Email metadata

FEE WAIVER REQUESTED
EXPEDITED PROCESSING REQUESTED

To Whom It May Concern:

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

All metadata (to, from, time sent and subject line) for emails sent to or by Paul Almanza, deputy chief of DOJ's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, between November 1 2011 and December 16, 2011.

I am NOT requesting the communications content contained within these emails.

News Media Status / Fee Waiver
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As a representative of the news media I am only required to pay for the direct cost of duplication after the first 100 pages.

Since September 2006, I have written the slight paranoia blog (http://paranoia.dubfire.net), which focuses on information security, privacy and technology related issues. My blog features a significant amount of in-depth original investigative reporting, and I have broken a number of major stories that later spread throughout the national media.

In just the past year, I have broken (or played a major role in breaking) major stories, including the warrantless acquisition of credit card transactions by law enforcement, Facebook’s covert attempts to start a whisper campaign against Google, and a major lapse in security at the popular online backup service Dropbox.

During peak times, my blog has been viewed by over 100,000 unique users in a single month, and I continue to be widely cited by others in the media, academia, industry and government.

I recognize that I am not a member of the traditional news media or an accredited journalist. However, as you likely are aware, that business model is undergoing rapid change, and bloggers are increasingly playing a leading role in the discovery and dissemination of news. As such, I ask that you grant me a “representative of the news media” waiver of all fees. Several other federal agencies have granted me this news media fee waiver in the past, including the Federal Communications Commission and the National Security Division within the Department of Justice.

Researcher / Educational Institution Fee Waiver
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I also believe that I should not be charged search or review fees for this request because I qualify as a researcher at an “educational institution” pursuant to the FOIA and 28 C.F.R. § 16.11(b)(4).

I am currently a Graduate Fellow at the Center for Applied Cybersecurity Research, and a Ph.D. Candidate at Indiana University. My Ph.D. research primarily relates to computer security, privacy and technology policy. I have published several academic articles in respected technology law journals on this topic.

Public Interest and Expedited Processing
--------------------

I am requesting records associated with Mr Almanza's emails, because he is currently serving as the investigating officer presiding over the Article 32 hearing of Bradley Manning, who is accused of leaking diplomatic cables and other documents to Wikileaks.

This trial is of significant international interest -- and Wikileaks' disclosure of cables has resulted in public comments by top US government officials, including the President and Attorney General.

As Mr Almanaz's impartiality has been questioned by Private Manning's attorney, the public interest would be served by the disclosure of the email records that I have requested, which would reveal who he has communicated with during the last month and a half.

Due to the media interest in this case, and the legitimate questions raised about Mr Almanaz's ability to act as an impartial judge, I ask that my request be granted expedited processing.

I certify that my statements concerning the need for expedited processing are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

If my request is denied in whole or part, I ask that you justify all deletions by reference to specific exemptions of the act. I will also expect you to release all segregable portions of otherwise exempt material. I, of course, reserve the right to appeal your decision to withhold any information or to deny a waiver of fees.

As I am making this request as a journalist and this information is of timely value, I would appreciate your communicating with me by telephone, rather than by mail, if you have questions regarding this request. I look forward to your reply within 20 business days, as the statute requires.

Thank you for your assistance.
Sincerely,

Christopher Soghoian

Could you please provide an update on the status of this request, including an estimated time of completion?

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Dec. 17, 2011. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Dec. 17, 2011. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

Hello,

Per the attached, this request (see below) was forwarded to the DOJ Criminal Division FOIA office in June 2012. Our records do not include a final response to this request. Please advise as to its status.

Thank you.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on June 13, 2012. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on June 13, 2012. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on June 13, 2012. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on June 13, 2012. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on June 13, 2012. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on June 13, 2012. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on June 13, 2012. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on June 13, 2012. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on June 13, 2012. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

Hello,

Yes, please continue processing this request.

Thank you.