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Case TitleWP COMPANY LLC v. U.S DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE et al
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2021cv02458
Date Filed2021-09-20
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Amit P. Mehta
PlaintiffWP COMPANY LLC
doing business as WASHINGTON POST
Case DescriptionThe WP Company, the parent company of the Washington Post, submitted FOIA requests to the Department of the Air Force and the Department of the Navy for records concerning foreign-government-employment. The agencies acknowledged receipt of the requests. The Navy disclosed 494 pages of record with redaction under Exemption 4 (commercial and confidential), Exemption 5 (privileges), and Exemption 6 (invasion of privacy). The Navy disclosed an additional 502 pages with redactions. The Washington Post filed an administrative appeal of the denial. The Navy indicated that since these records would be affected by the decision in a related case involving the Department of Defense, the Navy declined to resolve the appeal. The Air Force acknowledged receipt of the request and told the Post that it would begin to process the request. After hearing nothing further from either agency, the Washington Post filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
Complaint attachment 5
Complaint attachment 6
Complaint attachment 7
Complaint attachment 8
Complaint attachment 9
Complaint attachment 10
Complaint attachment 11
Complaint attachment 12
Complaint attachment 13
Complaint attachment 14
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2021-09-201COMPLAINT against U.S DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-8743325) filed by WP COMPANY LLC. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit 1, # 2 Exhibit 2, # 3 Exhibit 3, # 4 Exhibit 4, # 5 Exhibit 5, # 6 Exhibit 6, # 7 Exhibit 7, # 8 Exhibit 8, # 9 Civil Cover Sheet, # 10 Related Case Form, # 11 Proposed Summons to US Dep't of the Air Force, # 12 Proposed Summons to US Dep't of the Navy, # 13 Proposed Summons to US Attorney's Office, # 14 Proposed Summons to US Attorney General)(Tobin, Charles) (Entered: 09/20/2021)
2021-09-202REQUEST FOR SUMMONS TO ISSUE to United States Attorney re 1 Complaint,, filed by WP COMPANY LLC. Related document: 1 Complaint,, filed by WP COMPANY LLC.(Tobin, Charles) (Entered: 09/20/2021)
2021-09-203NOTICE OF RELATED CASE by WP COMPANY LLC. Case related to Case No. 21-cv-1025. (zsb) (Entered: 09/20/2021)
2021-09-20Case Assigned to Judge Amit P. Mehta. (zsb) (Entered: 09/20/2021)
2021-09-204LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by WP COMPANY LLC (Tobin, Charles) (Entered: 09/20/2021)
2021-09-215SUMMONS (4) Issued Electronically as to U.S DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(adh, ); Modified text on 9/23/2021 (ztth). (Entered: 09/21/2021)
2021-09-236SUMMONS (1) Issued Electronically as to U.S. Attorney. (ztth); Modified text on 9/23/2021 (ztth). (Entered: 09/23/2021)
2021-09-277RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 9/23/2021. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 10/23/2021. (Tobin, Charles) (Entered: 09/27/2021)
2021-10-258NOTICE of Appearance by Paul Cirino on behalf of U.S DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 10/25/2021)
2021-10-259ANSWER to Complaint by U.S DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY.(Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 10/25/2021)
2021-10-2610ORDER. Both a Complaint and an Answer are now before the court in this FOIA case. It is hereby ordered that the parties shall meet and confer and file a Joint Status Report on or before November 8, 2021. The Joint Status Report shall include (1) the status of Plaintiff's FOIA request; (2) the anticipated number of documents responsive to Plaintiff's FOIA request; (3) the anticipated date(s) for release of the documents requested by Plaintiff; (4) whether a motion for a stay is likely under Open America v. Watergate Special Prosecution Force, 547 F.2d 605 (D.C. Cir. 1976); and (5) whether the parties anticipate summary judgment briefing and, if so, a proposed briefing schedule. See the attached Order for additional details. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 10/26/2021. (lcapm1) (Entered: 10/26/2021)
2021-11-0811Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 11/08/2021)
2021-11-09MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by December 15, 2021, which updates the court on the processing and production of responsive records. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 11/9/2021. (lcapm1) (Entered: 11/09/2021)
2021-12-1512Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 12/15/2021)
2021-12-17MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by January 31, 2022, which updates the court on the processing and production of responsive records. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 12/17/2021. (lcapm1) (Entered: 12/17/2021)
2022-01-3113Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 01/31/2022)
2022-02-01MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by March 1, 2022, which updates the court on the processing and production of responsive records. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 2/1/2022. (lcapm1) (Entered: 02/01/2022)
2022-03-0114Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 03/01/2022)
2022-03-01MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by April 8, 2022, which updates the court on the processing and production of responsive records. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 3/1/2022. (lcapm1) (Entered: 03/01/2022)
2022-04-0815Joint STATUS REPORT by WP COMPANY LLC. (Tobin, Charles) (Entered: 04/08/2022)
2022-04-08MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by May 8, 2022, which updates the court on the processing and production of responsive records. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 4/8/2022. (lcapm1) (Entered: 04/08/2022)
2022-04-08Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 5/8/2022 (zjch, ) (Entered: 04/11/2022)
2022-05-0716Joint STATUS REPORT by WP COMPANY LLC. (Tobin, Charles) (Entered: 05/07/2022)
2022-05-21MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by June 1, 2022, which advises the court on the status of the disputed transcript, as well as the overall production in response to The Washington Post's request for Foreign Government Employment application records concerning General Fraser, Colonel Ostrov, and General McNabb ("Air Force Request"). If disputes remain as to the Air Force Request, the parties shall propose a briefing schedule. The parties shall further advise on the status of the FOIA request for Navy records and when that production might be complete ("Navy Request"). Whether the court sets a summary judgment briefing schedule on the Air Force Request, if necessary, will depend on the expected date of completion of the Navy Request. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 5/21/2022. (lcapm1) (Entered: 05/21/2022)
2022-06-0117STIPULATION of Dismissal without prejudice by WP COMPANY LLC. (Tobin, Charles) (Entered: 06/01/2022)
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by FOIA Project Staff
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