BlueLeaks (Iowa Fusion Center)
| Multi Request | BlueLeaks |
| Submitted | June 25, 2020 |
| Est. Completion | None |
MuckRock users can file, duplicate, track, and share public records requests like this one. Learn more.
Communications
From: Emma North-Best
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Iowa Open Records Law, I hereby request the following records:
1. Documents mentioning, describing or generated in response to the BlueLeaks release, the preceding hack or subsequent fallout, including but not limited to:
* Damage assessments
* Emails
* Interagency communications (local, state, or federal)
* Communications with the press about BlueLeaks
* Communications with Twitter or other social media or sharing platforms
2. Documents mentioning or describing Distributed Denial of Secrets (DDoSecrets)
You may limit this request to records generated between November 1, 2018 and the present.
I am a member of the news media and request classification as such. I have previously written about the government and its activities, with some reaching over 100,000 readers in outlets such as Gizmodo, MuckRock, Motherboard, Property of the People, Unicorn Riot, and The Outline, among others. As such, as I have a reasonable expectation of publication and my editorial and writing skills are well established. In addition, I discuss and comment on the files online and make them available through non-profits such as the library Internet Archive and the journalist non-profit MuckRock, disseminating them to a large audience. While my research is not limited to this, a great deal of it, including this, focuses on the activities and attitudes of the government itself. As such, it is not necessary for me to demonstrate the relevance of this particular subject in advance.
As my primary purpose is to inform about government activities by reporting on it and making the raw data available, I request that fees be waived.
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 10 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Emma Best
From: Iowa Fusion Center
Thank you for your request. Based on the information you provided, we will need clarification before conducting a search of our email server. Please state the key search words (including any names) you wish to be used in this search, as well as the date range if not already defined.
If searching our public records will require a search of our email server and document server, our current rate is $48.92 per hour. Once we are aware of the scope of your request, we will provide a cost estimate. Additionally, due to the sensitive nature of request, a manual review of the results will be required to determine whether any applicable state and/or federal privacy provisions prevent disclosure. We anticipate the cost to search, compile and review will be above the $50 threshold and you will therefore be responsible for the cost. We will advise of a cost estimate and give you the opportunity to let us know whether you want to proceed with that cost, revise your request, or withdraw your request.
Debbie McClung, APR
Strategic Communications Bureau Chief
Office of the Commissioner
Iowa Department of Public Safety
Oran Pape State Office Bldg.
215 E. 7th St.
Des Moines, IA 50319
O: 515-725-6093 C: 515-444-8941
mcclung@dps.state.ia.us<mailto:mcclung@dps.state.ia.us>
[elp_dps] <https://dps.iowa.gov/>
Our DPS Mission: To serve the people of Iowa by providing public safety services with leadership, integrity and professionalism.
[cid:image002.png@01D6537D.0C7F1200]<https://www.facebook.com/IowaDPS/?ref=bookmarks>[cid:image003.png@01D6537D.0C7F1200]<https://twitter.com/IowaDPS>[cid:image004.png@01D6537D.0C7F1200]<https://www.linkedin.com/company/state-of-iowa-department-of-public-safety/?viewAsMember=true> [cid:image005.png@01D6537D.0C7F1200] <https://www.instagram.com/iowa_dps/>
*NOTICE* This email message (including any file attachments transmitted with it) is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and legally privileged information. Any unauthorized use or disclosure of this email by an unintended recipient is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error please notify the sender by return e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. No representation is made that this email or any attachments are free of viruses. Virus scanning is recommended and is the responsibility of the recipient.
From: Emma North-Best
$48.92 per hour is not the salary rate of the lowest paid employees capable of performing the search, and thanks to eDiscovery solutions (which your offices are familiar with) the search does not have to be "manned" - it can be started and run in the background without human intervention.
From: Iowa Fusion Center
Thank you again. You are correct that the rate stated - which is applied to all email and server search requests - is not reflective of the lowest-paid employees capable of simply performing the search. However, rhe ability to gain full access to our email server to conduct searches requires senior level status and security clearance. Once the search has been conducted, there may potential costs associated with time to perform possible redactions.
Please confirm that you are providing agreement to proceed? Thank you.
Debbie McClung, APR
Strategic Communications Bureau Chief
Office of the Commissioner
Iowa Department of Public Safety
Oran Pape State Office Bldg.
215 E. 7th St.
Des Moines, IA 50319
O: 515-725-6093 C: 515-444-8941
mcclung@dps.state.ia.us<mailto:mcclung@dps.state.ia.us>
[elp_dps] <https://dps.iowa.gov/>
Our DPS Mission: To serve the people of Iowa by providing public safety services with leadership, integrity and professionalism.
[cid:image002.png@01D65440.452326A0]<https://www.facebook.com/IowaDPS/?ref=bookmarks> [cid:image003.png@01D65440.452326A0] <https://twitter.com/IowaDPS> [cid:image004.png@01D65440.452326A0] <https://www.linkedin.com/company/state-of-iowa-department-of-public-safety/?viewAsMember=true> [cid:image005.png@01D65440.452326A0] <https://www.instagram.com/iowa_dps/>
*NOTICE* This email message (including any file attachments transmitted with it) is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and legally privileged information. Any unauthorized use or disclosure of this email by an unintended recipient is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error please notify the sender by return e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. No representation is made that this email or any attachments are free of viruses. Virus scanning is recommended and is the responsibility of the recipient.
From: Emma North-Best
The "ability to gain full access to our email server to conduct searches requires senior level status and security clearance" does not explain why that person's constant attention is required while the process runs. Background tasks exist, after all.
From: Iowa Fusion Center
As a follow-up to your request, we do not charge for the time a search is literally being performed through our server. The time we are referring to is for setting up the search process, the compilation of records and the review of those records.
Please let us know if you want to proceed with your request. Thank you.
Debbie McClung, APR
Strategic Communications Bureau Chief
Office of the Commissioner
Iowa Department of Public Safety
Oran Pape State Office Bldg.
215 E. 7th St.
Des Moines, IA 50319
O: 515-725-6093 C: 515-444-8941
mcclung@dps.state.ia.us<mailto:mcclung@dps.state.ia.us>
[elp_dps] <https://dps.iowa.gov/>
Our DPS Mission: To serve the people of Iowa by providing public safety services with leadership, integrity and professionalism.
[cid:image002.png@01D65F36.BEB194B0]<https://www.facebook.com/IowaDPS/?ref=bookmarks> [cid:image003.png@01D65F36.BEB194B0] <https://twitter.com/IowaDPS> [cid:image004.png@01D65F36.BEB194B0] <https://www.linkedin.com/company/state-of-iowa-department-of-public-safety/?viewAsMember=true> [cid:image005.png@01D65F36.BEB194B0] <https://www.instagram.com/iowa_dps/>
*NOTICE* This email message (including any file attachments transmitted with it) is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and legally privileged information. Any unauthorized use or disclosure of this email by an unintended recipient is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error please notify the sender by return e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. No representation is made that this email or any attachments are free of viruses. Virus scanning is recommended and is the responsibility of the recipient.
From: Emma North-Best
That's not what you said, and you can't apply the rate required for admin access to the entire review process, etc. Can you provide a more detailed and accurate cost estimate for the different functions, instead of citing the highest paid employee's salary as the baseline for all other employees who would work on the request?
From: Iowa Fusion Center
Dear Ms. Best,
The other key functions associated with server searches - review and redactions - could be charged at a higher in-house counsel rate. However, we believe it is in citizens' best interest to provide a flat hourly rate for services. In this case, our services include search set-up, followed by the downloading of emails that match your search terms. In-house counsel will then review the records and redact confidential information prior to supplying the records to you in a format that is convenient for you.
As I shared earlier, based on the information you provided, we will need clarification before conducting a search of our email server. Please state the key search words (including any names) you wish to be used in this search, as well as the date range if not already defined. If searching our public records will require a search of our email server and document server, our current rate is $48.92 per hour. Once we are aware of the scope of your request, we will provide a cost estimate. Additionally, due to the sensitive nature of request, a manual review of the results will be required to determine whether any applicable state and/or federal privacy provisions prevent disclosure. We anticipate the cost to search, compile and review will be above the $50 threshold and you will therefore be responsible for the cost. We will advise of a cost estimate and give you the opportunity to let us know whether you want to proceed with that cost, revise your request, or withdraw your request.
Debbie McClung, APR
Strategic Communications Bureau Chief
Office of the Commissioner
Iowa Department of Public Safety
Oran Pape State Office Bldg.
215 E. 7th St.
Des Moines, IA 50319
O: 515-725-6093 C: 515-444-8941
mcclung@dps.state.ia.us<mailto:mcclung@dps.state.ia.us>
[elp_dps] <https://dps.iowa.gov/>
Our DPS Mission: To serve the people of Iowa by providing public safety services with leadership, integrity and professionalism.
[cid:image002.png@01D6603F.16645A90]<https://www.facebook.com/IowaDPS/?ref=bookmarks> [cid:image003.png@01D6603F.16645A90] <https://twitter.com/IowaDPS> [cid:image004.png@01D6603F.16645A90] <https://www.linkedin.com/company/state-of-iowa-department-of-public-safety/?viewAsMember=true> [cid:image005.png@01D6603F.16645A90] <https://www.instagram.com/iowa_dps/>
*NOTICE* This email message (including any file attachments transmitted with it) is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and legally privileged information. Any unauthorized use or disclosure of this email by an unintended recipient is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error please notify the sender by return e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. No representation is made that this email or any attachments are free of viruses. Virus scanning is recommended and is the responsibility of the recipient.
