Journalist impersonation at federal law enforcement agencies (U.S. Forest Service)
| Tracking # |
2018-FS-WO-05216-F |
| Multi Request | Journalist impersonation at federal law enforcement agencies |
| Submitted | July 17, 2018 |
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Communications
From: Parker Higgins
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:
All records such as policies, manuals, guidelines, and directives, including but not limited to electronic records, concerning undercover operations or activities in which a person may act as a member of the news media or infiltrate media organizations. This request includes, but is not limited to, the guidelines and policies related to criminal and national security operations review committees, and records relating to agency undercover impersonation applications and approval processes, including assessment of the need for an undercover operation. This request includes but is not limited to undercover operations involving impersonation of journalists or members of the news media, or such records relating to agency infiltration of media organizations. This request includes such records relating to any sensitive circumstances of undercover operations, including those that may require additional review (and records relating to those review processes).
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,
Parker Higgins
From: U.S. Forest Service
Dear Higgins This email acknowledges receipt of your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, dated July 20, 2018, which was received in the Washington Office (WO) FOIA Service Center on the same date. You requested All records such as policies, manuals, guidelines, and directives, including but not limited to electronic records, concerning undercover operations or activities in which a person may act as a member of the news media or infiltrate media organizations. This request includes, but is not limited to, the guidelines and policies related to criminal and national security operations review committees, and records relating to agency undercover impersonation applications and approval processes, including assessment of the need for an undercover operation. This request includes but is not limited to undercover operations involving impersonation of journalists or members of the news media, or such records relating to agency infiltration of media organizations. This request includes such records relating to any sensitive circumstances of undercover operations, including those that may require additional review (and records relating to those review processes).. Please be advisedthat the WO FOIA Service Center has a backlog of pending FOIA requests andappeals. We are diligently working to process each request and appeal inthe order in which it was received. Your patience is greatly appreciated. To check on the status of your request, you may contact Joe Starry at , or via e-mail to josephlstarry@fs.fed.us. Please reference your assigned case number, 2018-FS-WO-05216-F. Thank you,
FOIA Service Center Team
Forest Service
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FOIA request Jen Salas 6(2)
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on July 17, 2018. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #2018-FS-WO-05216-F.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: U.S. Forest Service
Mr Higgins,
Thank you for checking in - the FOIA provides that when an agency receives a FOIA request, it must determine within 20 working days whether to comply with the request; however producing the documents often takes additional time, especially with a significant backlog. Currently there are several cases ahead of yours in my queue, although I work on multiple requests simultaneously in order to keep things moving.
I’m the analyst assigned to process your case. If you haven’t received a final response from me by 2 September 2018 please feel free to check back with me directly to receive status updates.
Hope that helps!
Best regards,
Joe
[USFS]
Joe Starry
Government Information Specialist
Forest Service
Office of Regulatory and Management Services
Phone: 385-244-8485
josephlstarry@fs.fed.us<mailto:josephlstarry@fs.fed.us>
1400 Independence Avenue SW, Mailstop 1143
Washington, DC 20250
For FedEx and UPS:
201 14th Street SW
Washington, DC 20024
www.fs.fed.us<http://www.fs.fed.us/>
[http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/esignature/images/usda-logo.png]<http://usda.gov/>[Twitter]<https://twitter.com/forestservice>[Facebook]<http://facebook.com/USDA>
Caring for the land and serving people
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I'm following up on the following Freedom of Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on July 17, 2018. You had previously indicated that it would be completed on Sept. 2, 2018. I wanted to check on the status of my request, and to see if there was a new estimated completion date. You had assigned it reference number #2018-FS-WO-05216-F.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I'm following up on the following Freedom of Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on July 17, 2018. You had previously indicated that it would be completed on Sept. 2, 2018. I wanted to check on the status of my request, and to see if there was a new estimated completion date. You had assigned it reference number #2018-FS-WO-05216-F.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: U.S. Forest Service
Mr Higgins,
Thank you for checking in.
I finished my review for your case and forwarded your final package up for concurrence on my decision. I am still awaiting concurrence on my review package and when approved I will forward out for final signature.
I’m the analyst assigned to process your case. If you haven’t received a final response from me by 23 November 2018 please feel free to check back with me directly to receive status updates.
Hope that helps!
Best regards,
Joe
From: U.S. Forest Service
Dear Parker Higgins,
Attached you will find our final response letter to your recent FOIA request. I have also attached the responsive records to your request.
Thank you for your interest in the U.S. Forest Service.
v/r
Joe
[USFS]
Joe Starry
Government Information Specialist
Forest Service
Office of Regulatory and Management Services
Phone: 385-244-8485
josephlstarry@fs.fed.us<mailto:josephlstarry@fs.fed.us>
1400 Independence Avenue SW, Mailstop 1143
Washington, DC 20250
For FedEx and UPS:
201 14th Street SW
Washington, DC 20024
www.fs.fed.us<http://www.fs.fed.us/>
[http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/esignature/images/usda-logo.png]<http://usda.gov/>[Twitter]<https://twitter.com/forestservice>[Facebook]<http://facebook.com/USDA>
Caring for the land and serving people
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