CIA-SSA Liaisons 1970s (Social Security Administration)
| Tracking # |
SSA-2019-000252, SSA-2019-000781 SSA-2019-000252 |
| Multi Request | CIA-SSA Liaisons 1970s |
| Submitted | Oct. 18, 2018 |
| Due | Jan. 17, 2019 |
| Est. Completion | None |
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Communications
From: Emma North-Best
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:
Records mentioning or generated as a result of liaisons and contacts between CIA officials and the following SSA personnel:
JOHNSON, Milt - Office of Management and Administration
JUNIE, Sara - Office of External Affairs
FORBUS, James - Office of Program Operations, Bureau of Retirement and Survivors Insurance
For the purposes of this request, the words "contacts" and "liaisons" are being used in the way CIA used them in CIA-RDP78-00300R000100090121-9 (dated 1975), which officially disclosed these relationships. A copy of the file can be found at https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP78-00300R000100090121-9.pdf. This request may be limited to the beginning of 1970 through the end of 1979.
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 MuckRock, Motherboard, Property of the People, AND Magazine, Unicorn Riot, and more. 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 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.
Additionally, case law states that “proof of the ability to disseminate the released information to a broad cross- section of the public is not required.” Judicial Watch, Inc. v. Dep’t of Justice, 365 F.3d 1108, 1126 (D.C. Cir. 2004); see Carney v. U.S. Dep’t of Justice, 19 F.3d 807, 814-15 (2d Cir. 1994). Further, courts have held that "qualified because it also had “firm” plans to “publish a number of . . . ‘document sets’” concerning United States foreign and national security policy." Under this criteria, as well, I qualify as a member of the news media.
Additionally, courts have held that the news media status "focuses on the nature of the requester, not its request. The provision requires that the request be “made by” a representative of the news media. Id. § 552(a)(4)(A)(ii)(II). A newspaper reporter, for example, is a representative of the news media regardless of how much interest there is in the story for which he or she is requesting information." As such, the details of the request itself are moot for the purposes of determining the appropriate fee category.
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 20 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Emma Best
From: Social Security Administration
This message is to confirm your request submission to the FOIAonline application: View Request. Request information is as follows: (https://www.foiaonline.gov/foiaonline/action/public/submissionDetails?trackingNumber=SSA-2019-000252&type=request)
* Tracking Number: SSA-2019-000252
* Requester Name: Emma Best
* Date Submitted: 10/19/2018
* Request Status: Submitted
* Description: To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:
Records mentioning or generated as a result of liaisons and contacts between CIA officials and the following SSA personnel:
JOHNSON, Milt - Office of Management and Administration
JUNIE, Sara - Office of External Affairs
FORBUS, James - Office of Program Operations, Bureau of Retirement and Survivors Insurance
For the purposes of this request, the words "contacts" and "liaisons" are being used in the way CIA used them in CIA-RDP78-00300R000100090121-9 (dated 1975), which officially disclosed these relationships. A copy of the file can be found at https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP78-00300R000100090121-9.pdf. This request may be limited to the beginning of 1970 through the end of 1979.
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,
Emma Best
From: Social Security Administration
The FOIA request - SSA-2019-000252 description has been modified. Additional details for this item are as follows:
* Tracking Number: SSA-2019-000252
* Requester: Emma Best
* Submitted Date: 10/19/2018
* Description: To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:
Records mentioning or generated as a result of liaisons and contacts between CIA officials and the following SSA personnel:
JOHNSON, Milt - Office of Management and Administration
JUNIE, Sara - Office of External Affairs
FORBUS, James - Office of Program Operations, Bureau of Retirement and Survivors Insurance
For the purposes of this request, the words "contacts" and "liaisons" are being used in the way CIA used them in CIA-RDP78-00300R000100090121-9 (dated 1975), which officially disclosed these relationships. A copy of the file can be found at https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP78-00300R000100090121-9.pdf. This request may be limited to the beginning of 1970 through the end of 1979.
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,
Emma Best
From: Social Security Administration
Your request for Fee Waiver for the FOIA request SSA-2019-000252 has been denied. Additional details for this request are as follows:
* Request Created on: 10/19/2018
* Request Description: To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:
Records mentioning or generated as a result of liaisons and contacts between CIA officials and the following SSA personnel:
JOHNSON, Milt - Office of Management and Administration
JUNIE, Sara - Office of External Affairs
FORBUS, James - Office of Program Operations, Bureau of Retirement and Survivors Insurance
For the purposes of this request, the words "contacts" and "liaisons" are being used in the way CIA used them in CIA-RDP78-00300R000100090121-9 (dated 1975), which officially disclosed these relationships. A copy of the file can be found at https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP78-00300R000100090121-9.pdf. This request may be limited to the beginning of 1970 through the end of 1979.
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,
Emma Best
* Fee Waiver Original Justification: 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 MuckRock, Motherboard, Property of the People, AND Magazine, Unicorn Riot, and more. 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 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.
Additionally, case law states that “proof of the ability to disseminate the released information to a broad cross- section of the public is not required.” Judicial Watch, Inc. v. Dep’t of Justice, 365 F.3d 1108, 1126 (D.C. Cir. 2004); see Carney v. U.S. Dep’t of Justice, 19 F.3d 807, 814-15 (2d Cir. 1994). Further, courts have held that "qualified because it also had “firm” plans to “publish a number of . . . ‘document sets’” concerning United States foreign and national security policy." Under this criteria, as well, I qualify as a member of the news media.
Additionally, courts have held that the news media status "focuses on the nature of the requester, not its request. The provision requires that the request be “made by” a representative of the news media. Id. § 552(a)(4)(A)(ii)(II). A newspaper reporter, for example, is a representative of the news media regardless of how much interest there is in the story for which he or she is requesting information." As such, the details of the request itself are moot for the purposes of determining the appropriate fee category.
I request that fees be waived.
* Fee Waiver Disposition Reason: Requester did not indicate how they will use this information to significantly advance the general public’s understanding.
From: Social Security Administration
Dear Ms. Best:
We have attached our fee estimate for your FOIA request. Please respond within 10 business days with payment.
Please do not reply to this email correspondence. If you have an account with FOIAonline, you can correspond directly with us by logging into your account. If you need to correspond with us regarding your FOIA request but do not have an account with FOIAonline, please send your correspondence to FOIA.Public.Liaison@ssa.gov<mailto:FOIA.Public.Liaison@ssa.gov>. Please include your FOIA tracking number in your email.
Sincerely,
The FOIA Team
Social Security Administration
From: Emma North-Best
I am appealing the determination that I am an "all other" requester, as I am a member of the news media and have published hundreds of articles based on government documents which have been widely read. Further, case law firmly establishes that the requester category is based solely on the requester, and not the request itself.
Per my original request:
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 MuckRock, Motherboard, Property of the People, AND Magazine, Unicorn Riot, and more. 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 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.
Additionally, case law states that “proof of the ability to disseminate the released information to a broad cross- section of the public is not required.” Judicial Watch, Inc. v. Dep’t of Justice, 365 F.3d 1108, 1126 (D.C. Cir. 2004); see Carney v. U.S. Dep’t of Justice, 19 F.3d 807, 814-15 (2d Cir. 1994). Further, courts have held that "qualified because it also had “firm” plans to “publish a number of . . . ‘document sets’” concerning United States foreign and national security policy." Under this criteria, as well, I qualify as a member of the news media.
Additionally, courts have held that the news media status "focuses on the nature of the requester, not its request. The provision requires that the request be “made by” a representative of the news media. Id. § 552(a)(4)(A)(ii)(II). A newspaper reporter, for example, is a representative of the news media regardless of how much interest there is in the story for which he or she is requesting information." As such, the details of the request itself are moot for the purposes of determining the appropriate fee category.
From: Social Security Administration
Dear Ms. Best:
Please see the attached letter forwarding your appeal to the correct address
at the Social Security Administration.
Sincerely,
Susan Gillett
Government Information Specialist
Office of General Counsel
National Archives and Records Administration
College Park, MD 20740-6001
301-837-3409
susan.gillett@nara.gov
From: Social Security Administration
This message is to confirm your request submission to the FOIAonline application: View Request. Request information is as follows: (https://www.foiaonline.gov/foiaonline/action/public/submissionDetails?trackingNumber=SSA-2019-000766&type=request)
* Tracking Number: SSA-2019-000766
* Requester Name: Emma Best
* Date Submitted: 12/11/2018
* Request Status: Submitted
* Description: Requester is seeking records mentioning or generated as a result of liaisons and contacts between CIA officials and the following SSA personnel: Johnson, Milt - Office of Management and Administration
Junie, Sara - Office of External Affairs
Forbus, James - Office of Program Operations, Bureau of Retirement and Survivors Insurance.
From: Social Security Administration
The FOIA appeal - SSA-2019-000781 has been supplemented with additional supporting files. Additional details for this item are as follows:
* Tracking Number: SSA-2019-000781
* Requester: Emma Best
* Submitted Date: 12/12/2018
* Description: I appealing the determination that I am an "all other" requester, as I am a member of the news media and have published hundreds of articles based on government documents which have been widely read. Further, case law firmly establishes that the requester category is based solely on the requester, and on the request itself.
From: Social Security Administration
The FOIA appeal - SSA-2019-000781 description has been modified. Additional details for this item are as follows:
* Tracking Number: SSA-2019-000781
* Requester: Emma Best
* Submitted Date: 12/12/2018
* Description: I appealing the determination that I am an "all other" requester, as I am a member of the news media and have published hundreds of articles based on government documents which have been widely read. Further, case law firmly establishes that the requester category is based solely on the requester, and on the request itself.
From: Social Security Administration
SSA-2019-000781 has been processed with the following final disposition: Affirmed on Appeal
From: Emma North-Best
You're literally classifying a journalist non-profit organization as a commercial organization. Do you have any idea how ridiculous you are, and how thoroughly you would lose in court?
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