Child Slaves on Mars

RA000/NMO October 31, 2017

MuckRock
Attn: Mr. Nathaniel King
requests@muckrock.com<mailto:requests@muckrock.com>
DEPT MR 44342
411A Highland Ave.
Somerville, MA 02144-2516

Re: FOIA Request 18-JPL-F-00031 (Formerly 18-HQ-F-00030)

Dear Mr. King:

Thank you for your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request transferred by NASA Headquarters FOIA Public Liaison Office and received at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory FOIA Public Liaison Office on October 13, 2017. Your request was assigned Case File Number 18-JPL-F-00031. Your request was for:

Any emails sent to or from NASA spokesperson Guy Webster from June 26, 2017 to July 26, 2017, containing the keywords "slave," "kidnap," "Alex Jones," or "Robert Steele." I am aware that the June broadcast by Jones and Steele was a hoax, but Webster issued an official statement refuting the broadcast.

We found the attached documents responsive to your request.

In general, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552, requires a federal agency to disclose records in its possession upon request, subject to nine specific exemptions. Disclosure is required unless the requested records is clearly exempt from disclosure by statute. Redactions were made to the attached responsive documents pursuant to the FOIA, Title 5, USC, Section 552, Exemption (b)(6), personnel and medical files and similar files the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.

You have the right under 14 CFR §1206.700 to appeal this determination as it pertains to the release or withholding of records within 90 days of the date of this letter. Your appeal must be in writing and should be addressed to:

Administrator
NASA Headquarters
Executive Secretariat
MS 9R17
Washington, DC 20546-0001
ATTN: FOIA Appeals

The appeal should be marked "Appeal under the Freedom of Information Act" both on the envelope and the face of the letter. A copy of your initial request must be enclosed along with a copy of the adverse determination and any other correspondence with the FOIA office. In order to expedite the appellate process and ensure full consideration of your appeal, your appeal should contain a brief statement of the reasons you believe this initial decision to be in error.

You requested to be placed in the requester category of "Representative of the news media" although you did not provide sufficient information to support placement in this category, in accordance with NASA FOIA Regulations, 14 CFR § 1206.507. You have also requested a fee waiver. Again, your request did not contain sufficient information for us to make a determination regarding a fee waiver. In accordance with NASA FOIA Regulations, 14 CFR § 1206.506, the burden is on the requester to justify an entitlement to a fee waiver. (See 14 CFR § 1206.507 for a discussion on fee categories). Requests for a waiver or reduction of fees shall be considered on a case-by-case basis using the criteria in this section. Fee waivers are decided once all records are processed. These statutory requirements must be satisfied by the requester before properly assessable fees are waived or reduced under the statutory standard.

We placed your request in the "all other" category for fee purposes. In this category, requesters are afforded two hours of search and 100 pages of copy/scan without charge once you identify the specific records you are seeking. Fees for processing this request are less than $50.00 and are not being charged in accordance with 14 CFR §1206.504(f). Therefore, your request for a reduction or waiver of fees is moot.

Please be advised, requester categories and fee waivers are determined based on justification provided by a requester and the records produced on a case by case basis. Previous assignment to one requester category or another and fee waivers or reduction of fees for previous requests of this agency or another agency has no bearing on any current or future requester category or fee determinations. Our FOIA regulations provide specific information relating to fee waivers and requester categories as well as more information that may assist you in submitting requests in the future. https://www.nasa.gov/FOIA/guidance.html

For your information, the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) offers mediation services to resolve disputes between FOIA requesters and Federal agencies. The contact information for OGIS is as follows: Office of Government Information Services, National Archives and Records Administration, Room 2510, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, Maryland 20740-6001 or ogis@nara.gov<mailto:ogis@nara.gov>.

Please feel free to contact me for further assistance in writing to this center at the address shown on the letterhead. You may also e-mail correspondence to jpl-foia@nasa.gov<mailto:jpl-foia@nasa.gov> or reach me by telephone at 818-393-6779 and fax at 818-393-3160. Also, you may contact Mrs. Miriam Brown-Lam, Principal Agency FOIA Officer and Chief FOIA Public Liaison at 202-358-0718.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

//SIGNED ORIGINAL ATTACHED//

Dennis B. Mahon

Freedom of Information Act

Public Liaison Officer

Enclosures:

E-mail documents (4 pgs)

So we may improve our FOIA Program, please complete a short survey at the following web site:

http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/FOIA/jpl/foia_survey.htm

Dennis B. Mahon
Freedom of Information Act
Public Liaison Officer,
Records Manager,
Privacy Act Manager and
Audit Liaison Representative
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Suite RA000
NASA Management Office
4800 Oak Grove Drive, MS 180-200K
Pasadena, CA 91109-8001
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/FOIA/jpl/index.htm
Phone: (818) 393-6779
Fax: (818) 393-3160

[cid:image002.png@01CD842C.F7BFEBF0]