Washington, D.C. (June 12 2019) – Cause of Action Institute (CoA Institute), celebrated a victory for its client, the Daily Caller News Foundation (DCNF), after the U.S District Court for the District of Columbia denied the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) motion for an Open America stay. The victory for DCNF will ensure the FBI produces court ordered records, 500 records per month, pertaining to DCNF’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for documents relating to Special Government Employee Daniel Richman. The Court largely echoed the arguments made by CoA Institute that the FBI failed to show any unexpected spike in FOIA requests or litigation and had not properly reduced its FOIA backlog.
06/12/2019
08/9/2018
CoA Institute President and CEO John Vecchione Discusses CoA’s Two Lawsuits Against the DOJ
Cause of Action Institute (“CoA Institute”) President and CEO John Vecchione appeared on the Daily Ledger to discuss CoA’s two lawsuits against the DOJ for failing to comply with numerous FOIA requests.
The interview comes after CoA Institute filed two complaints against the DOJ in six days for failing to respond to Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) requests. CoA’s first suit was a result of DOJ’s failure to respond to three requests in regards to the use of a personal email by former FBI Director James Comey, former FBI Chief of Staff James Rybicki, and DOJ’s Director of Public Affairs Sarah Isgur Flores.
CoA’s second law suit, filed on behalf of the Daily Caller News Foundation, comes after the FBI failed to respond to a FOIA requesting communication records and work product relating to Daniel Richman, a “Special Government Employee” (SGE) hired by former FBI Director James Comey. Richman gained notoriety when James Comey admitted to using Richman to leak memos to the media.
08/7/2018
Cause of Action Institute Files Suit Against DOJ for Emails Relating to Daniel Richman: Second lawsuit in six days against DOJ for failing to comply with FOIA
WASHINGTON, D.C. – August 7, 2018 – Cause of Action Institute (“CoA Institute”), on behalf of the Daily Caller News Foundation (“DCNF”), filed a complaint against the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) seeking access to all communication records relating to Daniel Richman, a “Special Government Employee” (SGE) hired by former FBI Director James Comey. Richman gained notoriety when James Comey admitted to using Richman to leak memos to the media.
John J. Vecchione, president and CEO of Cause of Action Institute issued the following statement:
“For the second time in less than a week, we are compelled to sue DOJ, in this case on behalf of our client, the Daily Caller News Foundation, for failing to follow the law and release emails relating to former FBI Director James Comey and other high ranking and controversial DOJ employees. These are matters of high public concern. This is an unacceptable pattern of behavior and we will not back down in our pursuit of government transparency and accountability.”
In April 2018, DCNF filed a Freedom of Information request (FOIA) requesting “…all communications between the bureau and Mr. Richman concerning his SGE work assignments, all intra-bureau communications about Mr. Richman and his assignments and activities, as well as all work product delivered to Director Comey or to others within the bureau … additionally all of Mr. Richman’s work product whose messages were conveyed to the public in FBI comments, speeches and printed material.”
The FBI confirmed receipt of the FOIA and granted DCNF a media waiver concerning fees. However, since May 7, the FBI has refused to produce the documents or provide an update on the status of the FOIA.
Mr. Richman played a significant role in a contentious matter of government accountability and the records pertain to both the conduct and communications between two high-profile and controversial government officials. Consistent transparency and the subsequent production of these records by the FBI are imperative to maintaining the trustworthiness and integrity of the government.
The full complaint can be viewed below.
About Cause of Action Institute
Cause of Action Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, dedicated to providing government oversight, transparency and advocating for economic freedom and individual opportunity advanced by honest, accountable, and limited government.
Media Contact:
Matt Frendewey
matt.frendewey@causeofaction.org
202-499-4231
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