It was enacted in 1967 and it is considered “the law that keeps citizens in the know about their government.”
The Freedom Of Information Act requires federal agencies to disclose any information requested under the FOIA unless it falls under one of the nine exemptions.
Jason Leopold, Bloomberg Business reporter, posted on social media that the Secret Service is refusing to release any records about the cocaine found in the White House.
“This is the final response to your recent Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, received by the United States Secret Service (Secret Service) on July 10, 2023, for information pertaining to emails, text messages, photographs, memos, letters, directives, and intelligence bulletins and threat assessments, after action reports, suspicious activity reporting, open-source intelligence/social media monitoring reports, referencing the cocaine found in the West Wing of the White House,” the letter responding to Leopold’s FOIA request read.
“We regret to inform you that we cannot comply,” the letter continued, stating the “foreseeable harm” standard and arguing that any release of the requested information “could reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement proceedings.”
NEW: In response to my #FOIA request, Secret Service says it cannot release any records about the cocaine found in the White House because it would interfere enforcement proceedings. pic.twitter.com/28ErB3oWkL
— Jason Leopold (@JasonLeopold) July 11, 2023
The denial letter did instruct Leopold to appeal the decision within 90 days.
NBC News is reporting that the Secret Service will brief the House on July 13, 2023.
Since the cocaine was found the White House has changed where it was discovered three times. Former Secret Service Agent Dan Bongino said that there is “zero chance” anyone other than a family member could have brought the cocaine into the White House.
There’s absolutely ZERO chance anyone other than a family member brought that cocaine inside the White House complex. No chance that would make it past the mag/security checkpoints. Family bypasses those.
— Dan Bongino (@dbongino) July 5, 2023
