March 8, 2017

VIA ONLINE REQUEST FORM

Laurie Day
Chief, Initial Request Staff
Office of Information Policy
Department of Justice
Suite 11050
1425 New York Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20530-0001
Online Request via FOIAonline

Re: Expedited Freedom of Information Act Request

Dear Ms. Day:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552 et seq., and the
Department of Justices implementing regulations, 28 CFR Part 16, American Oversight makes
the following request for records.

On the evening of March 1, 2017, The Washington Post reported that then-Senator Jeff
1
Sessions met with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak on at least two occasions in 2016. Soon
after the conversations were reported, questions arose as to the truthfulness of Mr. Sessionss
testimony to Congress during his confirmation hearing to lead the U.S. Department of Justice
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(DOJ) as Attorney General. As questions continue to arise about the quality of the Trump

1
Adam Entous et al., Sessions Met with Russian Envoy Twice Last Year, Encounters He Later
Did Not Disclose, WASH. POST, Mar. 1, 2017,
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/sessions-spoke-twice-with-russian-
ambassador-during-trumps-presidential-campaign-justice-officials-say/2017/03/01/77205eda-
feac-11e6-99b4-9e613afeb09f_story.html.
2
See Brooke Seipel, Bushs Ethics Lawyer On Sessions Talks with Russia Ambassador: Good
Way To Go To Jail, THE HILL BLOG (Mar. 1, 2017, 10:34 PM), http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-
briefing-room/news/321936-ethics-lawyer-to-george-w-bush-on-sessions-talks-with-russa; Press
Release, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight
and Government Reform, Cummings Calls for Attorney Generals Resignation After
Revelation about Communications with Russians (Mar. 1, 2017), available at https://democrats-
oversight.house.gov/news/press-releases/cummings-calls-for-attorney-generals-resignation-after-
revelation-about; Press Release, Sen. Al Franken, Member of the Senate Committee on the
Judiciary, Sen. Frankens Statement on Report that Attorney General Jeff Sessions Misled
American Oversight | 1030 15th Street, NW, Suite B255 | Washington, DC 20005



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administrations vetting of its nominees, the American people deserve a full investigation into
what information was known prior to Mr. Sessionss confirmation.

Requested Records

American Oversight requests that DOJ produce the following within twenty business days and
seeks expedited review of this request for the reasons identified below:

1. All FOIA requests related to any communications between Mr. Sessions and Mr.
Kislyak, or any other Russian official, received by the Department of Justice, or any of
its component agencies.
2. All materials provided in response to the requests made in item 1.

Please provide all responsive records from June 1, 2016, to the date the search is conducted.

American Oversight seeks all responsive records regardless of format, medium, or physical
characteristics. In conducting your search, please understand the terms record, document,
and information in their broadest sense, to include any written, typed, recorded, graphic,
printed, or audio material of any kind. We seek records of any kind, including electronic
records, audiotapes, videotapes, and photographs, as well as letters, emails, facsimiles,
telephone messages, voice mail messages and transcripts, notes, or minutes of any meetings,
telephone conversations or discussions. Our request includes any attachments to these records.
No category of material should be omitted from search, collection, and production.

Please search all records regarding agency business. You may not exclude searches of files or
emails in the personal custody of your officials, such as personal email accounts. Records of
official business conducted using unofficial systems or stored outside of official files is subject to
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the Federal Records Act and FOIA. It is not adequate to rely on policies and procedures that
require officials to move such information to official systems within a certain period of time;
American Oversight has a right to records contained in those files even if material has not yet
been moved to official systems or if officials have, through negligence or willfulness, failed to
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meet their obligations.

American Public under Oath During Confirmation Hearing about His Contact with Russian
Officials (Mar. 2, 2017), available at
https://www.franken.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=3632.
3
See Alan Rappeport, Andrew Puzder Withdraws from Consideration as Labor Secretary, N.Y.
TIMES, Feb. 15, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/15/us/politics/andrew-puzder-
withdrew-labor-secretary.html; Coral Davenport & Eric Lipton, The Pruitt Emails: E.P.A. Chief
Was Arm in Arm with Industry, N.Y. TIMES, Feb. 22, 2017,
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/22/us/politics/scott-pruitt-environmental-protection-
agency.html.
4
See Competitive Enter. Inst. v. Office of Sci. & Tech. Policy, 827 F.3d 145, 14950 (D.C. Cir.
2016); cf. Judicial Watch, Inc. v. Kerry, 844 F.3d 952, 95556 (D.C. Cir. 2016).
5
See Competitive Enter. Inst. v. Office of Sci. & Tech. Policy, No. 14-cv-765, slip op. at 8
(D.D.C. Dec. 12, 2016) (The Government argues that because the agency had a policy

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In addition, please note that in conducting a reasonable search as required by law, you must
employ the most up-to-date technologies and tools available, in addition to searches by
individual custodians likely to have responsive information. Recent technology may have
rendered DOJs prior FOIA practices unreasonable. In light of the government-wide
requirements to manage information electronically by the end of 2016, it is no longer
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reasonable to rely exclusively on custodian-driven searches. Furthermore, agencies that have
adopted the National Archives and Records Agency (NARA) Capstone program, or similar
policies, now maintain emails in a form that is reasonably likely to be more complete than
individual custodians files. For example, a custodian may have deleted a responsive email from
his or her email program, but DOJs archiving tools would capture that email under Capstone.
Accordingly, American Oversight insists that DOJ use the most up-to-date technologies to
search for responsive information and take steps to ensure that the most complete repositories
of information are searched. American Oversight is available to work with you to craft
appropriate search terms. However, custodian searches are still required; agencies may not have
direct access to files stored in .PST files, outside of network drives, in paper format, or in
personal email accounts.

Under the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016, agencies must adopt a presumption of disclosure,
withholding information only if . . . disclosure would harm an interest protected by an
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exemption or disclosure is prohibited by law. If it is your position that any portion of the
requested records is exempt from disclosure, American Oversight requests that you provide an
index of those documents as required under Vaughn v. Rosen, 484 F.2d 820 (D.C. Cir. 1973),
cert. denied, 415 U.S. 977 (1974). As you are aware, a Vaughn index must describe each
document claimed as exempt with sufficient specificity to permit a reasoned judgment as to
whether the material is actually exempt under FOIA. Moreover, the Vaughn index must
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describe each document or portion thereof withheld, and for each withholding it must discuss
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the consequences of disclosing the sought-after information. Further, the withholding agency
must supply a relatively detailed justification, specifically identifying the reasons why a particular

requiring [the official] to forward all of his emails from his [personal] account to his business
email, the [personal] account only contains duplicate agency records at best. Therefore, the
Government claims that any hypothetical deletion of the [personal account] emails would still
leave a copy of those records intact in [the officials] work email. However, policies are rarely
followed to perfection by anyone. At this stage of the case, the Court cannot assume that each
and every work related email in the [personal] account was duplicated in [the officials] work
email account. (citations omitted)).
6
Presidential MemorandumManaging Government Records, 76 Fed. Reg. 75,423 (Nov. 28,
2011), available at https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-
office/2011/11/28/presidential-memorandum-managing-government-records; Office of Mgmt. &
Budget, Exec. Office of the President, Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments
& Independent Agencies, Managing Government Records Directive, M-12-18 (Aug. 24,
2012), available at https://www.archives.gov/files/records-mgmt/m-12-18.pdf.
7
FOIA Improvement Act of 2016 2 (Pub. L. No. 114185).
8
Founding Church of Scientology v. Bell, 603 F.2d 945, 949 (D.C. Cir. 1979).
9
King v. U.S. Dept of Justice, 830 F.2d 210, 22324 (D.C. Cir. 1987) (emphasis in original).

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exemption is relevant and correlating those claims with the particular part of a withheld
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document to which they apply.

In the event some portions of the requested records are properly exempt from disclosure,
please disclose any reasonably segregable non-exempt portions of the requested records. If it is
your position that a document contains non-exempt segments, but that those non-exempt
segments are so dispersed throughout the document as to make segregation impossible, please
state what portion of the document is non-exempt, and how the material is dispersed
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throughout the document. Claims of nonsegregability must be made with the same degree of
detail as required for claims of exemptions in a Vaughn index. If a request is denied in whole,
please state specifically that it is not reasonable to segregate portions of the record for release.

You should institute a preservation hold on information responsive to this request. American
Oversight intends to pursue all legal avenues to enforce its right of access under FOIA,
including litigation if necessary. Accordingly, DOJ is on notice that litigation is reasonably
foreseeable.

To ensure that this request is properly construed, that searches are conducted in an adequate
but efficient manner, and that extraneous costs are not incurred, American Oversight welcomes
an opportunity to discuss its request with you before you undertake your search or incur search
or duplication costs. By working together at the outset, American Oversight and the
Department can decrease the likelihood of costly and time-consuming litigation in the future.

Where possible, please provide responsive material in electronic format by email or in PDF or
TIF format on a USB drive. Please send any responsive material being sent by mail to
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American Oversight, 1030 15 Street, NW, Suite B255, Washington, DC 20005. If it will
accelerate release of responsive records to American Oversight, please also provide responsive
material on rolling basis.

Fee Waiver Request

In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(4)(A)(iii) and 28 C.F.R. 16.10(k), American Oversight

requests a waiver of fees associated with processing this request for records. The subject of this
request concerns the operations of the federal government, and the disclosures will likely
contribute to a better understanding of relevant government procedures by the general public in
a significant way. Moreover, the request is primarily and fundamentally for non-commercial
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purposes. 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(4)(A)(iii).

American Oversight requests a waiver of fees because disclosure of the requested information is
in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of

10
Id. at 224 (citing Mead Data Central, Inc. v. U.S. Dept of the Air Force, 566 F.2d 242, 251
(D.C. Cir. 1977)).
11
Mead Data Central, 566 F.2d at 261.
12
See, e.g., McClellan Ecological Seepage Situation v. Carlucci, 835 F.2d 1282, 1285 (9th Cir.
1987).

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government operations and is not primarily in the commercial interest of the requester. The
disclosure of the information sought under this request will document and reveal the operations
of the federal government, including how public funds are spent and how officials conduct the
publics business.

Allegations of Russian interference in the U.S. election and the Trump campaigns closeness to
Russian officials has been the subject of significant media coverage. On August 27, 2016, then-
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid wrote to F.B.I. Director James Comey asking Mr. Comey
14
to investigate evidence of planned tampering by the Russians. Then on September 8, 2016, the
same day as Mr. Sessionss reported one-on-one meeting with Mr. Kislyak, the New York
Times published an article quoting Mr. Sessions in which Mr. Trumps campaign reaffirmed its
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embrace of Russian president Vladimir Putin.

A week prior to Mr. Trumps inauguration, reports surfaced that Michael T. Flynn, Mr.
Trumps first National Security Advisor, spoke with Mr. Kislyak the day before the Obama
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administration imposed sanctions on Russia as retaliation for the election interference.
Members of Congress began pressing for an investigation into Flynn, Mr. Trumps campaign,
and Russia ties. During his confirmation process, Mr. Sessions answered written and oral
questions from the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on the campaigns communications with
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Russia and Mr. Sessionss position on recusal from any FBI investigation into the matter.
During the inquiries, Mr. Sessions stated that he did not have communications with the
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Russians.

The Posts reporting reveals that Mr. Sessionss responses were not wholly truthful. The
American people deserve to know what was known about Mr. Sessionss communications with
Russian officials before his confirmation hearing.

This request is primarily and fundamentally for non-commercial purposes. As a 501(c)(3)

nonprofit, American Oversight does not have a commercial purpose and the release of the

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5 U.S.C. 552(a)(4)(A)(iii); 28 C.F.R. 16.10(k).
14
David E. Sanger, Harry Reid Cites Evidence of Russian Tampering in U.S. Vote, and Seeks
F.B.I. Inquiry, N.Y. TIMES, Aug. 29, 2016,
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/30/us/politics/harry-reid-russia-tampering-election-fbi.html.
15
Jonathan Martin & Amy Chozick, Donald Trumps Campaign Stands By Embrace of Putin,
N.Y. TIMES, Sept. 8, 2016, https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/09/us/politics/hillary-clinton-
donald-trump-putin.html.
16
Julie Hirschfeld Davis et al., Trump National Security Adviser Called Russian Envoy Day
Before Sanctions Were Imposed, N.Y. TIMES, Jan. 13, 2017,
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/13/us/politics/donald-trump-transition.html.
17
Seung Min Kim, Sessions Wont Recuse Himself from DOJ Trump Probes, POLITICO (Jan.
23, 2017, 8:38 PM), http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/jeff-sessions-trump-probes-234087;
Faith Karimi, What Jeff Sessions Said about Russia Ties During Confirmation Hearings, CNN
(Mar. 3, 2017, 11:42 AM) http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/02/politics/russia-jeff-sessions-
confirmation-hearing/.
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Faith Karimi, CNN (Mar. 3, 2017, 11:42 AM).

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information requested is not in American Oversights financial interest. American Oversights
mission is to promote transparency in government, to educate the public about government
activities, and to ensure the accountability of government officials. American Oversight will use
the information gathered, and its analysis of it, to educate the public through reports, press
releases, or other media. American Oversight will also make materials it gathers available on
our public website.

Accordingly, American Oversight qualifies for a fee waiver.

Application for Expedited Processing

Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(6)(E)(1) and 28 C.F.R. 16.5(b), (e)(1)(iv), American Oversight

requests that the Department of Justice expedite the processing of this request.

I certify to be true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief, that there is widespread
and exceptional media interest and there exist possible questions concerning the governments
integrity, which affect public confidence. As discussed above, media reporting raises significant
questions regarding the truthfulness of Mr. Sessionss testimony before the Senate and the
relationship between Russia and persons affiliated with Mr. Trumps campaign. The requested
documents will shed light on these issues of considerable interest to the public. The nature of
Mr. Sessionss contacts with Russia, and his testimony regarding those contacts, are a
quintessential example of [a] matter of widespread and exceptional media interest in which
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there exist possible questions about the government's integrity that affect public confidence.

Accordingly, American Oversights request satisfies the criteria for expedition.

19
28 C.F.R. 16.5(e)(1)(iv); see, e.g., Adam Entous et al., Sessions Met with Russian Envoy
Twice Last Year, Encounters He Later Did Not Disclose, WASH. POST, Mar. 1, 2017,
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/sessions-spoke-twice-with-russian-
ambassador-during-trumps-presidential-campaign-justice-officials-say/2017/03/01/77205eda-
feac-11e6-99b4-9e613afeb09f_story.html; Brooke Seipel, Bushs Ethics Lawyer On Sessions
Talks with Russia Ambassador: Good Way To Go To Jail, THE HILL BLOG (Mar. 1, 2017,
10:34 PM), http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/321936-ethics-lawyer-to-george-w-
bush-on-sessions-talks-with-russa; David E. Sanger, Harry Reid Cites Evidence of Russian
Tampering in U.S. Vote, and Seeks F.B.I. Inquiry, N.Y. TIMES, Aug. 29, 2016,
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/30/us/politics/harry-reid-russia-tampering-election-fbi.html;
Julie Hirschfeld Davis et al., Trump National Security Adviser Called Russian Envoy Day
Before Sanctions Were Imposed, N.Y. TIMES, Jan. 13, 2017,
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/13/us/politics/donald-trump-transition.html; Seung Min Kim,
Sessions Wont Recuse Himself from DOJ Trump Probes, POLITICO (Jan. 23, 2017, 8:38
PM), http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/jeff-sessions-trump-probes-234087; Faith Karimi,
What Jeff Sessions Said about Russia Ties During Confirmation Hearings, CNN (Mar. 3, 2017,
11:42 AM) http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/02/politics/russia-jeff-sessions-confirmation-hearing/.

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Conclusion

We share a common mission to promote transparency in government. American Oversight

looks forward to working with you on this request. If you do not understand any part of this
request, have any questions, or foresee any problems in fully releasing the requested records,
please contact us at [email protected]. Also, if American Oversights request for a fee
waiver is not granted in full, please contact us immediately upon making such a determination.

Sincerely,

Austin R. Evers
Executive Director
American Oversight

cc: Sarah Isgur Flores, Director, Office of Public Affairs