US District Court State FOIA Complaint

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

THE DAILY CALLER NEWS
FOUNDATION
1050 17th Street, NW
Suite 900
Washington, D.C. 20036
*
*
*
*
*
*
and
*
*
RICHARD POLLOCK
*
The Daily Caller News Foundation
*
1050 17th Street, NW
*
Suite 900
*
Washington, DC 20036
*
*
Plaintiffs,
*
*
v.
*
Civil Action No. 15-1979
*
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
*
2401 E Street, NW
*
*
*
Defendant.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
COMPLAINT
This is an action under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552, et
seq., as amended, for the disclosure of agency records improperly withheld from the
plaintiffs The Daily Caller News Foundation and Richard Pollock by the defendant
Department of State.
JURISDICTION
1. This Court has both subject matter jurisdiction over this action and personal
jurisdiction over the defendant pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(4)(B) and
28 U.S.C. 1331.
VENUE
2. Venue is appropriate under 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(4)(B) and 28 U.S.C. 1391.
PARTIES
3. Plaintiff The Daily Caller News Foundation (DCNF) is a 501(C)(3) group that
provides independent, credible news coverage of major public policy issues and programs,
deeply detailed and documented investigative reporting and on-the-job training programs
for entry-level journalists.
4. Plaintiff Richard Pollock (Mr. Pollock) currently serves as the Senior
Investigative Reporter for DCNF and is based in Washington, D.C.
5. Defendant Department of State (State) is an agency within the meaning of
5 U.S.C. 552 (e), and is in possession and/or control of the records requested by DCNF
and Mr. Pollock that are the subject of this action.
COUNT ONE
6. By letter dated October 9, 2015, the plaintiffs, DCNF and Mr. Pollock (hereinafter
referred to jointly as DCNF), submitted to State a FOIA request that specifically sought
copies of the following:
1) Records memorializing certification that senior State officials had satisfied
mandatory security training courses regarding the handling of classified
materials and communications through secure equipment; and
2) Records memorializing certification that senior State officials had satisfied
mandatory Information Technology training courses regarding the handling of
classified materials and communications through secure equipment.
7. DCNF clarified that the scope of the search should include, but not be limited to,
training related to the handling of classified, sensitive and unclassified materials, the secure
storage of classified, sensitive and unclassified materials and secure communication
between digital devices. DCNF also noted that the scope of the search should include all
cross-references, that it should not be limited to State-originated records, and that the
timeframe could be limited to January 1, 2009, through
February 28, 2013.
8. DCNF further clarified that the specific senior State officials encompassed by the
FOIA request were Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Under Secretary Patrick F.
Kennedy, Chief of Staff Cheryl Mills, Deputy Chief of Staff Huma Abedin, and Deputy
Chief of Staff Jacob Jake Sullivan. Finally, DCNF explained that it was reasonably likely
that responsive records could be specifically located in the Foreign Service Institute, the
Bureau of Information Resource Management, the Office of Security, and the Diplomatic
Security Service. The types of records sought should be construed to include, but not be
limited to, certificates, transcripts and official State communications.
8. DCNF requested a waiver of fees as a national news organization, as well as
expedited processing.
9. To date, no substantive response has been received by DCNF from State regarding
the FOIA request. DCNF has therefore constructively exhausted its administrative
remedies.
10. DCNF has a legal right under the FOIA to obtain the information it seeks, and
there is no basis for the denial by State of said right.
WHEREFORE, plaintiffs The Daily Caller News Foundation and Richard Pollock pray
that this Court:
(1) Orders the defendant federal agency to disclose the requested records in their
entirety and make copies promptly available to the plaintiffs;
(2) Award reasonable costs and attorneys fees as provided in
5 U.S.C. 552 (a)(4)(E) and/or 28 U.S.C. 2412 (d);
(3) expedite this action in every way pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 1657 (a); and
3
(4) grant such other relief as the Court may deem just and proper.
Date: November 9, 2015
Respectfully submitted,
/s/
__________________________
Bradley P. Moss, Esq.
D.C. Bar #975905
Mark S. Zaid, Esq.
D.C. Bar #440532
Mark S. Zaid, P.C.
1250 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Ste. 200
(202) 454-2809
(202) 330-5610 fax
[email protected]
[email protected]
Attorneys for Plaintiffs

US District Court State FOIA Complaint

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

US District Court State FOIA Complaint

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

US District Court State FOIA Complaint

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

You might also like