Mnuchin Manure USSS
| Tracking # |
20180411 |
| Submitted | Dec. 24, 2017 |
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Communications
From: Emma North-Best
To Whom It May Concern:
This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act. I hereby request the following records:
Materials relating to or describing the package of manure sent to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, as described in public reports and statements from the U.S. Secret Service and the LAPD. Please include any media inquiries, responses, discussions on how to respond to them, and incident reports, lab analysis and any other materials relating to the handling or execution of the case.
I am a member of the news media and request classifcation 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 fles online and make them available through the non-proft 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 "qualifed because it also had “frm” 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,
Emma Best
From: United States Secret Service
Dear Requester,
Please see the attached letter regarding the status of your FOIA/PA request. If you have any questions in regard to this matter, please contact this office at (202) 406-6370.
Thank you,
Freedom of Information Act & Privacy Act Program
United States Secret Service
245 Murray Lane, SW, Building T-5
Washington, DC 20223
Phone: (202) 406-6370
Fax: (202) 406-5586
Email: FOIA@USSS.DHS.GOV<mailto:Foia@usss.dhs.gov>
All e-mail to/from this account is subject to official review and is for official use only. Action may be taken in response to any inappropriate use of the Secret Service's e-mail system. This e-mail may contain information that is privileged, law enforcement sensitive, or subject to other disclosure limitations. Such information is loaned to you and should not be further disseminated without the permission of the Secret Service. If you have received this e-mail in error, do not keep, use, disclose, or copy it; notify the sender immediately and delete it.
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 Dec. 24, 2017. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: United States Secret Service
Dear Requester,
Please see the attached letter regarding the status of your FOIA/PA request. If you have any questions in regard to this matter, please contact this office at (202) 406-6370.
Thank you,
Freedom of Information Act & Privacy Act Program
United States Secret Service
245 Murray Lane, SW, Building T-5
Washington, DC 20223
Phone: (202) 406-6370
Fax: (202) 406-5586
Email: FOIA@USSS.DHS.GOV<mailto:Foia@usss.dhs.gov>
All e-mail to/from this account is subject to official review and is for official use only. Action may be taken in response to any inappropriate use of the Secret Service's e-mail system. This e-mail may contain information that is privileged, law enforcement sensitive, or subject to other disclosure limitations. Such information is loaned to you and should not be further disseminated without the permission of the Secret Service. If you have received this e-mail in error, do not keep, use, disclose, or copy it; notify the sender immediately and delete it.
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 Dec. 24, 2017. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #20180411.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
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 Dec. 24, 2017. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #20180411.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
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 Dec. 24, 2017. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #20180411.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: United States Secret Service
MuckRock News
411A Highland Ave
Somerville, MA 02144-2516
Attn: Emma Best
requests@muckrock.com<mailto:requests@muckrock.com>
File Number: 20180411
Dear Requester:
Reference is made to your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, which was originally submitted to the United States Secret Service (USSS) on December 26, 2017, for information pertaining to the package of manure sent to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.
In our previous letters to you, we advised you that due to the increasing number of FOIA requests received by this office, we could encounter some delay in processing your request. However, we want to let you know that we have been making every effort to reduce the backlog of cases.
For your information, documents responsive to your request have been located, forwarded to this office for review and are in processing. Upon completion of the processing, all documents that can be released will be made available to you at the earliest possible date.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss this matter, please contact this office at
(202) 406-6370. Please use the file number indicated above in all future correspondence with this office.
Thank you,
Freedom of Information Act & Privacy Act Program
United States Secret Service
245 Murray Lane, SW, Building T-5
Washington, DC 20223
Phone: (202) 406-6370
Fax: (202) 406-5586
Email: FOIA@USSS.DHS.GOV<mailto:Foia@usss.dhs.gov>
All e-mail to/from this account is subject to official review and is for official use only. Action may be taken in response to any inappropriate use of the Secret Service's e-mail system. This e-mail may contain information that is privileged, law enforcement sensitive, or subject to other disclosure limitations. Such information is loaned to you and should not be further disseminated without the permission of the Secret Service. If you have received this e-mail in error, do not keep, use, disclose, or copy it; notify the sender immediately and delete it.
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 Dec. 24, 2017. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #20180411.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
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 Dec. 24, 2017. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #20180411.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
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 Dec. 24, 2017. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response. You had assigned it reference number #20180411.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
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 Dec. 24, 2017. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response. You had assigned it reference number #20180411.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
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 Dec. 24, 2017. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response. You had assigned it reference number #20180411.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: United States Secret Service
Dear Requester,
Reference is made to your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, which was originally submitted to the United States Secret Service (Secret Service) on December 26, 2017, for information pertaining to the package of manure sent to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.
In our previous letters to you, we advised you that the Secret Service searched its main indices, and any responsive records identified in connection with that search have been located and forwarded to this office for review and a disclosure determination. These documents are currently in processing.
As we continue our efforts to reduce the backlog of cases, we have encountered further delays in completing your request. We sincerely apologize for the delay you are experiencing and appreciate your continued patience as we diligently work to fulfill your request.
If you are no longer interested in this request or would like to discuss this matter, please contact this office at (202) 406-6370. Please use the file number indicated above in all future correspondence with this office.
Thank you,
Freedom of Information Act & Privacy Act Program
United States Secret Service
245 Murray Lane, SW, Building T-5
Washington, DC 20223
Phone: (202) 406-6370
Fax: (2020 406-5586
Email: FOIA@USSS.DHS.GOV<mailto:FOIA@USSS.DHS.GOV>
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 Dec. 24, 2017. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response. You had assigned it reference number #20180411.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
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 Dec. 24, 2017. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response. You had assigned it reference number #20180411.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: United States Secret Service
Dear Requester, Attached you will find the finalresponse regarding your Freedom of Information Act & Privacy Actrequest. If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contactthis office by replying to this email or calling us at (202) 406-6370. Thank you, Freedom of Information Act &Privacy Act Program United States Secret Service 245 Murray Lane, SW, Building T-5 Washington, DC 20223 Phone: (202) 406-6370 Fax: (202) 406-5586 Email: FOIA@USSS.DHS.GOV
All e-mail to/from this account is subject to official review and is for official use only. Action may be taken in response to any inappropriate use of the Secret Service's e-mail system. This e-mail may contain information that is privileged, law enforcement sensitive, or subject to other disclosure limitations. Such information is loaned to you and should not be further disseminated without the permission of the Secret Service. If you have received this e-mail in error, do not keep, use, disclose, or copy it; notify the sender immediately and delete it.
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