Archives for 2014

CoA Letters Requesting Investigations of HUD and HHS in Implementation of Health Care Law

Cause of Action sent letters to the Inspectors General of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) asking them to investigate whether HHS violated any laws when HUD coordinated with HHS and the White House in implementing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).

Letter to HHS Inspector General

Letter to HUD Inspector General

Read the embedded letters below:

HUD IG Letter by CauseOfAction

HHS IG Letter by CauseOfAction

Briefing Book: Keep it in “Park”: How the CPSC is Stretching the Responsible Corporate Officer Doctrine Beyond the Breaking Point

Keep it in “Park”: How the CPSC is Stretching the
Responsible Corporate Officer Doctrine Beyond the Breaking Point
by CauseOfAction

Related Documents: White House Equities in FOIA Requests

White House and Department of Justice Memos

May 20, 2014

FOIA request to EPA regarding:

  1. All documents and communications between and among employees of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and employees of the Executive Office of the President, including, but not limited to, the White House Office and the Office of  Management and Budget, referring or relating to congressional requests for information. The relevant time period for this request is April 15, 2009 to May 15, 2014.
  2. All documents produced to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in response to their November 7, 2013 subpoena served upon EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy.

In 2013, Cause of Action sent 20 FOIA requests to various agencies regarding the review of agency records by the Office of White House Counsel.

AgencyRequest DateFinal ResponseResponse Time*Documents
NARA11/26/2013
12/9/20138No responsive docs
NASA11/26/2013
12/24/201319No responsive docs
SBA11/26/2013
2/21/2014 58No responsive docs
GSA11/26/2013
1/9/2014
30PDF
Education8/9/2013
9/3/201316
EPA7/2/2013
9/30/2013
62PDF
DOI**8/9/2013
11/8/2013
53PDF
USDA11/26/2013
2/27/2014
62PDF
DOL11/26/2013
6/27/2014147
Commerce11/26/2013
7/25/2014166PDF
Energy**6/26/2013
10/27/2014335
DHS11/26/2013
Response Pending238
DOJ11/26/2013
Response Pending238
DOT11/26/2013
Response Pending238
HUD11/26/2013
Response Pending238
State11/26/2013
Response Pending238
VA11/26/2013
Response Pending238
DOD**8/9/2013
Response Pending312
HHS**8/9/2013
Response Pending312
Treasury (IRS)**5/29/2013
Response Pending363

*As of November 6, 2014

** Government shutdown ran October 1 through October 16, 2013 (10 business days) which is subtracted from pending days.

FOIA Appeals

March 27, 2014: FOIA Appeal to USDA

April 2, 2014: FOIA Appeal to GSA

Agency Inspectors General’s Reports on FOIA

In the wake of the DHS FOIA scandal, Senator Grassley and Congressman Issa sent a joint August 25, 2010 letter to 29 Inspectors General, asking them to investigate: (a) whether FOIA requests were given more scrutiny based upon the identity of the requester, and (b) the extent to which political appointees were systematically made aware of the requests and participate in FOIA decision-making. Cause of Action sent FOIA requests to the agencies that had not publicly posted their responses to the inquiry.

Federal AgencyRequest DateFinal ResponseResponse Time Link to Report
DHS OIGPublicly postedPublicly postedPublicly postedReport
DOE OIGPublicly postedPublicly postedPublicly postedReport
DOT OIGPublicly postedPublicly postedPublicly postedReport
EPA OIGPublicly postedPublicly postedPublicly postedReport
NRC OIGPublicly postedPublicly postedPublicly postedReport
SEC OIGPublicly postedPublicly postedPublicly postedReport
SSAPublicly postedPublicly postedPublicly postedReport
StatePublicly postedPublicly postedPublicly postedReport
Treasury IGPublicly postedPublicly postedPublicly postedReport
FHFA5/30/2013
5/31/2013
2Report
HHS OIG5/30/2013
6/3/2013
3Report
SBA5/30/2013
6/6/2013
6Report
DOI OIG5/30/2013
6/7/2013
7Report
DOL OIG7/9/20147/18/20147Report
GSA OIG5/30/2013
6/12/2013
10Report
OPM OIG5/30/2013
6/12/2013
10Report
DOC OIG5/30/2013
6/14/2013
12Report
NASA OIG5/30/2013
6/14/2013
12Report
FTC 5/30/2013
6/17/2013
13Report
GAO5/30/2013
6/17/2013
13Report
HUD OIG5/30/2013
6/21/2013
17Report
VA OIG5/30/2013
6/24/2013
18Report
DOD OIG5/30/2013
6/27/2013
21Report
NARA OIG5/30/2013
7/8/2013
28Report
Education OIG5/30/2013
7/23/2013
39Report
DOJ5/30/2013
9/18/2013
80Report
USDA OIG5/30/2013
9/20/2013
82Report
EAC OIG5/30/2013
9/30/2013
88Report
CIA OIG5/30/2013
Failed to fulfill request

 

Cause of Action Appeals GSA Redactions Related to White House Equities FOIA

Cause of Action sent 20 FOIA requests to federal agencies regarding the White House’s review of FOIA and other document requests. Four federal agencies produced documents that were included in our report released for Sunshine Week 2014. We previously appealed a FOIA to USDA regarding the agency’s improper redactions under attorney-client communications. This appeal concerns the General Services Administration’s response to our FOIA request.

GSA’s production letter stated:

You will note information was redacted from these e-mail communications based on the fifth and sixth exemptions of  FOIA, 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(5) and (6). The redactions under the fifth exemption were made to protect attorney-client communications and deliberative process material.

In our appeal, we argue:

  1. The Deliberative Process Privilege Does Not Protect Communications Between GSA and the Office of White House Counsel.
  2. The Attorney-Client Privilege Does Not Protect Communications Between GSA and the Office of White House Counsel.
  3. Exemption 6 May Have Been Applied Too Broadly.

Documents:

November 26, 2013 FOIA Request

January 9, 2014 Production Letter and Responsive Documents

Cause of Action FOIA Appeal to GSA re: White House Equities by CauseOfAction

Supreme Court cites Cause of Action Amicus Brief in McCutcheon Decision

In McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission, the majority cited Cause of Action’s amicus brief (page 36):

With modern technology, disclosure now offers a particularly effective means of arming the voting public with information. In 1976, the Court observed that Congress could regard disclosure as “only a partial measure.” Buckley, 424 U.S., at 28. That perception was understandable in a world in which information about campaign contributions was filed at FEC offices and was therefore virtually inaccessible to the average member of the public. See Brief for Cause of Action Institute as Amicus Curiae 15-16.

Read the opinion here.

Read our full brief:

Cause of Action’s McCutcheon v. FEC Amicus Brief by CauseOfAction

Cause of Action Sues CPSC for Withholding Documents

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                 CONTACT:      

April 1, 2014                                                                                                       Mary Beth Hutchins, 202-400-2721

Cause of Action Sues CPSC for Withholding Documents

What is the Consumer Product Safety Commission Trying to Keep from the Public About Buckyballs?

WASHINGTON – Cause of Action (CoA), a government accountability organization, sued the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) today for failing to release documents to the public about Craig Zucker, the former CEO of the company that sold Buckyballs. Well past the statutory 20 day deadline, the CPSC has yet to produce any documents in response to a November 12, 2013 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request CoA submitted.

“This administration was just pegged with the title the ‘most secretive’ administration in history and the CPSC’s refusal to produce documents is another example of that spirit of secrecy,” said CoA Executive Director Dan Epstein. “Americans have an interest in how federal agencies conduct oversight, and the CPSC’s consistent unresponsiveness to our inquiry is a disservice to the public.”

CoA’s FOIA requested:

  1. All records underlying CPSC’s estimate [that small, high-powered magnet sets were associated with 1,700 emergency room-treated injuries between 2009 and 2011].
  2. All records related to the drafting, preparation and clearance of the April 12, 2013 CPSC recall release regarding the recall of Buckyballs® and Buckycubes® by six retailers (CPSC Recall Release 13-168).
  3. All records comprising the monthly progress reports of the six retailers who agreed to participate in the Buckyballs® and Buckycubes® magnet recall that was announced on April 12, 2013 (CPSC Recall Release 13-168).
  4. All records reflecting, regarding or referencing, and all communications between, CPSC staff and Strong Force, Inc. regarding the product marketed as NeoCube magnet sets.
  5. All records generated, downloaded or created by CPSC and/or its staff containing, discussing, reflecting, regarding or referencing expressions of public criticism or concern with respect to:  (1) their conduct concerning the recall of Buckyballs®, Buckycubes®, NeoCube or any other magnet sets, and/or (2) their actions against [M&O] and/or Mr. Craig Zucker.
  6. All records generated, downloaded or created by CPSC and/or its staff referencing or concerning Mr. Craig Zucker.

Read the complaint here.

About Cause of Action:

Cause of Action is a non-profit, nonpartisan government accountability organization that fights to protect economic opportunity when federal regulations, spending and cronyism threaten it. For more information, visit www.causeofaction.org.

To schedule an interview with Cause of Action’s Executive Director Dan Epstein, contact Mary Beth Hutchins,  202-400-2721

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Cause of Action Appeals USDA Redactions Related to White House Equities FOIA

Cause of Action sent 20 FOIA requests to federal agencies regarding the White House’s review of FOIA and other document requests. Four federal agencies produced documents that were included in our report released for Sunshine Week 2014.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) received our FOIA request on November 26, 2013 and sent us a response letter on February 26, 2014. The documents produced by USDA used heavy (b)(5) redactions to the point where no substantive information was included (email subject headings were also redacted). Compared to 3 other agencies that produced documents, USDA’s was the only agency that failed to provide any substantive information. In USDA’s response letter, it stated it made the redactions pursuant to the attorney-client privilege.

One such privilege is the attorney-client privilege, which protects confidential communications between an attorney and client relating to a legal matter for which the client has sought professional advice. This privilege also encompasses any opinions the attorney gives to the client based upon those facts, as well as communications between attorneys that reflect client-supplied information. We have withheld information from the responsive records, including confidential communications between OGC and the Office of the White House Counsel, internal, confidential communications between OGC attorneys and client agencies, and other records reflecting the advice of counsel with regard to legal matters.

As we note in our appeal:

The privilege properly applies only to communications created in the context of an actual attorney-client relationship, and not simply whenever an agency communicates with another entity composed of lawyers. Indeed, the privilege “must be ‘strictly confined within the narrowest possible limits consistent with the logic of its principle.”‘ Quite simply, the White House Counsel’s Office does not provide legal services to USDA (or to other agencies), but rather provides legal assistance to the President and the White House staff in their official capacities. USDA has not identified any facts or cited any legal authority that suggests that an attorney-client relationship exists between the agency and the White House Counsel’s Office. (emphasis added)

Documents:

November 26, 2013 FOIA Request

February 26, 2014 USDA Production Letter

March 25, 2014 USDA Appeal WH Equities by CauseOfAction

February 27, 2014 USDA Production WH Equities by CauseOfAction