Attorney Appeals DOJ OIP to Force FBI to Accelerate Release of Jeffrey Epstein FOIA Records

MARTIN G. WEINBERG, P.C. ATTORNEY AT LAW 20 PARK PLAZA, SUITE 1000 EMAIL ADDRESSES; BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02116 a nx NIGHT EMERGENCY August 19, 2015 Via Certified Mail Melanie Ann Pustay Director of Office of Information Policy Sean R. O’Neill Chief, Administrative Appeals Staff Office of Information Policy United States Department of Justice, Suite 11050 1425 New York Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20530 RE: FBI Request No 1203982-001/ DOJ OIP Appeal AP-2013-01397 (Jeffrey Epstein) Dear Ms. Pustay and Mr. O’Neill: On March 29, 2013, the OIP determined that the FBI could not rely on 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(7)(A) as a basis to withhold all records of past investigations regarding Mr. Epstein’s prior FBI FOIA request. On April 25, 2013, the FBI reopened the above-numbered FOIA request and stated that it had started its processing and searching for responsive records. On June 24, 2013, the FBI was informed that Mr. Epstein would pay the costs of copying. At present, 27 ‘2 months after the FBI started to process Mr. Epstein’s FOJA request, Mr. Epstein has received just two “batches,” the first numbering 372 pages (including redactions) that was produced on December 16, 2014, and the second “batch” numbering 336 pages that was produced 5 4 months later on May 29, 2015, out ofa file that exceeds 12,000 pages. The processing of a third “batch” of documents will not begin until, at earliest, October, 2015, see infra. At this pace, the FBI will not complete the processing Mr. Epstein’s file until 2025. A citizen should not have to wait over a decade for an agency to meet its FOIA obligations. As documented below — and within the May 1, 2015, and August 13, 2015, letters to Mr. Dennis Argall, FBI FOIPA Public Liaison Officer, each of which are attached — the FBI has declined to meet its statutory obligations in providing Freedom of Information Act mandated disclosures relating to the above-numbered request without unreasonable delay. Accordingly, I appeal to the OIP to require the FBI to comply with its March 29, 2013, determination in a reasonably prompt manner. HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_031447