Melvyn Paisly
| Tracking # |
AP-2017-002388 |
| Submitted | Nov. 24, 2016 |
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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:
Records relating to Melvyn R. Paisley (October 9, 1924 – December 19, 2001), who was appointed United States Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Engineering and Systems) by President Ronald Reagan from 1981 to 1987. He was prosecuted in Operation Ill Wind in which he, numerous other government employees and 60 private citizens were arrested. In 1991, he admitted that while in office he had accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes and was sentenced to four years in prison. http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/26/us/m-r-paisley-77-dies-bid-rigging-figure.html?pagewanted=1
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, individuals, agencies and companies.
I am a member of the news media and request classification as such. I have previously written about the Bureau for AND Magazine, MuckRock and Glomar Disclosure. 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.
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
Good afternoon,
The FBI has received your Freedom of Information Act/Privacy (FOIPA) request and it will be forwarded to Initial Processing for review. Your request will be processed under the provisions of FOIPA and a response will be mailed to you at a later date.
Requests for fee waivers and expedited processing will be addressed once your request has been assigned an FOIPA request number. You will receive written notification of the FBI’s decision.
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/<http://www.fbi.goiv/foia/>. If you require additional assistance please contact the Public Information Officer.
Thank you,
Holly Early
Public Liaison/GIS
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 http://www.fbi.gov/foia by clicking on the CHECK STATUS OF YOUR FOI/PA REQUEST under the FOIA INDEX located on the right side of the page. Status updates are performed on a weekly basis.
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~WRD139
From: Federal Bureau of Investigation
An acknowledgement letter, stating the request is being processed.
From: Federal Bureau of Investigation
An interim response, stating the request is being processed.
From: Michael Best
I am appealing the determination that unspecified "unusual circumstances" apply to this case.
From: OIP-NoReply@usdoj.gov
01/09/2017 12:13 PM FOIA Request: DOJ-AP-2017-001432
From: Federal Bureau of Investigation
A copy of documents responsive to the request.
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1362219-0 - Section 4.PDF
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1362219-0 - Section 2.PDF
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1362219-0 - Section 5.PDF
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1362219-0 - Section 8.PDF
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1362219-0 - Section 1.PDF
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1362219-0 - Section 7.PDF
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1362219-0 - Section 6.PDF
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1362219-0 - Section 9.PDF
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1362219-0 - Section 3.PDF
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1362219-0 - Section 10.PDF
There are too many files to display on this communication. See all files
From: Michael Best
I am appealing the integrity of the search on the basis of, but not limited to, the fact that no real search was performed. I provided specific indices and resources that contained information for cross-references searches to perform. This was not performed.
From: Michael Best
I am appealing the integrity of all redactions in this release, as well as the Bureau's decision to provide non-text searchable documents in violation of its procedures as posted to its website.
From: OIP-NoReply@usdoj.gov
DOJ-AP-2017-001432 has been processed with the following final disposition: Closed for other reasons -- Other -- Moot.
From: OIP-NoReply@usdoj.gov
02/15/2017 12:25 PM FOIA Request: DOJ-AP-2017-002276
From: OIP-NoReply@usdoj.gov
02/17/2017 04:32 PM FOIA Request: DOJ-AP-2017-002388
From: OIP-NoReply@usdoj.gov
DOJ-AP-2017-002276 has been processed with the following final disposition: Completely reversed/remanded.
From: Michael Best
I am appealing the Bureau's decision to attempt to charge me despite not having met the time requirements. The pages do not meet the 5,000 page requirement in order to charge a journalist for duplication. Nor did FBI notify me in a "timely" manner that the request was "complex" - they sent the notice on the same date. The only prior attempt to notify me of "unusual circumstances" was before the Agency sent preprocessed records. Nor did FBI perform it's required three attempts to contact me about the scope. Nor did FBI explain why a CRS search was "unusual and complex."
From: OIP-NoReply@usdoj.gov
05/16/2017 05:08 PM FOIA Request: DOJ-AP-2017-004068
From: OIP-NoReply@usdoj.gov
DOJ-AP-2017-004068 has been processed with the following final disposition: Closed for other reasons -- Other -- Moot.
From: OIP-NoReply@usdoj.gov
DOJ-AP-2017-002388 has been processed with the following final disposition: Partially affirmed & partially reversed/remanded.
From: OIP-NoReply@usdoj.gov
This message is to confirm your request submission to the FOIAonline application: View Request. Request information is as follows: (https://foiaonline.regulations.gov:443/foia/action/public/view/request?objectId=090004d281547a8b)
* Tracking Number: DOJ-2017-006315
* Requester Name: Michael Best
* Date Submitted: 08/25/2017
* Request Status: Submitted
* Description: DRC Appeal No. DOJ-AP-2017-002388
From: OIP-NoReply@usdoj.gov
The FOIA request DOJ-2017-006315 has had its Tracking Number changed to DOJ-AP-2017-006315. This is normally due to the request being transferred to another agency (for example, EPA to Dept. of Commerce) or to a sub-agency to process it. Additional details for this request are as follows:
* Old Tracking Number: DOJ-2017-006315
* New Tracking Number: DOJ-AP-2017-006315
* Requester Name: Michael Best
* Date Submitted: 08/25/2017
* Long Description: DRC Appeal No. DOJ-AP-2017-002388
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Nov. 24, 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 #1362219-000, DOJ-AP-2017-002388, DOJ-AP-2017-006315.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Wilson, Leslie C. (RMD) (FBI)
Good morning Ms. Best,
Reference is made to your Freedom of Information/Privacy Acts (FOIPA) request # 1362219-000 for FBI records concerning Melvyn Paisley. The FBI has located approximately 2,953 pages that are potentially responsive to your request. Once requests go over a certain size, usually in the 50-100 page range, they become increasingly complex, greatly slowing down the time required for processing. Generally the larger the file, the longer it takes to process. Given our current workload and staffing levels, it may be a very long time before you would begin to receive material from this request.
We contact requesters with requests of this size to see if there might be a way to possibly narrow the scope. Is this something you might be willing to consider? If so, please contact me and we can discuss this possibility. We appreciate your patience and hope to hear from you soon.
Ms. Wilson
Government Information Specialist
FOIA Support Unit
Records Management Division
Federal Bureau of Investigation
540-868-4894
From: Wilson, Leslie C. (RMD) (FBI)
Good afternoon Ms. Best,
I'm following up to the email I sent out last week to you with regards to your FOIA # 1362219-000 on Melvyn Paisley. The previous email goes into more detail for our contact with you. If you are interested in narrowing the scope of your request, please contact me either by email or phone.
Thank you for your time and attention to this inquiry.
Sincerely,
Ms. Wilson
Government Information Specialist
FOIA Support Unit
Records Management Division
Federal Bureau of Investigation
540-868-4894
From: Federal Bureau of Investigation
A copy of documents responsive to the request.
From: Wilson, Leslie C. (RMD) (FBI)
Good afternoon Ms. Best,
As noted in the prior emails sent to you October 5th and on the 11th, we would like to know if you are interested in reducing the size of your request (#1362219-000) on Melvyn R. Paisley. The FBI has located approximately 2,953 pages. Please let me know if you are interested in reducing this large sized request into a medium size case.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Respectfully,
Ms. Wilson
From: Emma North-Best
Is it possible to determine approximately how much of that pertains to the Ill Wind investigation and related matters?
From: Federal Bureau of Investigation
Good afternoon Ms. Best,
I believe your email now involves two different items. For follow up on FOIA 1367571-000 (Sergei Kourdakov) you had received preprocessed material and this case has been closed. If you are inquiring on 1362219-000 on Melvyn Paisley, it is open and a continued search has been done. As of today, 3,332 pages have been located; however, a reference search has not been conducted. If this request remains a large, it will be some time before processed records will be received. It appears, based on your interest stated below, that you are only interested in the aspects of Melyvn Paisley and operation Ill Wind. If this is your interest, I was able to locate only a few serials in conjunction with Melvyn Paisley. Please let me know if you are interested in proceeding with just these few serials or if you want all records located from this most recent search to be processed on Mr. Paisley.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Ms. Wilson
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image001
From: Emma North-Best
I need all of it, thanks.
From: Federal Bureau of Investigation
Good morning and thanks for your response. Your request on Paisley will move forward for all records to be processed.
Sincerely,
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~WRD000
From: Federal Bureau of Investigation
A copy of documents responsive to the request.
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