Opinion ID: 491631
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The FOIA Requests

Text: 2 Appellant filed two FOIA requests in 1977 with the New York Field Office of the FBI (New York), one dated September 20 and the other September 21. 3 The September 20 request. The September 20 letter requested records pertaining to Gregory F. Rose, an alleged FBI informant. By letter dated October 5, 1977, New York acknowledged receipt of appellant's request. New York advised him that it would process his request to the extent possible, but was forwarding it to FBI Headquarters, where most of the investigative activity concerning Rose was reported. FBI Headquarters acknowledged and denied appellant's request in full on November 22, 1977, citing the nondisclosure provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. Sec. 552a(b) (1982 & Supp. III 1985). 4 On December 23, 1977, appellant filed an administrative appeal. The Justice Department's Office of Privacy and Information Appeals (OPIA) affirmed the denial on other grounds on February 17, 1978, informing appellant of his right to judicial review. 5 The September 21 request. Appellant's September 21 request was for records pertaining to 11 named organizations associated with Lyndon H. LaRouche, including the National Caucus of Labor Committees (NCLC). By letter dated October 5, 1977 (the same letter that acknowledged the September 20 request), New York advised appellant that it was also forwarding this request to FBI Headquarters. On October 19, 1977, New York partially denied appellant's request, a decision that appellant administratively appealed on October 28, 1977. Almost 15 months later, on January 19, 1979, the OPIA released several documents that New York withheld, but otherwise affirmed New York's partial denial. 6 In the meantime, FBI Headquarters was conducting its own search on appellant's September 21 request. On January 30, 1979, and again on June 14, 1979, FBI Headquarters released certain records, but advised appellant that it was withholding others. Appellant once again appealed administratively, this time by letter dated June 29, 1979. Six weeks later, on August 15, 1979, the OPIA affirmed the FBI Headquarters' partial denial.