Freedom of Information Act (United States): Difference between revisions

In 2013, the Associated Press uncovered several federal agencies where staff regularly used fictitious identities and secret or unlisted email accounts to conduct government business. The use of these email accounts stymied FOIA requests.<ref name="AP20130604">{{cite news|last=Gillum|first=Jack|title=TOP OBAMA APPOINTEES USING SECRET EMAIL ACCOUNTS|url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/emails-top-obama-appointees-remain-mystery|access-date=24 September 2013|publisher=The Associated Press|date=4 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131007164848/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/emails-top-obama-appointees-remain-mystery|archive-date=2013-10-07|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=US officials found to be using secret government email accounts|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/04/us-officials-secret-email-accounts|access-date=24 September 2013|publisher=The Associated Press|work=The Guardian|date=4 June 2013|archive-date=May 15, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160515043314/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/04/us-officials-secret-email-accounts|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="CEC20130614">{{cite web|last=Woolery|first=Liz|title='Secret' Email Accounts Raise More Questions, Concerns About Government Transparency|url=http://www.chillingeffects.org/uncat/weather.cgi?WeatherID=760|publisher=Chilling Effects Clearinghouse|access-date=24 September 2013|date=14 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130720234403/http://www.chillingeffects.org/uncat/weather.cgi?WeatherID=760|archive-date=2013-07-20|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.vice.com/article/while-us-attorney-general-eric-holder-used-kareem-abdul-jabbars-birth-name-as-his-official-email-address|title=While US Attorney General, Eric Holder Used Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Birth Name as His Official Email Address|website=VICE News|date=February 25, 2016 |language=en-US|access-date=2016-02-27|archive-date=February 26, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160226082915/https://news.vice.com/article/while-us-attorney-general-eric-holder-used-kareem-abdul-jabbars-birth-name-as-his-official-email-address|url-status=live}}</ref> In some cases, the government demanded exorbitant (greater than $1 million) fees for records that appeals showed should be available for minimal cost.<ref name="AP20130604" /><ref name="CEC20130614" /><ref>{{cite web|title=DEA wants $1.4 million before it will begin processing request|url=https://www.muckrock.com/news/archives/2015/feb/05/dea-wants-14-million-it-will-begin-processing-requ/|website=MuckRock|date=February 5, 2015 |access-date=2016-02-13|archive-date=February 17, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160217010516/https://www.muckrock.com/news/archives/2015/feb/05/dea-wants-14-million-it-will-begin-processing-requ/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.muckrock.com/news/archives/2016/feb/26/biggest-foia-fee-all-time/|title=The Pentagon's $660 million FOIA fee|website=MuckRock|date=February 26, 2016 |access-date=2016-02-27|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304131700/https://www.muckrock.com/news/archives/2016/feb/26/biggest-foia-fee-all-time/|url-status=live}}</ref>