Targeting Assange Supporters: Results of my Personal FOIA request to the FBI

 

In recent months I received an email from Google stating my emails had been subpoenaed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  After seeing someone else who had their emails subpoenaed as well, I decided to look into this further through a lawyer friend.  He suggested putting in for an FOIA request with my name and alias which he charged me 25 dollars to take care of.  He had hoped by being a lawyer he would get better results.  This is the part of the response sent to me afterward.  I have not included some personal info that was in the letter.

 

Please see paragraphs below that may be relevant to your request.

Potentially responsive records were identified during the search. Please be advised that the records are unavailable for your viewing at this time. The investigative file is not available to you at this time. We are sorry for the inconvenience.The portion of your request concerning an FBI identification record has been forwarded to the Criminal Justice Information Services Division for processing.

Specific records authorized under criteria established by an executive order to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy are in fact classified by said executive order. Information compiled may be withheld in reasonable anticipation of a civil action proceeding.The information which is currently and properly anticipated pursuant to an executive order in the interest of National Defense policy may be withheld which are contained and related to said documents.

Records potentially responsive to your request may have been transferred to the National Personnel Records Center-Civilian Records.  

Congress excluded three categories of law enforcement and national security records from the FOIPA. FBI records are limited to those records subject to the requirements of the FOIPA. Therefore we have closed your request.  If you are not satisfied with the Federal Bureau of Investigations determination in response to your request, you may administratively appeal by writing to the Director, Office of Information Policy (OIP), United States Department of Justice, 441 G Street, NW. 6th Floor, Washington D.C. 20530 or you may submit an appeal through the OIP’s FOIA Star portal by creating an account.

It gave me several addresses where I could ask for more information and an exemption explanation at the end regarding national security executive orders.  They also thanked me for my time.  In other words, I was told to F— off, they weren’t sharing.  I have never been in trouble with the law.  The only reason they could have files on me is due to conversing with Assange via Direct Message, my 3 DC vigils, (the first one several men in suits took pictures of us. It was almost a 100 degrees F and they were in suits.), or possibly my 21 days standing watch at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.  I have several google emails and the only one they subpoenaed was the one I use directly for Twitter use.  That email would contain alerts to messaging from anyone who talks directly to me.

I am completely disgusted.  I have hired my friend to further investigate why they have a right to invade my privacy and my personal messages.  How is conversing with a fellow journalist who helped mentor me a crime?  Perhaps, it has to do with several variations including coffee with John Shipton but that is not a reason to have a file on me that is considered “NATIONAL SECURITY”.

It makes me wonder how many others have files on them.  If you are wondering, here is the link on how to request your FOIA:

FOIA govt site