Grenville Clark • MuckRock

20 Communications
12 Files

Communications

From: Michael Best

12/16/2016

Subject: Freedom of Information Request: Grenville Clark

To Whom It May Concern:

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

Records relating to Grenville Clark (November 5, 1882 – January 13, 1967) who was a political activist who cowrote the book World Peace Through World Law. A Wall Street lawyer, he was elected to the corporation that governs Harvard University in 1931. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by numerous people, from 1959 to 1964. His death has been widely reported.

Please conduct a search of the Central Records System, including but not limited to the Electronic Surveillance (ELSUR) Indices, the Microphone Surveillance (MISUR) Indices, the Physical Surveillance (FISUR) Indices, and the Technical Surveillance (TESUR) Indices, for both main-file records and cross-reference records for all relevant names, agencies, organizations and companies.

I am a member of the news media and request classification as such. I have previously written about the government and its activities for AND Magazine, MuckRock and Glomar Disclosure and have an open arrangement with each. My articles have been widely read, with some reaching over 100,000 readers. 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 the non-profit Internet Archive, 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.

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,

Michael Best

From: FOIPAQUESTIONS

12/16/2016

Subject: RE: Freedom of Information Request: Grenville Clark

Dear Mr. Best,

Before the FBI can process your Freedom of Information Act/Privacy (FOIPA) request you must provide the following information highlighted with an “X” Mark.

_____A current and complete mailing address is required as the FBI does not send releases and/or correspondence by electronic means. (Unless the request has already been submitted through eFOIPA.)

__X___Proof of death is required such as: (death certificate, obituary, written media, recognized source that can be documented, Who’s Who in America, FBI file that indicates subject is deceased, or the Social Security Death Index Page). Proof of death is not required if date of birth is 100 years ago or greater but a date of birth is needed

__X___A website link in itself does not satisfy the proof of death requirement (Please provide the actual documentation and source)

_____ The U. S. Department of Justice DOJ-361 Form<https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository/u-s-department-of-justice-form-361-certification-of-identity.pdf/view> (Certification of Identity) and/or privacy waiver must be completed before a Privacy Act request can be processed. Please send the attachment or attachments independently in either a Word Document or PDF.

_____The U. S. Department of Justice DOJ-361 Form<https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository/u-s-department-of-justice-form-361-certification-of-identity.pdf/view> (Certification of Identity) and/or privacy waiver is not legible, properly sized or cannot be accessed in the submitted format. Please send the attachment or attachments independently in either a Word Document or PDF. The documents must be compatible with Microsoft Office 2007 products.

_____Other information as stated:

_____The attachments cannot be opened in the present format. Please resend either as a pdf or a Word Document.

Please complete and submit the required information in order for the FBI to process your request.

Information regarding the Freedom of Information Act/Privacy is available at http://www.fbi.gov/ or http://www.fbi.gov/foia/. If you require additional assistance please contact me.

Thank you,

Holly Early
Government Information Specialist
Record/Information Dissemination Section (RIDS)
FBI-Records Management Division
170 Marcel Drive, Winchester, VA 22602-4843
PIO: (540) 868-4593
Direct: (540) 868-4854
Fax: (540) 868-4391/4997
E-mail: foiparequest@ic.fbi.gov<mailto:foiparequest@ic.fbi.gov>
Questions E-mail: foipaquestions@ic.fbi.gov<mailto:foipaquestions@ic.fbi.gov>

Do you have further questions about the FOI/PA process? Visit us at http://www.fbi.gov/foia

Please check the status of your request online at https://vault.fbi.gov/fdps-1/@@search-fdps. Status updates are performed on a weekly basis.

~WRD000
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From: Federal Bureau of Investigation

12/30/2016

Subject: None

Mail (Postmarked Dec. 30, 2016)

An acknowledgement letter, stating the request is being processed.

Acknowledgement Letter
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From: Michael Best

12/30/2016

Subject: RE: Freedom of Information Request: Grenville Clark

Per your own letter, "Proof of death is not required if date of birth is 100 years ago or greater but a date of birth is needed" Therefore, no proof of death is required as his date of birth is over 100 years ago, per my request, which included the date of birth. I'm very sorry that you had trouble reading that. For your convenience, here it is again: November 5, 1882 – January 13, 1967.

If you have trouble reading the actual text of my other FOIA requests, this might help: https://www.hookedonphonics.com/

From: FOIPARequest

12/30/2016

Subject: RE: Freedom of Information Request: Grenville Clark

Good afternoon Mr. Best,

This email has been forwarded to FOIPA requests for handling. I apologize for the below email you received.

Respectfully,

Leanna Ramsey
Public Information Officer
Record/Information Dissemination Section (RIDS) FBI-Records Management Division
170 Marcel Drive, Winchester, VA 22602-4843
PIO: (540) 868-4593
Direct: (540) 868-4854
Fax: (540) 868-4391/4997
Questions E-mail: foipaquestions@ic.fbi.gov<mailto:foipaquestions@ic.fbi.gov>

PLEASE REPLY DIRECTLY TO FOIPAREQUESTS@IC.FBI.GOV

Do you have further questions about the FOI/PA process? Visit us at http://www.fbi.gov/foia

Please check the status of your request online at https://vault.fbi.gov/fdps-1/@@search-fdps. Status updates are performed on a weekly basis.

~WRD310
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From: FOIPARequest

12/30/2016

Subject: RE: Freedom of Information Request: Grenville Clark

Dear Mr. Best,

The request was received on December 30, 2016 (actual date request was scanned into the FOIPA Document Processing System) and assigned FOIPA Request Number #1363627-000. The request is presently in Initial Processing, where the assigned analyst is searching for, retrieving and reviewing potentially responsive records. If appropriate, correspondence regarding the request and search results will be forthcoming.

Please check the status of your request online at https://vault.fbi.gov/fdps-1/@@search-fdps. Status updates are performed on a weekly basis.

Information regarding the Freedom of Information Act/Privacy is available at http://www.fbi.gov<http://www.fbi.gov>/ or http://www.fbi.gov/foia/. If you require additional assistance please contact the Public Information Officer.

Thank you,

PLEASE REPLY DIRECTLY TO FOIPAREQUESTS@IC.FBI.GOV

Do you have further questions about the FOI/PA process? Visit us at http://www.fbi.gov/foia

Please check the status of your request online at https://vault.fbi.gov/fdps-1/@@search-fdps. Status updates are performed on a weekly basis.

image001
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From: Michael Best

12/30/2016

Subject: RE: Freedom of Information Request: Grenville Clark

Do you meant to say that an adverse response was sent by your office a full two weeks before the request was received?

From: Michael Best

12/30/2016

Subject: RE: Freedom of Information Request: Grenville Clark

Do you mean to say that an adverse response was sent by your office a full two weeks before the request was received?

The "meant" typo is going to haunt me, haha.

From: FOIPARequest

12/30/2016

Subject: RE: Freedom of Information Request: Grenville Clark

Mr. Best,

I believe you were sent the email (from FOIPAQUESTIONS) indicating additional information was needed in order to process your request in error. This was recognized as an error and your original email dated December 16, 2016 was forwarded for handling that same day. The request was received on December 23, 2016 (actual date request was scanned into the FOIPA Document Processing System) and assigned FOIPA Request Number #1363627-000. The request is presently in Initial Processing, where the assigned analyst is searching for, retrieving and reviewing potentially responsive records. If appropriate, correspondence regarding the request and search results will be forthcoming.

Please check the status of your request online at https://vault.fbi.gov/fdps-1/@@search-fdps. Status updates are performed on a weekly basis.

Respectfully,

PLEASE REPLY DIRECTLY TO FOIPAREQUESTS@IC.FBI.GOV

Do you have further questions about the FOI/PA process? Visit us at http://www.fbi.gov/foia

Please check the status of your request online at https://vault.fbi.gov/fdps-1/@@search-fdps. Status updates are performed on a weekly basis.

~WRD064
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From: Michael Best

12/30/2016

Subject: RE: Freedom of Information Request: Grenville Clark

Now I'm very confused. You're now saying that a response was accidentally sent to a unique inbox on the day the request was sent and that "[t]he request was received on December 23, 2016 (actual date request was scanned into the FOIPA Document Processing System) and assigned FOIPA Request Number #1363627-000." This date also contradicts your prior email which stated that "[t]he request was received on December 30, 2016 (actual date request was scanned into the FOIPA Document Processing System) and assigned FOIPA Request Number #1363627-000."

Please clarify what date the request was received on and the actual date the request was scanned into the FOIPA Document Processing System. Please also clarify this new discrepancy in dates. If possible, please also clarify what error resulted in me being sent a letter (at a unique inbox address) for a request that hadn't been received.

From: FOIPARequest

01/03/2017

Subject: RE: Freedom of Information Request: Grenville Clark

Good morning Mr. Best,

To clarify, you sent your original request for Grenville Clark on December 16th. An email was sent to you (in error) from FOIPAQUESTIONS@IC.FBI.GOV<mailto:FOIPAQUESTIONS@IC.FBI.GOV> on December 16th indicating proof of death was needed. We realized your subject fell within the 100 year rule and that you did not need to provide proof of death; therefore, we continued to push your request through and on December 23, 2016, your request was opened in our FOIPA Document Processing System and assigned FOIPA request number 1363627-000.

Respectfully,

PLEASE REPLY DIRECTLY TO FOIPAREQUESTS@IC.FBI.GOV

Do you have further questions about the FOI/PA process? Visit us at http://www.fbi.gov/foia

Please check the status of your request online at https://vault.fbi.gov/fdps-1/@@search-fdps. Status updates are performed on a weekly basis.

~WRD000
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From: Michael Best

01/03/2017

Subject: RE: Freedom of Information Request: Grenville Clark

Thanks for clarifying. So why did you say that it "was received on December 30, 2016 (actual date request was scanned into the FOIPA Document Processing System)" ? Is there a reason that after your office apparently realized it had sent out a letter incorrectly, that no follow-up was sent to apologize or clarify it was a mistake until a week later when I emailed you and you responded to that email?

Can you also clarify if it's standard procedure for your office to send out correspondence such as the one sent to me, demanding proof of death, without beginning to process the request?

From: FOIPARequest

01/03/2017

Subject: RE: Freedom of Information Request: Grenville Clark

Mr. Best,

December 30th was typed incorrectly. I had meant to type December 23rd. Your request is in our system. I apologize for the confusion.

Respectfully,

PLEASE REPLY DIRECTLY TO FOIPAREQUESTS@IC.FBI.GOV

Do you have further questions about the FOI/PA process? Visit us at http://www.fbi.gov/foia

Please check the status of your request online at https://vault.fbi.gov/fdps-1/@@search-fdps. Status updates are performed on a weekly basis.

~WRD000
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From: MuckRock.com

02/02/2017

Subject: RE: Freedom of Information Request #1363627-000

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Dec. 16, 2016. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #1363627-000.

Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.

From: FOIPAQUESTIONS

02/02/2017

Subject: RE: Freedom of Information Request #1363627-000

Dear Mr. Best,

Please check the status of your FOIPA Request at https://vault.fbi.gov/fdps-1/@@search-fdps, and follow the instructions below.

Check the Status of Your FOIPA Request

If your FOIPA Number is [1195846-0] please enter [1195846-000] into the system. If your FOIPA Number is [1195846-1] please enter [1195846-001] into the system. If you have any questions about the status of your FOIPA request, please e-mail foipaquestions@ic.fbi.gov<mailto:foipaquestions@ic.fbi.gov>.

FIND STATUS OF FOIPA- LAST UPDATED ON February 1, 2017

Please enter the whole FOIPA number-Example: [1234567-000]

FOIPA:

Results will show the Request Number, Case Type and Process Description shown below:

FOIPA:

1234567-000

Case Type:

FOIPA

Process Description (Will display the current progress of the request)

The FBI’s FOIPA Program is searching the FBI’s indices for potentially responsive documents.

You may be contacted via formal letter for all fees and/or negotiation issues that may apply.
NOTE: Recent requests are entered into the FOIPA database in the order that they are received. Before you can check the status, you must have received correspondence assigning a FOIPA request number and the information transferred to the online database. Status information is updated weekly. If a request has been closed within the last six months the online database will display the following: The FOIPA number entered has been closed, and appropriate correspondence has been sent to the address on file.

Estimated Dates of Completion

Requests are processed in the order in which they are received through our multi-track processing system, and the FBI receives a voluminous amount of requests on a daily, weekly, monthly, and annual basis. Requests are divided into two primary tracks--simple (under 50 pages of potentially responsive documents) and complex (over 50 pages of potentially responsive documents). Our complex requests are further divided into medium, large, and extra-large sub-tracks. Simple track requests typically require the least amount of time to process.

Currently, simple track cases average approximately 181 days from the date of receipt for processing. Requests in the medium processing track are currently averaging 232 days from the date of receipt for processing, those in the large processing track are currently averaging approximately 659 days, and those in the extra-large track are averaging 998 days.

Thank you,

Holly Early
Government Information Specialist
Record/Information Dissemination Section (RIDS)
FBI-Records Management Division
170 Marcel Drive, Winchester, VA 22602-4843
PIO Line: (540) 868-4593
Direct: (540) 868-4854
Fax: (540) 868-4391 or (450)868-4997
Questions E-mail: foipaquestions@ic.fbi.gov<mailto:foipaquestions@ic.fbi.gov>

Do you have further questions about the FOI/PA process? Visit us at http://www.fbi.gov/foia

Please check the status of your request online at https://vault.fbi.gov/fdps-1/@@search-fdps. Status updates are performed on a weekly basis.

image001
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From: MuckRock.com

03/06/2017

Subject: RE: Freedom of Information Request #1363627-000

To Whom It May Concern:

Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.

From: FOIPAQUESTIONS

03/08/2017

Subject: RE: Freedom of Information Request #1363627-000

Dear Mr. Best,

Please check the status of your FOIPA Request at https://vault.fbi.gov/fdps-1/@@search-fdps, and follow the instructions below.

Check the Status of Your FOIPA Request

FIND STATUS OF FOIPA- LAST UPDATED ON March 1, 2017

Please enter the whole FOIPA number-Example: [1234567-000]

FOIPA:

Results will show the Request Number, Case Type and Process Description shown below:

FOIPA:

1234567-000

Case Type:

FOIPA

Process Description (Will display the current progress of the request)

The FBI’s FOIPA Program is searching the FBI’s indices for potentially responsive documents.

Estimated Dates of Completion

Thank you,

Holly Early
Government Information Specialist
Record/Information Dissemination Section (RIDS)
FBI-Records Management Division
170 Marcel Drive, Winchester, VA 22602-4843
PIO Line: (540) 868-4593
Direct: (540) 868-4854
Fax: (540) 868-4391 or (450)868-4997
Questions E-mail: foipaquestions@ic.fbi.gov<mailto:foipaquestions@ic.fbi.gov>

Do you have further questions about the FOI/PA process? Visit us at http://www.fbi.gov/foia

Please check the status of your request online at https://vault.fbi.gov/fdps-1/@@search-fdps. Status updates are performed on a weekly basis.

~WRD286
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From: MuckRock.com

04/07/2017

Subject: RE: Freedom of Information Request #1363627-000

To Whom It May Concern:

Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.

From: FOIPAQUESTIONS

04/07/2017

Subject: RE: Freedom of Information Request #1363627-000

Dear Mr. Best,

Please check the status of your FOIPA Request at https://vault.fbi.gov/fdps-1/@@search-fdps, and follow the instructions below.

Check the Status of Your FOIPA Request

FIND STATUS OF FOIPA- LAST UPDATED ON April 5, 2017

Please enter the whole FOIPA number-Example: [1234567-000]

FOIPA:

Results will show the Request Number, Case Type and Process Description shown below:

FOIPA:

1234567-000

Case Type:

FOIPA

Process Description (Will display the current progress of the request)

The FBI’s FOIPA Program is searching the FBI’s indices for potentially responsive documents.

Estimated Dates of Completion

Thank you,

Holly Early
Government Information Specialist
Record/Information Dissemination Section (RIDS)
FBI-Records Management Division
170 Marcel Drive, Winchester, VA 22602-4843
PIO Line: (540) 868-4593
Direct: (540) 868-4854
Fax: (540) 868-4391 or (450)868-4997
Questions E-mail: foipaquestions@ic.fbi.gov<mailto:foipaquestions@ic.fbi.gov>

Do you have further questions about the FOI/PA process? Visit us at http://www.fbi.gov/foia

Please check the status of your request online at https://vault.fbi.gov/fdps-1/@@search-fdps. Status updates are performed on a weekly basis.

~WRD186
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From: Federal Bureau of Investigation

09/08/2017

Subject: None

Mail (Postmarked Sept. 8, 2017)

A copy of documents responsive to the request.

1363627-0 - Responsive Document.PDF
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<iframe src="https://www.muckrock.com/foi/file/152716/embed/" width="100%" height="600px"></iframe>
1363627-0 - FOIA Release Letter.pdf
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Files

pages

12/16/2016

~WRD000
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12/30/2016

Acknowledgement Letter
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12/30/2016

~WRD310
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12/30/2016

image001
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12/30/2016

~WRD064
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01/03/2017

~WRD000
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01/03/2017

~WRD000
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02/02/2017

image001
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03/08/2017

~WRD286
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04/07/2017

~WRD186
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09/08/2017

1363627-0 - FOIA Release Letter.pdf
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<iframe src="https://www.muckrock.com/foi/file/152715/embed/" width="100%" height="600px"></iframe>
09/08/2017

1363627-0 - Responsive Document.PDF
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<iframe src="https://www.muckrock.com/foi/file/152716/embed/" width="100%" height="600px"></iframe>