FOIA Advisor

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Court opinion issued Jan. 17, 2017

Ctr. for Pub. Integrity v. U.S. Dep't of Energy (D.D.C.) -- finding that: (1) with the exception of a single email, DOE properly relied on Exemption 4 to withhold certain contract provisions and contract strategy of company investigated by agency's Inspector General for illegally using taxpayer funds to engage in lobbying activities; (2) DOE properly withheld sensitive national security information pursuant to Exemptions 3, 7(E), and 7(F); (3) DOE failed to provide sufficient information to permit court to determine whether Exemption 7(C) protects identities of company employees, DOE employees who serve at GS-15 level and below, and individuals interviewed during DOE's investigation; and (4) DOE properly used Exemption 6 to withhold identities of certain low-level contractor employees and of targets of company's lobbying strategy. 

Summaries of all opinions issued since April 2015 available here.