FOIA Update

Transmitted: May 12, 2022 To: University of Massachusetts & Massachusetts Department of Public Health Full Letter: Letter to the University of Massachusetts (PDF) Letter to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (PDF) RE: Request for Public Records Regarding Lawrence C. Madoff’s Participation as a Signatory of a February 19, 2020, Statement Published in The Lancet SUMMARY The mission of the University …

Transmitted: April 21, 2022 To: Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Justice Full Letter: Letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) (PDF) RE: OIG FOIA Request No. 22-OIG-031 SUMMARY Empower Oversight wrote a letter to the Office of the Inspector General at the Department of Justice (DOJ-OIG) seeking an explanation about why the office has failed to comply with a November 9, 2021 FOIA request regarding …

Transmitted: April 19, 2022 To: Chief FOIA Officer, U.S. Small Business Administration Full Request: Department of Small Business Administration (SBA) Request (PDF) RE: FOIA Request for Documents Related to Paycheck Protection Program LoanMade to FreightCar America, Inc. SUMMARY Empower Oversight filed a FOIA request with the Chief of the Freedom of Information/Privacy Act Office (FOIA), U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The …

UPDATE (April 19, 2022): Empower Oversight requested further documentation from the DOS-OIG including copies of all reports of investigation prepared by the DOS-OIG relating to allegations of whistleblower retaliation within the USAGM, all records relating to communications between DOS-OIG personnel and Capitol Hill about Michael Pack, and records relating to communications between DOS-OIG and USAGM …

WASHINGTON —After the Veterans Administration Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG) released its report entitled, “Former Education Service Executive Violated Ethics Rules and Her Duty to Cooperate Fully with the OIG,” Empower Oversight Founder and President Jason Foster issued the following statement: “Today’s report is long overdue. These conflicts were an open secret in the VA for years. Supervisors …

Transmitted: February 3, 2022 To: Office of Inspector General, Department of Veterans Affairs Re: Request for Processing Notes Relating to FOIA Request Number 21-00357-FOIA Full Request (PDF): Veterans Administration FOIA (PDF) Empower Oversight filed a new request with the Veterans Administration Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG) seeking all communications related to its search for documents in …

Transmitted: January 28, 2022 To: Office of Information Policy, Department of Justice Full Request: Department of Justice FOIA (PDF) RE: FOIA Request for Records Relating to Al Jazeera, FARA Registration, and Congressional Oversight SUMMARY Empower Oversight filed a FOIA request with the Department of Justice’s Office of Information Policy regarding an apparent failure to enforce the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), …

Transmitted: January 24, 2022 To: Office of General Counsel, Department of Veterans Affairs Full Request: Department of Veterans Affairs FOIA (PDF) RE: Freedom of Information Act Appeal: FOIA Request Number 21-08490-F SUMMARY Empower Oversight filed an appeal with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) challenging the decision by the Office of the Executive Secretary (OSVA) to redact key …

Transmitted: January 21, 2022 To: Food and Drug Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Full Requests:  Food and Drug Administration FOIA (PDF) Department of Health and Human Services FOIA (PDF) National Institutes of Health FOIA (PDF) RE: FOIA Request for Records Regarding Former FDA Employees Drs. Marion Gruber and Philip Krause, as well …

Transmitted: January 19, 2022 To: Office of the Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services Full Request: Department of Health and Human Services FOIA (PDF) RE: FOIA Request for Security Detail Provided to Anthony Fauci SUMMARY Empower Oversight filed a FOIA request with the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regarding …