Robert M. Gates email search
| Submitted | Nov. 17, 2010 |
| Est. Completion | None |
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Communications
From: Jason Smathers
To Whom It May Concern:
This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act. I hereby request the following records:
All emails and corresponding attachments sent to (to:, cc: or bcc:) or from Robert M. Gates (or any person who communicates on his behalf) where the email contains any of the following keywords in the subject or body: "just between us" "breach" "big trouble" "too late" "stupid" "bad company" "perception issue" "the real objective" "very slippery slope" or "true disaster". Limit responsive emails to those sent between 01/20/2009 and the date this request is processed. If he does not use email, expand the search to all methods of communication which he does use.
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 10 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Jason Smathers
Filed via MuckRock.com
185 Beacon St. #3
Somerville, MA 02143
Daytime: (857) 488- 3081
E-mail: requests@muckrock.com
From: Department of Defense
Dear Mr. Smathers:
This is an interim response to your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request dated November 17, 2010, which was received in this office on November 19, 2010. Your request was for certain correspondence “to” and “from” the Secretary of Defense and has been assigned case number 11-F-0234. We ask that you use that number when referring to your request.
We will be unable to respond to your request within the FOIA’s 20 day statutory time period as there are unusual circumstances which impact on our ability to quickly process your request. These unusual circumstances are: (a) the need to search for and collect records from a facility geographically separated from this Office; (b) the potential volume of records responsive to your request; and (c) the need for consultation with one or more other agencies or DoD components having a substantial interest in either the determination or the subject matter of the records. For these reasons, your request has been placed in our complex processing queue and will be worked in the order the request was received. Our current administrative workload is 1,400 open requests.
If you would like to discuss how to limit your request in order to speed the processing time, we would be pleased to discuss how you might modify your request. The action officer assigned to your request is Brandon Gaylord at (703) 696-3203. The toll free number for this Office is 866-574-4970.
You may not be aware that we maintain a website and electronic reading room at: http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/ .
Office of Freedom of Information
Department of Defense
1155 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1155
From: Office of Secretary of Defense
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