Opinion ID: 3051863
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Investigation into Lane

Text: Shortly after this meeting, another citizen filed a complaint with the NPS regarding Lane’s conduct during a traffic stop. As a result, Hendricks requested that the Regional Office conduct an internal investigation into Lane’s integrity. Special Agent Eric Inman conducted the investigation. He interviewed Hinson, who stated that she had viewed Lane’s Official Personnel File, and noticed discrepancies in Lane’s files LANE v. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 4843 regarding her education. Inman then interviewed Lane, who admitted that she had not earned a college degree, contrary to the information in her file. In total, Inman found that Lane had made twenty-four false entries on six separate employment applications. These findings led the Lake Mead Superintendent to direct Antonich to convene a Board of Inquiry to evaluate Lane. The evaluation concluded that Lane had falsified documents, and recommended revoking her law enforcement commission. The NPS Regional Director agreed and notified Lane that her commission was revoked on February 12, 2003. Lane unsuccessfully appealed this decision and resigned two months later. C. FOIA Request for Documents Relating to Antonich Investigation On November 22, 2002, Lane sent a letter to the United States Attorney General recounting her description of Antonich’s story and requesting that the Department of Justice investigate Antonich. The Justice Department forwarded the letter to the Department of the Interior Office of the Inspector General, which conducted an investigation into Antonich. The results of the investigation were forwarded to NPS in July of 2003. In mid-November 2003, the NPS Regional Director concluded that the report disclosed no evidence supporting the truthfulness of the story Antonich had told at the June 11, 2002 meeting, no direct relationship between Lane’s knowledge of the story and the subsequent administrative action against her, and no reason to discipline Antonich. The Chief of the NPS Labor and Employee Relations Branch reached the same conclusion. On December 26, 2003, Lane filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for “any and all applicable reports, responses, documents, or other information pertaining to the investigation of [Antonich]” to the Department of the Interior Office of the Inspector General and the NPS. The NPS 4844 LANE v. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Regional Office stated that it did not have a copy of the report on site, but the Office of the Inspector General located the report, which included twelve attachments and numbered approximately 400 pages. On April 2, 2004, FOIA officer Sandra Evans provided Lane with a redacted copy of the investigative report as well as Attachment 1 (Lane’s allegations), Attachment 3 (interview of Lane), and Attachment 4 (email to Lane directing her to destroy her recording of the June 11 meeting). Evans stated that she assumed Lane had copies of two other attachments to the report (Attachment 2, the CD containing Lane’s recording of Antonich’s story, and Attachment 6, Agent Inman’s report on Lane) and that the seven remaining attachments were being withheld under FOIA Exemptions 6 and 7(C).1 Lane appealed this response. On June 23, 2004, a Department of the Interior appeals officer informed Lane that, based on a June 8, 2004 legal memorandum from the Solicitor’s Office of the Department of the Interior, the information in the Antonich report had been properly withheld pursuant to FOIA Exemptions 6 and 7(C). A copy of the legal memorandum, which explained why the information had been withheld under the respective exemptions, was provided to Lane. This was the final administrative determination involving Lane’s FOIA requests. D. Privacy Act Request for Lane’s Personnel Documents On February 12, 2004, Lane requested from Antonich “all reports and documentation concerning [her] Board of Inquiry, investigations, and separation from employment.” Lane sent 1 As discussed in greater detail below, Exemption 6 allows the government to withhold personnel files whose disclosure would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Exemption 7(C) covers law enforcement records whose disclosure could reasonably be expected to constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. 5 U.S.C. §§ 552(b)(6); 552(b)(7)(C). LANE v. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 4845 similar letters to the NPS and the Lake Mead Superintendent on March 6 and 29, 2004, requesting all of her personnel files pursuant to the Privacy Act. FOIA Agent Holly Bundock was responsible for Lane’s Privacy Act request. She conducted the search for responsive documents, and on August 30, 2004, the NPS sent Lane an itemized list of files and 577 pages of documents.2 Lane appealed on September 19, 2004, maintaining that responsive documents existed that had not been provided to her and requesting to be informed of any destroyed files. Bundock conducted a second search, contacting persons who might have relevant documents. All responded that no additional responsive documents existed in their files, though an employee from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center stated that the Training Center maintains files on all law enforcement commissioned rangers, including Lane, that contain receipts for guns and badges, law enforcement commissions, and training records. Neither Bundock nor any other employees knew of any destroyed documents. E. This Action Dissatisfied with the government’s response to her FOIA and Privacy Act requests, Lane filed this action, asserting four claims against the government. In her first claim, Lane sought the information redacted from the Antonich report under the FOIA. The second claim sought Lane’s Board of Inquiry file and other unspecified files under the Privacy Act (the “access to records” Privacy Act claim). In her third claim, Lane alleged the government violated the Privacy Act when Hinson viewed and disclosed her personnel file (the “improper access” Privacy Act claim). Last, Lane requested judicial review of the Board of Inquiry hearing concerning the revocation of her law enforcement commission. 2 The delay between Lane’s request and receipt of materials was due in part to disagreements between Lane and Bundock over who would be responsible for the costs of copying the documents. 4846 LANE v. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR The district court deferred Lane’s request for discovery until after it ruled on the government’s summary judgment motion. The government moved for summary judgment on all four claims, and Lane filed a cross-motion on the first and second claims. The district court granted summary judgment for the government on the first, third, and fourth counts. It denied summary judgment on the second claim pending the delivery of certain files to Lane. Several months later, satisfied that the government had provided the files, the court granted summary judgment for the defendant on that claim as well. Lane timely appealed the first three claims, as well as the district court’s delay of discovery and denial of her request to seal court records containing personal information about her.