Capitol Hill Blue Forums Political Issues Constitutional Issues Big brother is watching

If curious, just enter 0307 1790 0001 6068 3078 in TRACK AND CONFIRM.

Joe

USPS TRACK AND CONFIRM verified delivery of my FBI FOI Appeal in DC this morning. It's funny how posting here on CHB RR messageboard shortly after I mail something seems to insure timely delivery.

Joe

There's a provision in the Patriot Act which allows you to file a complaint with the DOJ IG against DOJ employees if they violated your civil rights and civil liberties. I pasted in the text of from the first paragraph of my complaint below that I faxed to the IG this morning. I filed a similar complaint with the DOJ IG charging misconduct.


Dear Inspector General,

I am charging the Jacksonville FBI Special Agent In Charge, XXX XXXX, the Jacksonville FBI Civil Rights Supervisor, the Jacksonville FBI FOIA manager, and other unknown FBI employees in both the Jacksonville, FL, Field Office, and in FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C., with violating my civil rights and civil liberties. These DOJ employees violated my civil rights and civil liberties by not only delaying, impeding, covering up and concealing any investigation of my charges of illegal electronic surveillance by Florida Law Enforcement Officers and the West Florida Electric Co-operative Association, but also evidence related to my charges. My charges require an official investigation.

Joe

I received a letter, dated March 25, 2008, from David M. Hardy, FBI Section Chief, RIDS Record Management Division, yesterday, in response to a FOI/PA Request that I had filed. Coincidentally, I expected a reply to my Feb. 16, 2008 FOI Appeal regarding the FBI’s failure to respond to my Jan. 5, 2008 FOI/PA Request in which I requested a copy of all my correspondence, including a VHS tape, that I sent to FBI Director Mueller. Since Mr. Hardy neither referenced the date of this FOIA Request nor supplied a copy of it, I can only conclude that it’s my Jan. 5, 2008 FOIA requesting a copy of my complaint to Dir. Mueller charging FL LEO’s with illegal electronic surveillance and harassment. Hardy, however, did supply a Request No.: 1111513-000 to this otherwise unidentified request. In his letter, he wrote; "To promptly respond to requests, we concentrate on identifying main files in the central records system at FBI Headquarters as well as the FBI Jacksonville Field Office. No records responsive to your FOIPA request were located by a search of the automated, Electronic Surveillance, and manual indices." He then notified me that I could file an administrative appeal. Besides not identifying my request by date or supplying a copy, Mr. Hardy improperly incorporated my Jacksonville FOIPA Request into his reply even though I didn’t mention Jacksonville in my Jan. 5, 2008 letter requesting copies of what I sent to Director Mueller.

Mr. Hardy’s incorporation of my Jacksonville FOI/PA Request in my request for FBI DC HQ records is suspicious, especially since I didn’t mention Jacksonville in my Jan. 5, 2008 request. I filed two earlier FOIPA Requests: one with FBI HQ (Request No.: 1091663-000) and one with the Jacksonville FBI Field Office (Request No.: 1095794-000). In response to both these requests Section Chief Hardy wrote the same stock reply quoted above except this time he included the FBI Jacksonville Field Office reference even though I didn’t mention Jacksonville in my request. When I appealed his two earlier request responses, I was told in effect to bring the FBI to court to obtain these records although they didn’t cite any FOIA exemptions to reject my appeals. Consequently, I filed two additional requests, specifically identifying the requested records. The Jacksonville FBI Office lied that they didn’t received the request addressed to them, even though they signed for the USPS EXPRESS MAIL envelope and an Agent confirmed that it was in their system.

This is a repeat of my experiences with FL State Attorney Meadows where he refused at first to even acknowledge a public records request and then refused to answer a simple question whether or not he viewed a VHS tape that I submitted as evidence. The FBI is covering up for Florida law enforcement and by doing so violate the Patriot Act.

Joe

I left a message early this morning on the FBI FOIPA Public Information Officer's answering machine to either tell me the date of my FOIPA request that Section Chief Hardy assigned Request No. 1111513-000 or fax me the first page of my request. Interestingly enough I received another letter- this one dated March 19, 2008- in this afternoon's mail from Section Chief Hardy acknowledging receipt of my Nov. 20, 2007 FOIPA request to the Jacksonville Field Office. The request was assigned to FBIHQ for handling and assigned Request No. 1111513, so it's the one that Hardy's March 25, 2008 reply letter said there's no record of me or my complaint to the FBI Jacksonville Field Office.

The difference between Hardy's March 19 and March 25 letters is telling. The March 19, 2008 letter is in 12 point type and double-spaced between lines and apparently signed with Hardy's rubber-stamp. The March 25, 2008 letter is in 10 point type and single-spaced between lines. Beneath Hardy's rubber stamped signature there's the initials 'EM.' The similarities are also telling- both sent from the same zip code 22602 and both postmarked March 25, 2008.

I sent my original complaint and evidence as well as my FOIPA request requesting same to the FBI Jacksonville Field Office EXPRESS MAIL and although the FBI signed for both envelopes they don't have any record of my complaint and denied receiving my original FOIPA request. Anyone get the feeling that FIB is covering up for Florida law enforcement? Hmmmm, I wonder what agency those two twenty somethings dressed in camo that a sedan with Leon County- Tallahassee- plates has been dropping off late at night along these country roads belong to?

At any rate Request No. 1111513-000 seems to be- at least for the moment- my Nov. 20, 2007 FOIPA request to the Jacksonville FBI Field Office, which means that the FBI hasn't assigned a Request Number to my FOIPA requesting copies of my complaint and evidence that I sent to FBI Director Mueller.

Joe

I left another message early this morning on the FBI FOIPA Public Information Officer's answering machine inquiring as to the status of my Jan. 5, 2008 FOIPA Request(USPS EB390615975US)seeking copies of all records related to my complaint and evidence, including a VHS videotape, that I sent to FBI Director Mueller on Dec. 12, 2007 and the Request Number that RIDS Section Chief Hardy assigned it.

Joe

Yesterday morning I faxed a FOIA/PA Request to the DOJ's Office of Inspector General requesting the following:

1) Any and all records of my communications and correspondence to the United States Department of Justice Office of Inspector General charging DOJ employees with violating my civil rights and civil liberties and/or misconduct;
2) I am requesting a copy of any DOJ documents, notes, memos, and records attached or associated with my DOJ OIG complaints and/or case file, including logs, daily activity/time sheets, memos, intake forms, notes, quality control records, and processing records;
3) I am requesting a copy of any records, notes, and memos of any DOJ OIG telephone calls or other communications to any other office or agency regarding my charges and request for an investigation;
4) Copy of any DOJ OIG case file(s) regarding violations of my civil rights and civil liberties by DOJ employees and/or DOJ employee misconduct. If the DOJ OIG did not assign my complaints for investigation, I am requesting any records, notes, and memos as to why my complaint was not assigned for investigation or if review is still pending; and,
5) Copy of DOJ OIG manual and/or policy regarding review and assignment of complaints charging DOJ employees with violations of civil rights and civil liberties and/or misconduct.

In order to help the DOJ OIG search for these materials, I included some of the following information. Other names that I have used: Joe Keegan. I faxed my complaint letter, dated March 17, 2008, charging DOJ employees with violations of my civil rights and civil liberties on March 17, 2008 to the Civil Right and Civil Liberties Complaints Office of the Inspector General at fax number: 202-616-9898. I also emailed a complaint charging DOJ employees with misconduct on March 17, 2008 to the OIG Hotline at oig.hotline@usdoj.gov.

FBI special agents are employed by the DOJ.

Joe

I left message this morning on the FBI FOIPA Public Liaison (PLO) Officer answering machine inquiring as to the status of my Jan. 5, 2008 FOIPA Request and my Feb. 16, 2008 FOI Appeal. DC FBI HQ still hasn’t replied to this FOIPA Request or FOI Appeal. I called the FBI PLO after the FBI FOIPA Public Information Officer (PIO) failed to reply to earlier messages regarding this request. When I returned home early this afternoon, the FBI had left a message on the answering machine. She said that she’s looking at my request right now- no date given- and that the FBI sent a reply on March 25, 2008. She said that the FBI searched their Jacksonville FBI Field Office and they didn’t find anything. She identified my street address and said that if it’s incorrect to call her. She said that she’s not even a supervisor or the person that handles it, but she’s going to return my call anyway. She’s remailing the no records letter now. My request, however, was for FBI DC HQ records and not Jacksonville. Two separate requests which are easy enough to distinguish as apples and oranges.

In my Jan. 5, 2008 FOIAP, I requested a copy of my Dec. 11, 2007 letter to FBI Director Robert S. Mueller, III, charging violations of my civil rights and official police misconduct by the FDLE, Holmes County Sheriff’s Department, and the West Florida Electric Cooperative Association. I included a VHS videotape, which proves my charges, and some other evidence. I also requested all the associated records, such as the case file, logs, activity/time sheets, processing records, etc. I filed two separate requests for records with the FBI. One was for the records associated with my complaint to the Jacksonville FBI Special Agent in Charge and the later was with FBI Director Mueller.

Although the USPS verified delivery of all my letters to the FBI Jacksonville Field Office and FBI employees signed for my letters, the FBI Jacksonville Field Office denied receiving anything. The Jacksonville FBI Field Office FOIA Manager told me that he doesn’t understand what’s going on, knows nothing, and that FBI HQ will handle it.

I filed two separate complaints charging 4th Amendment violations and two separate and distinct FOIPA Requests with the FBI. One with FBI DC HQ and one with the FBI Jacksonville Field Office. The USPS verified delivery of everything, including signatures. Both complaints and requests are different. For example, I didn’t include the VHS videotape in my complaint to the FBI Jacksonville Field Office. However, I did provide FBI Director Mueller with a copy, along with some other stuff.

Joe

What would Mulder and Scully do? I filed my first complaint with the FBI Jacksonville Field Office. When Jacksonville refused to reply to inquiries regarding the status of my complaint, I mailed a more detailed one to FBI Director Mueller and included a copy of a VHS tape. When FBI HQ didn’t respond, I filed 4 separate FBI FOIPA Requests. I filed the first 2 general requests at the same time seeking all records related to me: #1 with the Jacksonville FBI Field Office and #2 with DC FBI HQ. RIDS Section Chief Hardy timely replied to FBI HQ’s #2: "No records responsive to your FOIPA request were located by a search of the automated and manual indices. If you desire a search of the Field Office files, you must contact the appropriate Field Office." As noted, I already filed #1 with Jacksonville. When Jacksonville didn’t respond after an inordinate period, I phoned them and spoke to the FOIA manager. First time he said that that Jacksonville FBI would reply to my FOIA when they received FBI HQ’s authorization to release my records. Second time he changed his story and said that he doesn’t understand what’s going on, knows nothing, and that DC HQ would handle it. When FBI HQ didn’t respond after two months to #1, I filed an FOI Appeal. Shortly afterward Chief Hardy replied to #1 with the standard "no records" reply quoted above minus the referral to the local Field Office. So I then filed a more specific FOIPA request (#3) addressed to the Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge and later another specific request (#4) with FBI HQ regarding my charges and evidence that I sent to FBI Director Mueller. When neither office replied within the statutory period to #’s 3&4, I filed 2 separate additional FOI Appeals.

The DOJ Supervisory Administrative Specialist replied to my appeal regarding #3 was that the FBI denied receiving #3 and that they referred #3 to the FBI. The FBI lied: Jacksonville FBI personnel signed for #3 and a Duty Agent said that he found my request in the system. She also wrote that I could appeal any future adverse determination made by the FBI. When the FBI didn’t respond timely to #3, I again appealed the FBI’s failure to make an initial determination within the statutory period. I filed a similar appeal regarding FBI DC HQ’s failure to respond to #4. So I filed 4 FOIPA Requests and 4 FOI Appeals- all appeals treated agency’s failure to make an initial determination within statutory period as a denial.

I received another no records reply, dated March 25, 2008, from RIDS Chief Hardy. He referenced the FOIPA # that the FBI assigned my request, but not the date of my request, so I didn’t know if he was referring to my Jacksonville or DC requests. When the FBI FOIPA Public Information (PIO) failed to respond to my inquiries regarding what request- #’s 2, 3, or 4- Hardy’s March 25, 2008 no records letter addressed, I called the FBI Public Liason Officer (PLO) for an answer. The PLO never returned my call. Instead, an FBI employee who said that she’s not even a supervisor or the person that handles it but will answer my questions and remail Hardy’s March 25, 2008 letter. Eventually she indicated that Hardy’s no records letter referred to request #4.

Coincidentally, I received a letter, dated April 17, 2008, from Anne D. Work, Deputy Chief Administrative Appeals Staff, the same day that I received Hardy’s remailed March 25, 2007 letter. The text of Deputy Chief Work’s letter follows:
This responds to your letters dated February 11 and March 8, 2008, in which you attempted to appeal from the failure of the Headquarters Office and Jacksonville Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to respond to your requests for access to records pertaining to your correspondence with Director Robert S. Mueller III and "Jacksonville FBI documents."

The FBI responded to your requests by letters dated September 21, 2007, and November 7, 2007 (copies enclosed). Because the FBI responded to your requests, your appeals from the FBI's failure to respond are moot. Accordingly, I am closing your appeal files in this Office.

The Deputy Chief was perhaps too conscientious and premature in closing my case. Although the FBI lied in their no record responses to my ’07 FOIPA Requests, my Sept 21 and Nov 7 requests, which she based her decision, they don’t address my Jan. 5. 2008 FOIPA, requesting records pertaining to my Dec. 11, 2007 charges and evidence to FBI Director Mueller. I checked with DC FBI Logistics mail-room in civilian terms. The FBI logs and tracks mail via identifier numbers and carriers, which is only common sense and I suspect that they assign a DLN to the others. The mail-room easily tracked my EXPRESS MAIL letter to Dir. Mueller and the room/unit where it was eventually delivered. I filed two complaints with the DOJ OIG charging the FBI with lying to cover-up and abuse of the Patriot Act, which may have prompted a reply to my charges and evidence that I sent to Dir. Mueller. I received a letter, dated April 29, 2008, from a Carlton L. Peeples, Chief, Civil Rights Unit, CID and postmarked May 5, 2008. The letter included the material that I had sent Mueller as well as a VHS tape, which I haven’t viewed yet. The text of Chief Peeples' letter follows:

Dear Mr. Keegan:

This letter is in response to the correspondence that you addressed to the FBI.

The allegations that you have brought to our attention do not warrant any action by the FBI. You may wish to pursue these issues with the assistance of an attorney.

My charges most certainly warrant some agency’s action as a form of check and balances and oversight, which the FBI refuses to provide for a variety of reasons, primarily because they make the state clowns look like altar boys. If an unaccountable, arrogant, and abusive criminal government agency can do this to me, then they can do it to you. More importantly they can do it to anyone, including your Congressman.

Joe

What an absolute waste of band width.!