Jones/Trump

Emma North-Best filed this request with the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency of the United States of America.
Status
Completed

Communications

From: Michael Best

To Whom It May Concern:

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

all email in the mailbox of Mark D. Jones (Executive Director of CIGIE), based on an electronic search of email accounts, that contains ANY of these words:

TRUMP
TRANSITION
ADMINISTRATION

You may limit this request to emails dated between November 1, 2016 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 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. As such, my primary purpose is to inform about government activities by reporting on it and making the raw data available and I therefore 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,

Michael Best

From: Howard, Jeanetta M. (OIG)

Hello Mr. Best:

After reviewing your FOIA request, a thorough search of such records would be very time consuming and require extensive research. Because two of the search terms are more general – administration and transition – it will produce numerous emails. Therefore, in order to assist and to ensure the most productive response, we wanted to see if you may want to narrow/focus your request, otherwise it will take a great deal of time to review the emails and subsequently release.

To discuss the processing of your FOIA request further, please contact us at (202) 616-0646.

Thanx,

Jeanetta Howard

From: Michael Best

Would it help if we eliminated any instances where it is apparent that "administration" is not being used as a noun, or where "transition" doesn't refer to the Presidential Transition?

From: Michael Best

That'd be fine. Thanks for checking! Hopefully that'll reduce the burden on you and speed up the result. I appreciate you clarifying and reaching out like this. =)

From: Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency

Dear Mr. Best,

Due to the large number of enclosures, you will receive the final response to the subject request in two emails; this is the first of the two.

Kind regards, CIGIE FOIA Staff

This email may contain personal information or information that may be confidential and subject to the attorney-client privilege, work-product doctrine, or other applicable protection. If you are not the intended recipient of this email, you are prohibited from sharing, copying, or otherwise using or disclosing its contents.

  • FW_ I got your voice mail, not sure if that was before or after we talked but I can call you now_redacted

  • FW_ Gov Exec has quick query on reports that Trump transition team warned IGs they'd be fired....redacted

  • FW_ [CFO-DCFO] CFO Council Communications RoundUp - January 26, 2017_redacted

  • From POLITICO - Donald Trump's Cabinet shortlist_redacted

  • FOIA Request for Email Related to Presidential Transition_redacted

  • ABC News Reporter_redacted

  • [SMALLAGENCYCISO] Fwd_ [PRIVACY-COUNCIL] Federal Privacy Round Up 12_16_redacted

  • [SMALLAGENCYCISO] Fwd_ [CIO-COUNCIL] CIO Council Communications Update 12_16_16_redacted

  • IIA Letter to Trump Transition Team_redacted

  • Here Are the Details of Trump’s Governmentwide Hiring Freeze - Management - GovExec.com_no redactions

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From: Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency

The second set of enclosures for the subject FOIA request …

This email may contain personal information or information that may be confidential and subject to the attorney-client privilege, work-product doctrine, or other applicable protection. If you are not the intended recipient of this email, you are prohibited from sharing, copying, or otherwise using or disclosing its contents.

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  • 12/28/2020

    Final Response 6330-2017-18_signed

  • 12/28/2020

    FW_ IIA Letter to Trump Transition Team_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    FW_ Nov_2016 FOIA request_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    FW_ Politico_ Trump to make Cabinet heads responsible for data security_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    FW_ RELEASE_ Oversight Dems Request Info. on Threats by Trump Agency Officials to Remove IGs_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    FW_ Trump Should Attack the Budget_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    FW_ Trump vowed to “drain the swamp,” here’s how _ TheHill_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    GovExec_ Trump Signs Order to Freeze Federal_no redactions

  • 12/28/2020

    Here Are the Details of Trump’s Governmentwide Hiring Freeze - Management - GovExec.com_no redactions

  • 12/28/2020

    IIA Letter to Trump Transition Team_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    [SMALLAGENCYCISO] Fwd_ [CIO-COUNCIL] CIO Council Communications Update 12_16_16_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    [SMALLAGENCYCISO] Fwd_ [PRIVACY-COUNCIL] Federal Privacy Round Up 12_16_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    ABC News Reporter_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    FOIA Request for Email Related to Presidential Transition_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    From POLITICO - Donald Trump's Cabinet shortlist_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    FW_ [CFO-DCFO] CFO Council Communications RoundUp - January 26, 2017_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    FW_ Gov Exec has quick query on reports that Trump transition team warned IGs they'd be fired....redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    FW_ I got your voice mail, not sure if that was before or after we talked but I can call you now_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    Oversight Dems Request Info. on Threats by Trump Agency Officials to Remove IGs_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    Re_ Politico inquiry_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    RE_ Press Phone Message_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    RE_ RELEASE_ Oversight Dems Request Info. on Threats by Trump Agency Officials to Remove IGs_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    Re_ The Washington Post_ Trump names Rep. Mick Mulvaney, a fiscal hawk, to head budget office_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    Re_ These Government Watchdogs May Be Our Best Hope Of Keeping A Trump Administration In Check_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    Re_ Trump Should Attack the Budget_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    RE_ Trump to Follow Reagan’s Lead in Federal Hiring Freeze_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    RE_ Trump vowed to “drain the swamp,” here’s how _ TheHill_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    RE_ Wash Post Article_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    Re_ _Dissent Channel_ State Department & USAID_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    RE_ A Hackers IG_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    RE_ From POLITICO - Donald Trump's Cabinet shortlist_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    RE_ Get your hiring done now .... or forget it!_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    Re_ Gov Exec has quick query on reports that Trump transition team warned IGs they'd be fired...._redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    RE_ IIA Letter to Trump Transition Team(redacted)

  • 12/28/2020

    Re_ IIA Letter to Trump Transition Team_redacted

  • 12/28/2020

    Re_ Linda Springer on the transtion team_redacted