc.gov>
From: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Alexander,
Would you like these non-single-person addresses added under “custodians” in “Search No. 3” or “E-mail messages and attachments transmitted to or from either custodian and any the following e-mail accounts” list? As soon as I hear back from you, I will submit this for search to see if we have a reasonable search results set. I attached the proposed scope again for reference.
Sincerely,
Zachary
Zachary Roberts
Government Information Specialist
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
CDC/ATSDR FOIA Office
Phone: 770-488-3929
ltk2@cdc.gov<mailto:ltk2@cdc.gov>
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~WRD0000
From: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Mr. Riccio,
I have included the email addresses in the scope that you asked to be included. A copy of the proposed scope is attached to this email. Please let me know if it is not correct. If I do not hear back from you by July 18th, I will submit this FOIA for search on July 19th and send you a Scope Memorialization Letter that same day.
Sincerely,
Zach
Zachary Roberts
Government Information Specialist
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
CDC/ATSDR FOIA Office
Phone: 770-488-3929
ltk2@cdc.gov<mailto:ltk2@cdc.gov>
-
~WRD3498
From: ALEXANDER RICCIO
I apologize for missing your earlier response!!
I only am able to devote a small portion of my time to FOIA work, and am juggling more than a dozen at the local, state, and federal, levels. Gimme one sec to review it.
From: ALEXANDER RICCIO
Add it under the "E-mail messages and attachments transmitted to or from either custodian and any the following e-mail accounts" list
From: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Alexander,
I have attached a new proposed scope for you to review. In looking over your original request, you had asked that two previous FOIA searches be re-run with an expanded date range. My proposed scope did not take that into account, but this new one does. Therefore, I have two proposed search scopes now instead of three. The first includes all aspects of the previous FOIAs you mentioned and expands the date range to the one you requested. The second scope contains the additional accounts we previously discussed now added to the search.
Please review the proposed scope, confirm it is acceptable, and let me know if you have any questions. If I do not hear back from you by July 25, 2024, I plan to submit this for search the following day.
Sincerely,
Zachary
Zachary Roberts
Government Information Specialist
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
CDC/ATSDR FOIA Office
Phone: 770-488-3929
ltk2@cdc.gov<mailto:ltk2@cdc.gov>
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~WRD0000
From: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Alexander,
As discussed in our previous email exchange, I have attached the Narrowed Scope Memorialization for this request which I will be submitting for search today. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Zachary
Zachary Roberts
Government Information Specialist
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
CDC/ATSDR FOIA Office
Phone: 770-488-3929
ltk2@cdc.gov<mailto:ltk2@cdc.gov>
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image001
From: ALEXANDER RICCIO
Okay! Thanks for your patience and time.
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I'm following up on the following Freedom of Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Oct. 31, 2023. You had previously indicated that it would be completed on July 26, 2024. I wanted to check on the status of my request, and to see if there was a new estimated completion date. You had assigned it reference number #24-00133-FOIA.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Alexander,
As of today, we have finished searching for records responsive to the scope of your FOIA. I realized my last scope memorialization letter did not include the scope from the previous search we have results for already. I have updated the narrowed scope memorialization letter for you which includes the three searches that make up the entirety of this FOIA. Please find it attached.
Only one search scope returned results, which was Search Number 3 (as listed in the attached Narrowed Scope Memorialization). I will begin processing those records early next week. Search Number 1 and Search Number 2 did not return any results. I have provided more information on those searches below.
In the original request language for this case, you mentioned that two previous FOIA cases had returned results that included hundreds of pages of responsive records which were redacted, among other results. In an email with CDC on November 6, 2023, you confirmed that the two FOIA cases referenced in your request are 22-01216-FOIA and 22-01221-FOIA. Upon further inspection of those two previous cases, no records were found, processed, or released by CDC for either of those cases. The finalized scope for this request, which expanded the date range and list of individuals from those two previous FOIAs, also returned no results.
The redacted WHO documents and other records referenced in the original request language for this case are not associated with FOIAs 22-01216-FOIA or 22-01221-FOIA. At this time, CDC is unable to determine what case those records originated in based on the provided information. The CDC would be happy to discuss those records with you further to pinpoint their origin for any additional FOIAs you wish to file.
Please let me know if any of this needs clarification.
Sincerely,
Zachary
From: ALEXANDER RICCIO
Thank you so much for going ahead and attaching the scope from the previous results.
I will have to find time to cross check and investigate FOIAs 22-01216-FOIA or 22-01221-FOIA. I suspect that there will be overlap between the results returned here and the results from those FOIAs.
Files
pages