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NSA: Please Stop Mailing Us FOIA Requests

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Re: NSA: Please Stop Mailing Us FOIA Requests

#41
post #39
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A couple I let through had things like missing city but valid ZIP code, which I assume would actually be enough to get the letter to them Did you ever read their instructions for filing a FOIA request? "If you do not include a name and complete postal address, NSA will be unable to respond."[1] While you are here I dont understand what you mean by: "It seems that the NSA does not quite get that this is a protest, in…

Yes, civil servants who flout the oath they took should be just as respected as those who don't. > I, [name], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same...

These people work in the FOIA compliance department. How did they violate their oath?

Re: NSA: Please Stop Mailing Us FOIA Requests

#42
post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am quite sure that the fact that they are getting so many requests will travel up higher than the paper handlers. :)

So they can augment their budget estimates for next year's FOIA compliance program?

Is doing nothing better?

Re: NSA: Please Stop Mailing Us FOIA Requests

#43
post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> This man is an idiot, please don't fill up HN with this drivel. This personal insult is uncalled for. It's easy to sit around and complain about what the government is doing, but this man has actually gone out and done something - setting up infrastructure to make it easier for the average person to submit these requests, he is spreading the word, etc. He has also done great work protesting the TSA.

The linked post is not "great work". It's ignorance piled on indignation.

Piled on your mom!

Re: NSA: Please Stop Mailing Us FOIA Requests

#44
post #41
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, civil servants who flout the oath they took should be just as respected as those who don't. > I, [name], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same...

These people work in the FOIA compliance department. How did they violate their oath?

She works for the NSA's FOIA department, hence bearing sufficient responsibility for the NSA's wrongdoing.

Re: NSA: Please Stop Mailing Us FOIA Requests

#45
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A couple I let through had things like missing city but valid ZIP code, which I assume would actually be enough to get the letter to them Did you ever read their instructions for filing a FOIA request? "If you do not include a name and complete postal address, NSA will be unable to respond."[1] While you are here I dont understand what you mean by: "It seems that the NSA does not quite get that this is a protest, in…

It's not me that failed to include a full address. It is the people who submitted their information and failed to fill out the form properly. The form is dead simple, but no matter what, there will always be a small % of people who do not follow instructions. Furthermore, the NSA does not get to make "rules" about the form of FOIA requests. If they have enough information to reply, by law, they must reply.

No you were not the person that failed to include a complete address. But you were the one that assumed there would be no problem with submitting incomplete addresses. Did you read 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(3)(A):

  (3) 
    (A) Except with respect to the records made available under
        paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection, and except as provided 
        in subparagraph (E), each agency, upon any request for records which  
        (i)  reasonably describes such records and 
        (ii) is made in accordance with published rules stating the time, 
             place, fees (if any), and procedures to be followed, shall make 
             the records promptly available to any person. [1]
Or maybe you can point me to where it says that NSA is not allowed to specify the procedures for filing? It seems that NSA is not alone when it comes to requiring a complete address.[2]

You seem like an intelligent person who is genuinely interested in government. You may enjoy reading the DOJ's procedural requirements for foia[3]. It is an interesting exploration of all of the legal subtleties of FOIA.

I am still interested in hearing what behavior would constitute recognition that this is a "protest"?

[1] http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/5/552

[2] http://www.justice.gov/oip/foia-guide13/procedural-requireme...

[3] https://www.google.com/search?q=foia+%22complete+address%22+...

Re: NSA: Please Stop Mailing Us FOIA Requests

#46
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A couple I let through had things like missing city but valid ZIP code, which I assume would actually be enough to get the letter to them Did you ever read their instructions for filing a FOIA request? "If you do not include a name and complete postal address, NSA will be unable to respond."[1] While you are here I dont understand what you mean by: "It seems that the NSA does not quite get that this is a protest, in…

"The civil servant that emailed you was doing what her employer told her to do so that she could continue to bring a paycheck home." So she was just following orders, huh?

Do you have a problem with her actions?

Re: NSA: Please Stop Mailing Us FOIA Requests

#48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

500. The NSA is capturing all internet and telephone traffic for every individual on this planet with a phone or email account. But perhaps they don't index it by person name, and so 500 becomes 0 because of that.

We include the phone number for them so they can look it up :)

Still don't see the point. You're not going to find anything like phone transcripts or what tags might be applied to your person. I'm guessing 99% of the requests will be sent back with "we don't have a folder specifically for you". Because there isn't one...specifically. We're probably all in their database as some random character string, only actually linked to our identity if needed. Unless they have an actual investigation on anyone requesting information, I doubt anyone's going to get anything more that a boilerplate response.

Also, the site sending out mail that will just be thrown out because it's not correctly filled out is a complete waste. I just don't see what the goal of this is. Just to spam snail mail? If the goal is to just clog up their office and be a general nuisance as a protest of some sort...at least the forms would not be sent if they don't have all mailing information. Otherwise it looks like really childish trolling. To me that is. You providing a phone number does nothing.

Re: NSA: Please Stop Mailing Us FOIA Requests

#50
post #44
post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

These people work in the FOIA compliance department. How did they violate their oath?

She works for the NSA's FOIA department, hence bearing sufficient responsibility for the NSA's wrongdoing.

Well, if she's lucky, and if the NSA is competent (at being scumbags) this lady never gets anywhere near anything interesting.
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