FOIA Advisor

FOIA News: FBI releases list of "serial filers," aka "vexsome" requesters

FOIA News (2024)Allan BlutsteinComment

FBI Issues Redacted ‘Vexsome Filer’ List, Marking Departure from Past Transparency Practices

By John Greenwald, Black Vault, Feb. 7, 2024

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has recently released a significantly redacted version of its latest ‘Vexsome Filer’ list, in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed by The Black Vault on August 7, 2023, under FBI FOIA case number 1600755-000. Initially, the request was met with a response stating no records existed. This prompted an appeal, case A-2023-01949, wherein the Department of Justice (DOJ) remanded the request, leading to the release of this latest, albeit heavily redacted, document.

Read more here.

In response to the FBI’s disclosure, the Cato Institute—the only requester whose name was not redacted— claimed it was a badge of honor.