Judicial Watch, Inc. v. United States Department of State , 875 F. Supp. 2d 37 ( 2012 )


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  •                            UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
    FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
    JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.,
    Plaintiff
    v.                                                  Civil Action No. 11-1152 (AK)
    UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF
    STATE,
    Defendant.
    MEMORANDUM OPINION
    Plaintiff, Judicial Watch, Inc. (“Judicial Watch”) brings this action pursuant to the
    Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) 5 U.S.C. § 522 et seq., to compel Defendant, the United
    States Department of State (“the Department”) to disclose certain records. This matter is before
    the court on the Department’s Motion for Summary Judgment (“Def.’s Mot.”). Defendant filed a
    declaration by Ms. Sheryl Walter to support its Motion. (“Decl. of Sheryl Walter”) Plaintiff
    submitted an Opposition to Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment (“Pl.’s Opp.”), and
    Defendant replied (“Def.’s Reply”). For the reasons set forth below, the undersigned hereby
    orders that the Department’s Motion be granted.
    -1-
    I. BACKGROUND
    Plaintiff Judicial Watch filed a request for documents pursuant to the Freedom of
    Information Act (“FOIA”), 5 U.S.C. § 552, with Defendant, the Department, on February 7,
    2011. (Def.’s Mot., Ex. 1.) In its request, Judicial Watch sought records of any contact between
    the Department and a lobbyist for Transcanada Pipelines (“Transcanada”) named Paul Elliott
    pertaining to the Keystone XL pipeline. (Id.; Pl.’s Opp. at 2.) Transcanada is the would-be
    builder of the pipeline. (Pl.’s Opp. at 1.) Judicial Watch filed the request to determine the extent
    of Mr. Elliott’s involvement during the deliberations on the licensing for the pipeline within the
    Department. (Id. at 3.)
    The Keystone XL pipeline is a proposed oil pipeline coming from Canada, running
    through the United States to Texas.1 The licensing and development of the Pipeline are
    politically charged issues. (Def.’s Reply at 3; Pl.’s Opp. at 9.) Mr. Elliott, a former deputy
    campaign manager for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, now works for Transcanada. (Pl.’s
    Opp. at 2.) According to Judicial Watch, Mr. Elliott has “aggressively lobbied Defendant to
    authorize construction of Keystone XL.” (Pl.’s Opp. at 3.)
    Currently, the final authorization status of the Pipeline is undetermined. The Department
    denied Transcanada authorization to build the pipeline on January, 18, 2012. (Id. at 2.)
    However, concurrent with its denial, the Department also invited Transcanada to reapply for
    authorization. (Id.)
    Judicial Watch filed this lawsuit against the Department on June 22, 2011 after receiving
    no response to its request. (Pl.’s Opp. at 3.) Over a series of letters following the filing of the
    1
    See http://www.transcanada.com/5730.
    -2-
    suit, the Department updated Judicial Watch on the progress of the search for relevant
    documents. (Def.’s Stmt. of Material Facts at ¶¶ 1-8; Decl. of Sheryl Walter ¶¶ 4-10.) In
    addition to these letters, the Department released responsive documents to Judicial Watch on an
    ongoing basis. (Def.’s Stmt. of Material Facts at ¶¶ 1-8; Decl. of Sheryl Walter ¶¶ 4-10.)
    Judicial Watch does not challenge the extent of the Department’s search. (Joint Pre-Trial
    Statement.)
    The lone items remaining for consideration on these motions are several names in a single
    document identified as Document W52. (Pl.’s Opp. at 9.) The Department has provided a
    declaration by Ms. Sheryl Walter to support its use of the Exemptions. (See Decl. of Sheryl
    Walter) Document W52 is a chain of 12 emails that were exchanged over 17 days where
    members of government agencies, including the Department, discuss potential attendees for an
    upcoming meeting. (See Def.’s Reply, Ex. 1.) The meeting, set to take place on February 7,
    2011, was to gather representatives from Canadian and United States agencies and other
    individuals to discuss the pipeline. (See Decl. of Sheryl Walter at ¶ 14.) In Document W52, the
    meeting is described as “that Washington briefing on regulatory process for Canadian business
    groups.” (Def.’s Reply, Ex. 1. at 6.) In her declaration, Ms. Walter describes the meeting as “a
    briefing on regulatory cooperation.” (Decl. of Sheryl Walter at ¶ 20.)
    The withheld names occur in several portions of the relevant emails. (Def.’s Reply, Ex.
    1.) The Department withholds lists of names of potential attendees for a meeting under
    Exemptions 5 and 6. (Def.’s Mot. at 7; Decl. of Sheryl Walter at ¶¶ 14-15. ) These lists of
    names appear in the text of the emails with headers such as, “US Participants,” “Canadian
    Participants,” “Treasury Board,” and “Also.” (Def.’s Reply, Ex. 1.) Suggestions for attendees
    -3-
    come from the “CABC,” the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, and the Canadian Embassy in
    Washington, D.C., among others. (Id. at 1-2.) Under only Exemption 6, The Department also
    redacted the names of two members of the National Security Staff who are authors and recipients
    of several emails in the chain. (Pl.’s Opp. at 3, 9; Def.’s Reply, Ex.1.) These two names appear
    in the “to,” “from,” and “cc” lines of emails, as well as in the signature blocks. (Id.) Judicial
    Watch is not requesting the release of several phone numbers that are also withheld. (Pl.’s Opp.
    at 9.) The Department has released all other documents to Judicial Watch’s satisfaction. (Id.)
    II. SUMMARY JUDGMENT STANDARD
    Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56, summary judgment is appropriate where the
    documents in the record show no dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to
    judgment as a matter of law. Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a), (c). In ruling on a motion for summary
    judgment, the court must draw all justifiable inferences in the nonmoving party’s favor and
    accept the nonmoving party’s evidence as true. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 
    477 U.S. 242
    ,
    252, 
    106 S. Ct. 2505
    (1986). The nonmoving party, however, must establish more than “the
    mere existence of a scintilla of evidence” in support of its position. 
    Id. “FOIA cases
    are typically and appropriately decided on motions for summary judgment.”
    Moore v. Bush, 
    601 F. Supp. 2d 6
    , 12 (D.D.C. 2009). “Summary judgment is warranted on the
    basis of agency affidavits when the affidavits describe the justifications for nondisclosure with
    reasonably specific detail, demonstrate that the information withheld logically falls within the
    claimed exemption, and are not controverted by either contrary evidence in the record, nor by
    evidence of agency bad faith.” Larson v. Dep’t of State, 
    565 F.3d 857
    , 862 (D.C. Cir. 2009)
    (quoting Miller v. Casey, 
    730 F.2d 773
    , 776 (D.C. Cir. 1984)).
    -4-
    III. ANALYSIS
    The Department claims Exemptions 5 and 6 to withhold the lists of names, and
    Exemption 6 alone to withhold two White House Security Staff personnel sending and receiving
    emails. (Decl. of Sheryl Walter at ¶ 20.) The undersigned considers Exemption 5 first as it is the
    more narrowly asserted of the two exemptions.
    A. FOIA Exemption 5
    Exemption 5 protects “inter-agency or intra-agency memoranda which would not be
    available by law to a party other than an agency in litigation with the agency.” 5 U.S.C. §
    552(b)(5). The Exemption incorporates three privileges: attorney work product privilege,
    attorney-client privilege, and “deliberative process” privilege. See Coastal States Gas Corp. v.
    U.S. Dep't of Energy, 
    617 F.2d 854
    , 862 (D.C. Cir. 1980). The Department claims the
    “deliberative process” privilege for Document W52. (Def.’s Reply, Ex. 1.) The agency has the
    burden of showing that the information may be withheld under the Exemption. See Coastal
    States Gas 
    Corp., 617 F.2d at 866
    .
    The deliberative process privilege, like the other privileges within Exemption 5, exists to
    (1) protect agency employees providing analysis and opinions to superiors; (2) protect against
    premature disclosure of policies; and (3) protect the public from the confusion of viewing
    preliminary and potentially inaccurate rationales for eventual agency action. See Russell v. Dep’t
    of the Air Force, 
    682 F.2d 1045
    , 1048 (D.C. Cir. 1982); Coastal States Gas 
    Corp., 617 F.2d at 156
    . In so doing, the deliberative process privilege “prevent[s] injury to the quality of agency
    decisions.” NLRB v. Sears, Roebuck & Co., 
    421 U.S. 132
    , 151, 
    95 S. Ct. 1504
    , 1516 (1987).
    -5-
    Where agency employees fear disclosure of their intra or inter-agency discussions, a “chilling
    effect” is created that injures agency decision-making. Judicial Watch, Inc. v. U.S. Dep’t of the
    Treasury, 
    796 F. Supp. 2d
    . 13, 27 (D.D.C. 2011).
    In order to qualify for exemption under the deliberative process privilege, the withheld
    information must be both pre-decisional and deliberative. Coastal States Gas 
    Corp., 617 F.2d at 866
    . “In determining whether a document is predecisional, an agency does not necessarily have
    to point specifically to a final decision, but need only establish ‘what deliberative-process is
    involved, and the role played by the documents in issue in the course of that process.’” Elec.
    Privacy Info. Ctr. v. Dep't of Homeland Sec., 
    384 F. Supp. 2d 100
    , 112 (D.D.C. 2005) (quoting
    Coastal States Gas 
    Corp., 617 F.2d at 868
    ). In determining whether withheld information is
    deliberative, courts consider whether the information was purely factual or "whether it reflects
    the give-and-take of the consultative process." Coastal States Gas 
    Corp., 617 F.2d at 866
    .
    Purely factual information is not protected by the Exemption because it would generally be
    available through discovery and would not call into question agency discussion. See e.g., EPA v.
    Mink, 
    410 U.S. 73
    , 91, 
    93 S. Ct. 827
    , 838 (1973). Because the release of purely factual
    information is disconnected from the deliberative process, it generally “would not threaten
    agency deliberations.” Public Citizen v. U.S. Dep’t of State, No. 91-cv-746, 
    1991 WL 179116
    , at
    *4 (D.D.C. Aug. 27, 1991) (citing Montrose Chem. Corp. v. Train, 
    491 F.2d 63
    , 66 (D.C. Cir.
    1974).
    This Court has upheld agency decisions to withhold portions of an email chain under the
    Exemption. United Am. Fin., Inc. v. Potter, 
    667 F. Supp. 2d 49
    , 66 (D.D.C. 2009). In Potter, the
    U.S. Postal Service withheld an email discussion focused on contacts within an insurance
    -6-
    company in connection with a fraud case. 
    Id. According to
    a supporting affidavit and the
    context provided by the emails, a postal inspector made “speculative statements” in an email
    related to insurance company contacts and the fraud case. 
    Id. The court
    held that the redacted
    discussions of contacts were properly withheld because the “speculative statements” were
    deliberative and, therefore, covered by the Exemption. 
    Id. In Citizens
    for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, (“CREW”), the court conducted
    an in camera review of several documents the agency withheld under Exemption 5. CREW v.
    U.S. Dept. of Homeland Sec., 
    648 F. Supp. 2d 152
    , 157-161 (D.D.C. 2009). Many of the
    documents, requested to identify influence in agency decision-making regarding a border fence,
    were not deliberative because the “material [did] not reflect the ‘personal opinions of the writer,’
    nor [was] it ‘so candid or personal in nature that public disclosure is likely in the future to stifle
    honest and frank communication within the agency.’” 
    Id. at 159
    (quoting Coastal States Gas
    
    Corp., 617 F.2d at 866
    ). The court said that purely factual information, such as assigning a task
    to a subordinate, would have no chilling effect if disclosed because it merely identified a factual
    matter, who would perform a set task. 
    CREW, 648 F. Supp. 2d at 160
    . In another email chain,
    however, one agency employee wrote about the agency’s “formulation of the agency’s
    substantive response” to allegations. 
    Id. at 162.
    The court held that this email was properly
    withheld under the Exemption because the author gave a “personal opinion” and disclosure
    would chill agency action by discouraging “honest and frank communication.” 
    Id. In this
    case, the parties agree that the emails are pre-decisional. (Pl.’s Opp. at 6-7.) The
    emails and meeting predated the denial of authorization to build the pipeline by the Department
    to Transcanada. 
    Id. The parties
    disagree about whether the withheld names represent any
    -7-
    deliberative act by the Department of State. (Id. at 7.) Judicial Watch argues that the withheld
    names of potential meeting attendees in Document W52 are “primarily factual material and do[]
    not appear to be intertwined with any deliberative material . . . .” (Id.)
    The Department, on the other hand, argues that the names it has withheld from Document
    W52 represent inter-agency deliberation about who should attend the meeting. (Def.’s Mot. at 7;
    Def.’s Reply at 2.) According to the Department, releasing the names of the people being
    considered to attend the meeting would injure the ability of the Department and the other
    organizations to consult freely. (Def.’s Mot. at 7.) The Department cites several portions of the
    chain to support its argument. In a January 20, 2012 email, the author recommends an employee
    of the Treasury board of Canada be added to the list of possible attendees. (Def.’s Reply, Ex. 1
    at 2.) The author of the email also states that “OIRA will defer to [the National Security Staff]
    and the Post [or Embassy] on the final list of invitees.” (Id.) Other emails show the parties
    exchanging lists and expressions of interest, but never providing a final authoritative list of
    persons attending the meeting. (Id.)
    In the emails, the withheld names are not purely factual information because the agencies
    are in the process of deciding who will attend the meeting. The emails do not merely state a
    confirmed list of attendees, but rather a series of views and opinions on the potential attendees.
    Here, the presence or absence of a name conveys an agency or employee’s opinion about a
    potential attendee’s value to the meeting. The Department has adequately shown the deliberation
    that was occurring between the agencies. Multiple agency representatives offer
    recommendations on behalf of their agency or their Canadian counterparts. (Id. at 1-2.) The
    email authors also suggest that they will defer to other agencies for final determinations. (Id. at
    -8-
    2.) In this way, the conversational, back-and-forth discussion between agency employees
    debating who they thought should attend is most akin to the “speculative” discussion of the fraud
    case and insurance company contacts in 
    Potter. 667 F. Supp. 2d at 66
    .
    Disclosure of potential invitees would also have a chilling effect on the sort of inter-
    agency discussions taking place in these emails. Disclosing these discussions in full would likely
    have the effect of forcing agency employees to question whether to express opinions about who
    should attend a meeting. However, the meeting and the discussion of who would attend are part
    of the deliberative process of the pipeline’s authorization.
    Given that the lists of names withheld by the Department pursuant to Exemption 5 were
    both pre-decisional and deliberative, and that disclosure would chill similar inter-agency
    communications in the future, the material has been properly withheld pursuant to Exemption 5.
    B. FOIA Exemption 6
    Because the Department can invoke Exemption 5 to withhold the lists of names in the
    text of the emails, the only names remaining for review under Exemption 6 are the two White
    House Security Staff persons sending and receiving several emails.
    1. Legal Standard for Exemption 6
    Exemption 6 protects “personnel and medical files and similar files the disclosure of
    which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.” 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(6).
    Exemption 6's “presumption in favor of disclosure is as strong as can be found anywhere in the
    Act." Nat'l Ass'n of Homebuilders v. Norton, 
    309 F.3d 26
    , 32 (D.C. Cir. 2002) (citing Wash.
    Post Co. v. U.S. Dep't of Health & Human Servs., 
    690 F.2d 252
    , 261 (D.C. Cir. 1982)). If the
    withheld document fits one of the three categories of personal, medical, or similar files, the court
    -9-
    must apply a balancing test to weigh the individual’s privacy interest against the public interest in
    disclosure. See ACLU v. DOJ, 
    655 F.3d 1
    , 12 (D.C. Cir. 2011). The protected information need
    not be entire physical files, but may merely be “bits of personal information.” Judicial Watch,
    Inc. v. FDA, 
    449 F.3d 141
    , 152 (D.C. Cir. 2006).
    First, the file must be identified as the type considered by the statute. “[T]he Supreme
    Court has interpreted the phrase, ‘similar files’ to include all information that applies to a
    particular individual.” Lepelletier v. FDIC, 
    164 F.3d 37
    , 46 (D.C. Cir. 1999) (quoting U.S. Dep’t
    of State v. Wash. Post Co., 
    456 U.S. 595
    , 602, 
    102 S. Ct. 1957
    , 1962 (1982)). The term “similar
    files” is to be construed broadly to cover detailed government records on a specific person. U.S.
    Dep’t of State v. Wash. Post Co., 
    456 U.S. 595
    , 602, 
    102 S. Ct. 1957
    , 1961 (1982). However,
    files containing private information on multiple individuals may also be protected. Judicial
    Watch, Inc. v. FDA, 
    449 F.3d 141
    , 152 (D.C. Cir. 2006).
    Next, the agency has the burden of showing that the intrusion into individuals’ personal
    privacy is clearly unwarranted for the Exemption 6 balancing test. 
    Lepelletier, 164 F.3d at 46
    .
    An initial determination must be made identifying the privacy interest as substantial or de
    minimis. Multi Ag Media LLC v. USDA, 
    515 F.3d 1225
    , 1229 (D.C. Cir. 1981). A substantial
    privacy interest exists in avoiding embarrassment, retaliation, or harassment and intense scrutiny
    by the media that would likely follow disclosure. U.S. Dep't of State v. Ray, 
    502 U.S. 164
    , 176
    n.12 (1991); Nat'l Archives & Records Admin. v. Favish, 
    541 U.S. 157
    , 167 (2004).
    The burden then shifts to the requester to identify the public interest in disclosure. Carter
    v. U.S. Dep’t of Commerce, 
    830 F.2d 388
    , 391 (D.C. Cir. 1987). FOIA exists “to check against
    corruption and to hold the governors accountable to the governed.” NLRB v. Robbins Tire &
    -10-
    Rubber Co., 
    437 U.S. 214
    (1978). To that end, “the only relevant public interest in the FOIA
    balancing analysis [is] the extent to which disclosure of the information sought would ‘she[d]
    light on an agency's performance of its statutory duties' or otherwise let citizens know ‘what their
    government is up to.’” 
    Lepelletier, 164 F.3d at 47
    (quoting U.S. Dep't of Def. v. Fed. Labor
    Relations Auth., 
    510 U.S. 487
    , 497 (1994)) (alterations in original).
    After the public and private interests have been identified, and the private interest has
    been characterized as substantial, the two factors are weighed to determine whether the
    information should be released because the intrusion is “clearly unwarranted.” See, e.g. 
    Ray, 502 U.S. at 176
    n.12, 
    112 S. Ct. 541
    , 548 (1991). The “clearly unwarranted” language creates a
    heavy burden for the agency. Morley v. CIA, 
    508 F.3d 1108
    , 1127 (D.C. Cir. 2007).
    2. Document W52 as a ‘Similar File’
    The email chain in Document W52 is a similar file within the understanding of the Act.
    Although comprised of emails about numerous individuals, Document W52 contains sufficient
    personal information to qualify under the Exemption. Courts have considered emails and
    correspondence files “similar files” in recent years. Judicial Watch, Inc. v. FDA, 
    449 F.3d 141
    ,
    152 (D.C. Cir. 2006) (agency decision to withhold names and addresses of doctors from assorted
    documents was upheld); Lewis v. DOJ, No. 09-cv-0746, 
    2011 WL 5222896
    (D.D.C. Nov. 2,
    2011) (agency decision to withhold names from correspondence files was upheld). The emails
    here, which contain names, titles, offices and phone numbers, qualify as similar files because
    they contain personal information about the named government personnel.
    -11-
    3. The Privacy Interest
    The two White House Security Staff personnel have a legitimate interest in avoiding
    disclosure of their names because it would likely subject them to intense media scrutiny.
    The Department alleges in its motion that “the release of this information could expose
    the staffers to possible harassment and undesired contact by media, and others seeking to gain
    information about the deliberative process in this matter.” (Def.’s Mot. at 9.) Judicial Watch
    suggests that this interest is de minimis. (Pl.’s Opp. at 8-9.) However, Judicial Watch offers no
    evidence to support that suggestion. (Def.’s Reply at 2; Pl.’s Opp. at 8-9.) The parties agree that
    there is already intense public scrutiny of the Keystone XL Pipeline and that disclosures will
    likely increase this scrutiny. (Def.’s Reply at 3; Pl.’s Opp. at 9.)
    There is a substantial interest in bits of personal information where there is a justified
    and articulable risk of media harassment. See e.g., Elec. Privacy Info. Ctr. v. U.S. Dep't of
    Homeland Sec., 
    384 F. Supp. 2d 100
    , 118 (D.D.C. 2005) (withholding of employee names
    upheld where media scrutiny and harassment were likely). The risk of media harassment and
    undesired contact for these two individuals is substantial and not de minimis. The issue of the
    Keystone XL Pipeline continues to receive substantial press coverage.2 While lobbyists like Mr.
    Elliott may be prepared to weather intense media attention, the same may not necessarily be said
    for the White House Security Staff. Disclosure here would likely lead to the publication of
    2
    For two examples, See Juliet Elperin and Steve Mufson, Transcanada Pipeline Lobbyist
    Works All the Angles With Former Colleagues, The Washington Post, September 2, 2011;
    See Elisabeth Rosenthal, Pipeline Foes See U.S. Bias in Emails, The New York Times,
    October 3, 2011.
    -12-
    individuals’ names and intrusion from media or others seeking information about the pipeline
    and the process.
    4. The Public Interest
    The court considers the broad public interest in the disclosure of the two remaining
    names. The public has a general interest in understanding how the Department reached its
    February 2012 denial of authorization of the pipeline and invitation to Transcanada to reapply.
    Judicial Watch argues a more narrow, specific interest in disclosure.
    Judicial Watch appears to argue that the general public has an interest in knowing
    whether Mr. Elliott had access to the meeting, or the extent of his involvement from the names of
    other participants. (Pl.’s Opp. at 8-9.) The Department, for its part, argues that there is no public
    interest in the names because they represent a list under consideration, and not a final list of who
    was able to attend. (Def.’s Reply at 3.)
    The public interest in understanding this particular agency action, and the process behind
    it, is evidenced by the media attention. Learning who was involved in the planning of this
    meeting would provide insight into the authorization process. The public would better
    understand the agency’s decision-making process by learning the names of individuals who
    recommended possible attendees. However, the Department has disclosed most of the
    responsive emails. The staffers’ titles, offices, and text of emails minus the recommended
    attendees have all been disclosed. The public interest in the names of the two staffers is low
    because their involvement, and that of their offices, have been substantially disclosed.
    -13-
    5. The Balancing Test
    After weighing the two competing interests, the undersigned finds that the agency has
    satisfied its burden of showing that the intrusion on the two unnamed staffers would be “clearly
    unwarranted.” Two cases, including one involving the plaintiff, are instructive.
    This Court has allowed names to be withheld under Exemption 6 when a substantial risk
    of harassment by media outweighed a small public interest. Elec. Privacy Info. Ctr. v. U.S. Dep't
    of Homeland Sec., 
    384 F. Supp. 2d 100
    , 118 (D.D.C. 2005). In that case, the plaintiff contested
    the disclosure of the names of lower-level Transportation Security Administration agents and
    Department of Homeland Security personnel contained in documents requested following a
    controversial release of airline passenger information. 
    Id. at 104-105.
    The initial information
    release led to increased scrutiny of the agencies and airlines by news organizations and civil
    liberties groups. 
    Id. Considering the
    privacy interest of the employees, the likelihood that the
    names would be published, and the public scrutiny following the first release, the court
    concluded that the employees would be sought out for further information. 
    Id. at 117.
    On the
    public interest side of the balancing test, the court said that disclosing the names of “lower-
    echelon employees” would not shed any light on the agencies actions. 
    Id. The court
    concluded
    after balancing the two interests that the employees names were properly withheld from the
    responsive document.
    In Judicial Watch v. FDA, Judicial Watch sought information regarding the FDA’s
    decision making process for RU-486, the “medical abortion 
    drug.” 449 F.3d at 144
    . Among
    other things, Judicial Watch sought the names of individuals who had worked on the pill’s
    production. 
    Id. at 152.
    The privacy interest cited by the agency to justify withholding the names
    -14-
    was the risk of abortion-related violence. 
    Id. The court
    found no public interest in the names.
    
    Id. The appellate
    court upheld the trial court’s determination that the contested names and
    addresses were properly withheld from records containing information on multiple individuals,
    citing the risk of violence and supporting affidavits. 
    Id. The general
    public interest in understanding the government’s method during the
    authorization process would not be further served by learning the names of two White House
    staff members. Although there is no threat of violence as in Judicial Watch v. FDA, the risk of
    harassment outweighs the modest public interest in the staffers’ names. As redacted, the emails
    describe the extent of the individuals’ involvement without subjecting them to harassment. The
    White House Security Staff’s involvement in the decision-making process is already apparent.
    Disclosing the names of two staffers, where the format and nature of their involvement have
    already been disclosed would accomplish little for the public interest. The risk of intrusion on
    the two remaining individuals’ privacy is too high, and “clearly unwarranted” given the context
    provided by the Department.
    C. Segregability
    After an agency redacts the exempted information, it must release any reasonably
    segregable information “unless the non-exempt information is inextricably intertwined with the
    exempt information.” Trans-Pac. Policing Agmt. v. U.S. Customs Serv., 
    177 F.3d 1022
    , 1027
    (D.C. Cir. 1999) (quoting Mead Data Cent., Inc. v. U.S. Dep’t of the Air Force, 
    566 F.2d 242
    ,
    260 (D.C. Cir. 1977)). A court must consider the segregability issue, even sua sponte. Trans-
    Pac. Policing 
    Agmt., 177 F.3d at 1028
    .
    -15-
    The Department of State asserts that it has released all relevant and segregable
    information from Document W52. (Def.’s Mot. at 9-10.) Judicial Watch argues that the names
    should be released, but has no interest in the telephone numbers. (Pl.’s Opp. at 9.) Therefore,
    the parties only disagree on the withheld names.
    Given that the Department appropriately withheld the names under the relevant
    exemptions, and that Judicial Watch now seeks only those names, all reasonably segregable
    information has already been disclosed.
    IV. CONCLUSION
    For the foregoing reasons, the undersigned orders that the Defendant’s Motion for
    Summary Judgment will be granted. A separate order will accompany this memorandum
    opinion.
    Date: July 12, 2012                                                 /s/
    ALAN KAY
    UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE
    -16-
    

Document Info

Docket Number: Civil Action No. 2011-1152

Citation Numbers: 875 F. Supp. 2d 37, 2012 WL 2861821, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 96273

Judges: Magistrate Judge Alan Kay

Filed Date: 7/12/2012

Precedential Status: Precedential

Modified Date: 11/7/2024

Authorities (24)

montrose-chemical-corporation-of-california-v-russell-e-train , 491 F.2d 63 ( 1974 )

Moore v. Bush , 601 F. Supp. 2d 6 ( 2009 )

Mead Data Central, Inc. v. United States Department of the ... , 566 F.2d 242 ( 1977 )

National Ass'n of Home Builders v. Norton , 309 F.3d 26 ( 2002 )

The Washington Post Company v. United States Department of ... , 690 F.2d 252 ( 1982 )

UNITED AMERICA FINANCIAL, INC. v. Potter , 667 F. Supp. 2d 49 ( 2009 )

Trans-Pacific Policing Agreement v. United States Customs ... , 177 F.3d 1022 ( 1999 )

Lepelletier v. Federal Deposit Insurance , 164 F.3d 37 ( 1999 )

Environmental Protection Agency v. Mink , 93 S. Ct. 827 ( 1973 )

United States Department of State v. Washington Post Co. , 102 S. Ct. 1957 ( 1982 )

Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc. , 106 S. Ct. 2505 ( 1986 )

United States Department of State v. Ray , 112 S. Ct. 541 ( 1991 )

National Archives & Records Administration v. Favish , 124 S. Ct. 1570 ( 2004 )

Citizens for Responsibility & Ethics v. U.S. Department of ... , 648 F. Supp. 2d 152 ( 2009 )

Judicial Watch, Inc. v. Food & Drug Administration , 449 F.3d 141 ( 2006 )

Morley v. Central Intelligence Agency , 508 F.3d 1108 ( 2007 )

William J. Carter v. United States Department of Commerce , 830 F.2d 388 ( 1987 )

Elizabeth G. Russell v. Department of the Air Force , 682 F.2d 1045 ( 1982 )

Coastal States Gas Corporation v. Department of Energy , 617 F.2d 854 ( 1980 )

United States Department of Defense v. Federal Labor ... , 114 S. Ct. 1006 ( 1994 )

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