Nelson Mandela (United States Secret Service)

To Whom It May Concern:

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

All documents on, about or concerning Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (born 18 July 1918 in Mvezo, Umtatu, South Africa and died December 5, 2013 in Johannesburg, South Africa).

Mandela's death has been reported by the Associate Press (http://bigstory.ap.org/article/south-african-president-says-nelson-mandela-has-died-age-95): "JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South African president says Nelson Mandela has died at age 95."

I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as I believe this request is in the public interest. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and not for commercial usage.

In the event that fees cannot be waived, 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,

Shawn Musgrave

Hello,

I do not agree to pay commercial requester fees, because I am not a commercial requester. I am a journalist.

Having personally read the memo from Mr. Holzer regarding the classification of requests submitted via MuckRock, I am aware that you may have been advised to scrutinize the fee category claims of MuckRock staff and users. That memo did not, however, indicate that all MuckRock requesters are to be considered as commercial requests, as the USSS and several other DHS component offices have seen fit to do. Rather, FOIA officers are to ascertain the fee category based on individual requester characteristics.

Here are a selection of my published articles to support my claim of news media requester category (some published via the MuckRock website for public viewing without a paywall, others on other media outlet websites and in print):

https://www.muckrock.com/news/archives/2013/dec/15/boston-police-close-alpr-program/

www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/12/14/boston-police-suspend-use-high-tech-licence-plate-readers-amid-privacy-concerns/B2hy9UIzC7KzebnGyQ0JNM/story.html

www/bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/04/08/big-brother-better-police-work-new-technology-automatically-runs-license-plates-everyone/1qoAoFfgp31UnXZT2CsFSK/story.html

http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/syracuse-home-to-an-air-force-drone-squadron-banned-drones

These are just articles written in the past week. I'd be willing to send scans of clips or any other proof of journalistic bona fides you may require, including successful grant applications to the Fund for Investigative Journalism, clips of talks I've given at journalistic conferences or any number of other substantiating documents to confirm my chosen profession.

Furthermore, the USSS FOIA office has categorized MuckRock's intern as a media requester just in the past several weeks (see attached).

Per all of the above, I clearly fall within the definition of a media requester, and respectfully insist that your office revise its acknowledgement letter accordingly.

All the best,
Shawn

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Dec. 5, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #20140197.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Dec. 5, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #20140197.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Dec. 5, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #20140197.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Dec. 5, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #20140197.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Dec. 5, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #20140197.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Dec. 5, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #20140197.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Dec. 5, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #20140197.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Dec. 5, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #20140197.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Dec. 5, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #20140197.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Dec. 5, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #20140197.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Dec. 5, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #20140197.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Dec. 5, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #20140197.

Thank you for your help.

Hello -

Please explain what you mean by "quantification of your fee category according to the requested items."

Thank you,
Shawn Musgrave
MuckRock

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Dec. 5, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #20140197.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Dec. 5, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #20140197.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Dec. 5, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #20140197.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Dec. 5, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #20140197.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Dec. 5, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #20140197.

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

Hello -

I have no such "still interested" letter among my records — as such I ask that you continue to process this FOIA request.

Best,
Shawn Musgrave