Office of Special Counsel (WikiLeaks)
It is a clone of this request.
| Tracking # |
FOIA-2019-106 |
| Submitted | May 29, 2019 |
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Communications
From: Emma North-Best
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:
I seek any and all documents in the Office of Special Counsel’s possession that pertain to the WikiLeaks website or organization from January 2006 to the present date.
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: Office of Special Counsel
U.S. OFFICE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL 1730 M Street, N.W., Suite 218 Washington, DC 20036-4505 (202) 804-7000 May 30, 2019 Ms. Emma Best MuckRock DEPT MR 74321 411A Highland Ave. Somerville, ME 02144-2516 Via : requests@muckrock.com Re: Freedom of Information Act and/or Privacy Act Request FOIA-2019-106 Dear Ms. Best This letter acknowledges that the U.S. Office of Special Counsel’s (OSC) Office of the Clerk received your May 29, 2019 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and/or Privacy Act request on May 30, 2019. We understand your request to be "any and all documents in the OSC's possession that pertain to the WikiLeaks website or organization. (Date Range for Record Search: From 1/1/2006 To 5/30/2019)." Your request has been assigned tracking number FOIA-2019-106. Please refer to this tracking number in future communications with OSC regarding this request. OSC categorizes its FOIA requests in two tracks, “simple” and “complex.” We then generally process the requests in the order in which they were received within each category. After an initial review, we have placed your request in the complex track. Please note that your FOIA request presents “unusual circumstances” as described in the FOIA because; the responsive records are held at one of our regional offices or at an off-site storage facility and it will take time to receive them; the request will require searching for, collecting, and examining a voluminous amount of material to determine if there are any responsive records and/or to process responsive records or the records you requested require consultation with other components within OSC or with another federal agency and it will take time to consult with them. Such unusual circumstances allow agencies to extend the time needed to complete the processing of a request beyond 20 working days. You may wish to consider narrowing the scope of your request to limit the number of potentially responsive items or to arrange for an alternative time frame for processing your request. Since you are seeking records contained in a Privacy Act system of records about an individual (self/client), we will need to receive a copy of an ID as proof of identity by before we can access records. A driver’s license or similar form of identification will suffice. You may attach it in a “Reply” to this email, or you may fax it to my attention at (202) 254-3711. If we do not receive your ID within 5 business days (on or before 6/6/2019), your case will be closed. If you have any questions, wouldotherwise like to discuss your request, or you require dispute resolutionservices, please feel free to contact Mahala Dar, OSC’s Chief FOIA Officer andacting FOIA Public Liaison, at mdar@osc.gov or at (202) 804-7000. Please reference the above-noted tracking number ifyou call or write. Additionally, you may contact the Office of GovernmentInformation Services (OGIS) at the National Archives and Records Administrationto inquire about the FOIA mediation services they offer. [1] Withkind regards, /s/ Chauncey Lawson FOIA Team
Office of the Clerk
You can reach OGISby mail at Office of Government Information Services (OGIS), National Archivesand Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road, Room 2510, College Park, MD,20740-6001; by email at (https://usosc-my.sharepoint.com/personal/tndongo_osc_gov/Documents/Documents/COSC/FOIA/Templates/Standard%20Language%20for%20FOIA%20Exemptions.docx#_ftnref1) [1] ; by fax at202-741-5769; or by telephone at 202-741-5770 or toll-free at 1-877-684-6448. ogis@nara.gov
From: Office of Special Counsel
U.S. OFFICE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL 1730 M Street, N.W., Suite 218 Washington, DC 20036-4505 (202) 804-7000
May 30, 2019 Ms. Emma Best MuckRock DEPT MR 74321 411A Highland Ave. Somerville, ME 02144-2516 Via : requests@muckrock.com Re: Freedom of Information Act and/or Privacy Act Request (#FOIA-2019-106) Dear Ms. Best:
I am writing regarding your pending request with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC); FOIA-2019-106. Upon reviewing your request for processing, I would like to discuss possible narrowing of your request. As you may or may not know at this point, in narrowing we are able to focus on specific records or areas you may be more specifically interested in; lowering the volume of records processing and review needs. This narrowing method increases the agency’s ability to respond to a request in a timely and useful manner. In most cases, a change in track from Complex to Simple allows FOIA team members to process a request in a shorter amount of time, as there are fewer records for review and processing. Suggested Narrowed Scope:
In this request, FOIA-2019-106, we find your request needs clarification and appears to be overly broad and/or not reasonably described, and would create a burden for OSC. Your request seeks "Any and all documents in the OSC's possession that pertain to the WikiLeaks website or organization. (Date Range for Record Search: From 1/1/2006 To 5/30/2019)." We suggest that we provide you any and all documents in OSC's possession that pertain to the WikiLeaks website or organization. (Date Range for Record Search: From 1/1/2017 To 5/30/2019). If you have any other concerns, would otherwise like to discuss your request with our Public Liaison, or you require dispute resolution services, please feel free to contact Mahala Dar, OSC’s Chief FOIA Officer and acting FOIA Public Liaison, at or at (202) 804-7000. Please reference the above-noted tracking number if you call or write. Additionally, you may contact the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) at the National Archives and Records Administration to inquire about the FOIA mediation services they offer. mdar@osc.gov [1] With kind regards, /s/ Chauncey Lawson FOIA Team Office of the Clerk
You can reach OGIS by mail at Office of Government Information Services (OGIS), National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road, Room 2510, College Park, MD, 20740-6001; by email at (https://usosc-my.sharepoint.com/personal/tndongo_osc_gov/Documents/Documents/COSC/FOIA/Templates/Standard%20Language%20for%20FOIA%20Exemptions.docx#_ftnref1) [1] ; by fax at 202-741-5769; or by telephone at 202-741-5770 or toll-free at 1-877-684-6448. ogis@nara.gov
From: Office of Special Counsel
[cid:image001.png@01D516F5.80F20180]U.S. OFFICE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL
1730 M Street, N.W., Suite 218
Washington, DC 20036-4505
(202) 804-7000
May 30, 2019
Ms. Emma Best
MuckRock
DEPT MR 74321 411A Highland Ave.
Somerville, ME 02144-2516
Via : requests@muckrock.com
Re: Freedom of Information Act and/or Privacy Act Request (#FOIA-2019-106)
Dear Ms. Best:
This letter acknowledges that the U.S. Office of Special Counsel's (OSC) Office of the Clerk received your May 29, 2019 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and/or Privacy Act request on May 30, 2019. We understand your request to be "any and all documents in the OSC's possession that pertain to the WikiLeaks website or organization. (Date Range for Record Search: From 1/1/2006 To 5/30/2019)." Your request has been assigned tracking number FOIA-2019-106. Please refer to this tracking number in future communications with OSC regarding this request.
OSC categorizes its FOIA requests in two tracks, "simple" and "complex." We then generally process the requests in the order in which they were received within each category. After an initial review, we have placed your request in the complex track.
Please note that your FOIA request presents "unusual circumstances" as described in the FOIA because; the responsive records are held at one of our regional offices or at an off-site storage facility and it will take time to receive them; the request will require searching for, collecting, and examining a voluminous amount of material to determine if there are any responsive records and/or to process responsive records or the records you requested require consultation with other components within OSC or with another federal agency and it will take time to consult with them.
Such unusual circumstances allow agencies to extend the time needed to complete the processing of a request beyond 20 working days. You may wish to consider narrowing the scope of your request to limit the number of potentially responsive items or to arrange for an alternative time frame for processing your request.
Since you are seeking records contained in a Privacy Act system of records about an individual (self/client), we will need to receive a copy of an ID as proof of identity by before we can access records. A driver's license or similar form of identification will suffice. You may attach it in a "Reply" to this email, or you may fax it to my attention at (202) 254-3711. If we do not receive your ID within 5 business days (on or before 6/6/2019), your case will be closed.
If you have any questions, would otherwise like to discuss your request, or you require dispute resolution services, please feel free to contact Mahala Dar, OSC's Chief FOIA Officer and acting FOIA Public Liaison, at mdar@osc.gov or at (202) 804-7000. Please reference the above-noted tracking number if you call or write. Additionally, you may contact the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) at the National Archives and Records Administration to inquire about the FOIA mediation services they offer.[1][1]
With kind regards,
/s/
Chauncey Lawson
FOIA Team
Office of the Clerk
________________________________
[2][1] You can reach OGIS by mail at Office of Government Information Services (OGIS), National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road, Room 2510, College Park, MD, 20740-6001; by email at ogis@nara.gov; by fax at 202-741-5769; or by telephone at 202-741-5770 or toll-free at 1-877-684-6448.
________________________________
-
image001
From: Office of Special Counsel
[cid:image001.png@01D516F5.A3C430C0]U.S. OFFICE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL
1730 M Street, N.W., Suite 218
Washington, DC 20036-4505
(202) 804-7000
May 30, 2019
Ms. Emma Best
MuckRock
DEPT MR 74321 411A Highland Ave.
Somerville, ME 02144-2516
Via : requests@muckrock.com
Re: Freedom of Information Act and/or Privacy Act Request (#FOIA-2019-106)
Dear Ms. Best:
I am writing regarding your pending request with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC); FOIA-2019-106. Upon reviewing your request for processing, I would like to discuss possible narrowing of your request. As you may or may not know at this point, in narrowing we are able to focus on specific records or areas you may be more specifically interested in; lowering the volume of records processing and review needs. This narrowing method increases the agency's ability to respond to a request in a timely and useful manner. In most cases, a change in track from Complex to Simple allows FOIA team members to process a request in a shorter amount of time, as there are fewer records for review and processing.
Suggested Narrowed Scope:
In this request, FOIA-2019-106, we find your request needs clarification and appears to be overly broad and/or not reasonably described, and would create a burden for OSC. Your request seeks "Any and all documents in the OSC's possession that pertain to the WikiLeaks website or organization. (Date Range for Record Search: From 1/1/2006 To 5/30/2019)."
We suggest that we provide you any and all documents in OSC's possession that pertain to the WikiLeaks website or organization. (Date Range for Record Search: From 1/1/2017 To 5/30/2019).
If you have any other concerns, would otherwise like to discuss your request with our Public Liaison, or you require dispute resolution services, please feel free to contact Mahala Dar, OSC's Chief FOIA Officer and acting FOIA Public Liaison, at mdar@osc.gov or at (202) 804-7000. Please reference the above-noted tracking number if you call or write. Additionally, you may contact the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) at the National Archives and Records Administration to inquire about the FOIA mediation services they offer.[1]<https://usosc-my.sharepoint.com/personal/tndongo_osc_gov/Documents/Documents/COSC/FOIA/Templates/Standard%20Language%20for%20FOIA%20Exemptions.docx#_ftn1>
With kind regards,
/s/
Chauncey Lawson
FOIA Team
Office of the Clerk
________________________________
[1]<https://usosc-my.sharepoint.com/personal/tndongo_osc_gov/Documents/Documents/COSC/FOIA/Templates/Standard%20Language%20for%20FOIA%20Exemptions.docx#_ftnref1> You can reach OGIS by mail at Office of Government Information Services (OGIS), National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road, Room 2510, College Park, MD, 20740-6001; by email at ogis@nara.gov; by fax at 202-741-5769; or by telephone at 202-741-5770 or toll-free at 1-877-684-6448.
-
image001
From: Office of Special Counsel
Dear Ms. Best:
Please see the attached records related to FOIA Request FOIA-2019-106 (part 7).
Feel free to contact me with any questions and/or concerns.
Thank you,
Mahala
-------
Mahala Dar, Esq.
Clerk
Office of the Clerk
U.S. Office of Special Counsel
1730 M Street, N.W., Suite 311
Washington, DC 20036-4505
(202) 804-7000 (telephone)
mdar@osc.gov<mailto:mdar@osc.gov> (email)
[Image result for office of special counsel]
NOTICE: This message and any attachments may contain information that is sensitive, confidential, or legally privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please immediately notify the sender and delete this email from your system; you should not copy, use, or disclose its contents. Thank you for your cooperation.
-
image001
From: Office of Special Counsel
Dear Ms. Best:
Please see the attached records related to FOIA Request FOIA-2019-106 (part 6).
Feel free to contact me with any questions and/or concerns.
Thank you,
Mahala
-------
Mahala Dar, Esq.
Clerk
Office of the Clerk
U.S. Office of Special Counsel
1730 M Street, N.W., Suite 311
Washington, DC 20036-4505
(202) 804-7000 (telephone)
mdar@osc.gov<mailto:mdar@osc.gov> (email)
[Image result for office of special counsel]
NOTICE: This message and any attachments may contain information that is sensitive, confidential, or legally privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please immediately notify the sender and delete this email from your system; you should not copy, use, or disclose its contents. Thank you for your cooperation.
-
image001
From: Office of Special Counsel
Dear Ms. Best:
Please see the attached records related to FOIA Request FOIA-2019-106 (part 5).
Feel free to contact me with any questions and/or concerns.
Thank you,
Mahala
-------
Mahala Dar, Esq.
Clerk
Office of the Clerk
U.S. Office of Special Counsel
1730 M Street, N.W., Suite 311
Washington, DC 20036-4505
(202) 804-7000 (telephone)
mdar@osc.gov<mailto:mdar@osc.gov> (email)
[Image result for office of special counsel]
NOTICE: This message and any attachments may contain information that is sensitive, confidential, or legally privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please immediately notify the sender and delete this email from your system; you should not copy, use, or disclose its contents. Thank you for your cooperation.
-
image001
From: Office of Special Counsel
Dear Ms. Best:
Please see the attached records related to FOIA Request FOIA-2019-106 (part 4).
Feel free to contact me with any questions and/or concerns.
Thank you,
Mahala
-------
Mahala Dar, Esq.
Clerk
Office of the Clerk
U.S. Office of Special Counsel
1730 M Street, N.W., Suite 311
Washington, DC 20036-4505
(202) 804-7000 (telephone)
mdar@osc.gov<mailto:mdar@osc.gov> (email)
[Image result for office of special counsel]
NOTICE: This message and any attachments may contain information that is sensitive, confidential, or legally privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please immediately notify the sender and delete this email from your system; you should not copy, use, or disclose its contents. Thank you for your cooperation.
-
image001
From: Office of Special Counsel
Dear Ms. Best:
Please see the attached records related to FOIA Request FOIA-2019-106 (part 3).
Feel free to contact me with any questions and/or concerns.
Thank you,
Mahala
-------
Mahala Dar, Esq.
Clerk
Office of the Clerk
U.S. Office of Special Counsel
1730 M Street, N.W., Suite 311
Washington, DC 20036-4505
(202) 804-7000 (telephone)
mdar@osc.gov<mailto:mdar@osc.gov> (email)
[Image result for office of special counsel]
NOTICE: This message and any attachments may contain information that is sensitive, confidential, or legally privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please immediately notify the sender and delete this email from your system; you should not copy, use, or disclose its contents. Thank you for your cooperation.
-
image001
From: Office of Special Counsel
Dear Ms. Best:
Please see the attached records related to FOIA Request FOIA-2019-106 (part 2).
Feel free to contact me with any questions and/or concerns.
Thank you,
Mahala
-------
Mahala Dar, Esq.
Clerk
Office of the Clerk
U.S. Office of Special Counsel
1730 M Street, N.W., Suite 311
Washington, DC 20036-4505
(202) 804-7000 (telephone)
mdar@osc.gov<mailto:mdar@osc.gov> (email)
[Image result for office of special counsel]
NOTICE: This message and any attachments may contain information that is sensitive, confidential, or legally privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please immediately notify the sender and delete this email from your system; you should not copy, use, or disclose its contents. Thank you for your cooperation.
-
image001
From: Office of Special Counsel
Dear Ms. Best:
Please see the attached final release letter and records related to FOIA Request FOIA-2019-106 (part 1). You will receive a total of seven (7) separate emails with responsive records.
Feel free to contact me with any questions and/or concerns.
Thank you,
Mahala
Feel free to contact me with any questions and/or concerns.
Thank you,
Mahala
-------
Mahala Dar, Esq.
Clerk
Office of the Clerk
U.S. Office of Special Counsel
1730 M Street, N.W., Suite 311
Washington, DC 20036-4505
(202) 804-7000 (telephone)
mdar@osc.gov<mailto:mdar@osc.gov> (email)
[Image result for office of special counsel]
NOTICE: This message and any attachments may contain information that is sensitive, confidential, or legally privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please immediately notify the sender and delete this email from your system; you should not copy, use, or disclose its contents. Thank you for your cooperation.
-
image001
From: Emma North-Best
Hi,
Thanks so much for your help with this request! I really appreciate it.
Sincerely,
Emma Best
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