SEC Whistleblower Program Is A Black Hole of Despair

Kyle Broderick filed this request with the Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States of America.
Submitted Feb. 27, 2016
Est. Completion None
Status
Fix Required

Communications

From: Taylor Amarel

Subject: Freedom of Information Request: SEC Whistleblower Program Is A Black Hole of Despair

Email

To whom this may concern,

I am following up on my previous FOIA request sent via MuckRock.

I would like to know when I may receive a response to this request.

Sincerely Yours,
Taylor Scott Amarel

From: Taylor Amarel

Subject: Freedom of Information Request: SEC Whistleblower Program Is A Black Hole of Despair

Email

To Whom It May Concern:

This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act. I hereby request the following records:

On November 16, 2015, The Honorable Senator Elizabeth Warren and The Honorable Senator Chuck Grassley, sent a letter to The Honorable Mary Jo White, requesting, among other things, an explanation to the SEC's Whistleblower operations.

The letter, as posted on Senator Warren's website here http://www.warren.senate.gov/files/documents/SEC_Whistleblower_Letter_111615.pdf and as attached, inquires to Chair White a number of questions and requests basic information, such as:

1.) A description of the OWB's progress in implementing the recommendations in the 2013 SEC OIG report.
2.) The number of Whistleblower tips, complaints, and referrals (TCR) received by the OWB from July 1, 2013 - June 30, 2015.
3.) The average time it took for the OWB staff to initially review tips, complaints, and referrals once they were received, and the percent of tips, complaints, and referrals reviewed within three days.
4.) The percentage of tips, complaints and referrals that received a "no further action" designation, and, for these tips, complaints and referrals, the average time between the initial review and the designation and the percentage that were designated for "no further action" within 30 days.
5.) The percentage of tips, complaints and referrals that were assigned a point of contact, and for these tips, complaints, and referrals, the average time between the initial review and the assignment to a point of contact and the percentage that were assigned to a point of contact within 30 days.
6.) The percentage of tips, complaints, and referrals that are designated as a "matter under investigation."
7.) The percentage of "matters under investigation" that are being tracked by the OWB's Case Tracking System.
8.) The average amount of time between the posting of a Notice of Covered Action and the relevant whistleblower being contacted by the OWB's staff.

Pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act, I am requesting documents from November 16, 2015 to Present day relating to the SEC's receipt, processing, progress, drafting, and response to Senator Grassley's and Senator Warren's letter. The documents that I am requesting should include but are not limited to the following:

1.) A copy of the SEC's response (if any) to Senator Grassley and Senator Warren with a date indicating the date the response was sent.
2.) A copy of any "congressional inquiry" / letter tracking records that the SEC may use to track ongoing responses to letters. This should include, a stamped copy of the letter indicating the date it was received, a copy of any correspondance informing Chair White that the letter has been received. Conversations between Chair White and Whistleblower staff regarding how to proceed with the processing of this letter, any draft copies of the letter, and records of when the final letter was approved by Chair White.
3.) A copy of any "methodology" used to calculate the answers to the 7 inquiries or alternative responses. For example, if Whistleblower staff had a meeting to determine the best way to calculate "the average amount of time between the posting of a Notice of Covered Action and the relevant whistleblower being contacted by the OWB's staff", I would like to obtain the records that would disclose how, why, and when such as methodology was implemnted.
4.) Records of any phone calls or follow up questions directed at Senator Warren's staff or Senator Grassley's staff, particularly, Mr. Brian Cohen and Mr. Paul Junge of Senator Warren's and Senator Grassley's staff, respectively.

Pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act request, I am requesting these documents be provided to me within 20 days. To assist in your search, I am requesting that you contact Chair White, Sean McKessy, and staff from the Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs in order to obtain the documents and information that I am requesting.

Please let me know if further information is required.

Sincerely Yours,

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,

Taylor Amarel

From: Securities and Exchange Commission

Subject: RE: Freedom of Information Act Request: SEC Whistleblower Program Is A Black Hole of Despair

Email

Dear Requestor,
What is the FOIA number assigned to this request? We need this information to look up your request.
Thank you,
Office of FOIA Services
Securities and Exchange Commission
202-551-7900

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