FOIA Update

WASHINGTON – Empower Oversight has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) suit against the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) seeking records related to the administration of the National Human Trafficking Hotline, a critical public safety resource for victims of trafficking. The request includes records about an alleged conflict of interest involving Katherine …

Empower Oversight has appealed the decision by the FBI to categorically deny the organization’s request for records related to the Whitey Bulger case. The request sought the following Items: To read the appeal, click here. To read the original FOIA request, click here.

Empower Oversight has appealed the Department of Justice’s ruling denying Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) seeking additional information about the agency’s retaliation against various FBI employees.  Empower Oversight submitted a FOIA request on Sept. 9, 2024. The Justice Department denied the request on Nov. 26, 2024, asserting …

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, as the U.S. Senate considered the nomination of Kash Patel to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Empower Oversight filed a lawsuit against the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for their refusal to comply with five Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests related to the case of vindicated …

WASHINGTON – Empower Oversight has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for failing to respond to multiple Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for its communications related to IRS whistleblowers Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) Gary Shapley and Special Agent (SA) Joe Ziegler and the protected disclosures they made to Congress. The …

The Securities and Exchange Commission has provided a second partial response to Empower Oversight’s Freedom of Information Act request from May 15, 2023.  The request centered around communications about the oversight organization’s referral of evidence to the Inspector General, pointing to ethical violations and related litigation. Empower Oversight sought records of communications about the group’s May 2022 …

WASHINGTON – Empower Oversight is pressing FBI Director Wray on the improper politicization of the agency’s Security Division (SecD). Following new allegations of retaliation against those in SecD who resisted weaponizing the security clearance process but were overruled by leadership, Empower Oversight has now demanded records related to the restoration of FBI whistleblower Marcus Allen’s …

Empower Oversight has submitted a new FOIA request seeking documents and communications from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI personnel about the law enforcement agency whistleblowers who testified to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Weaponization of the Federal Government. Recent revelations suggest that government personnel privately coordinated with staff of a member of Congress …

WASHINGTON – Empower Oversight is pressing for records that could expose the lack of disciplinary measures taken against Supervisory Special Agent John Morris related to his role in the scandal over the FBI’s mishandling of mob boss/informant Whitey Bulger. Bulger was a Boston crime mob boss who served as an FBI confidential informant for 15 …