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Case TitleCITIZENS UNITED et al v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2020cv00974
Date Filed2020-04-14
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly
PlaintiffCITIZENS UNITED
PlaintiffDAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION
Case DescriptionCitizens United and the Daily Caller News Foundation submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General for records concerning the OIG's investigation of the FBI's Crossfire Hurricane investigation, including FBI 302s generated as part of the investigation that included James Comey, Loretta Lynch, and a number of other interview subjects. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing further from the agency, Citizens United and the Daily Caller News Foundation filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
Complaint attachment 5
Complaint attachment 6
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2020-04-141COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number ADCDC-7019015) filed by CITIZENS UNITED, DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Exhibit A, # 3 Exhibit B, # 4 Summons to the Attorney General, # 5 Summons to the DOJ OIG, # 6 Summons to the US Attorney)(Morgan, Jeremiah) (Entered: 04/14/2020)
2020-04-142LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by CITIZENS UNITED, DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION (Morgan, Jeremiah) (Entered: 04/14/2020)
2020-04-14Case Assigned to Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. (zsb) (Entered: 04/14/2020)
2020-04-143SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zsb) (Entered: 04/14/2020)
2020-04-304ORDER ESTABLISHING PROCEDURES FOR CASES ASSIGNED TO JUDGE COLLEEN KOLLAR-KOTELLY. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 04/30/2020. (DM) (Entered: 04/30/2020)
2020-05-075RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. All Plaintiffs, RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 4/21/2020. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 5/21/2020.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 04/21/2020. (Morgan, Jeremiah) (Entered: 05/07/2020)
2020-05-216ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.(Kossak, Jonathan) (Entered: 05/21/2020)
2020-05-227ORDER requiring parties to meet and confer and submit joint status report by no later than JUNE 19, 2020. See Order for details. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on May 22, 2020. (lccck1) (Entered: 05/22/2020)
2020-05-22Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Meet & Confer Statement due by 6/19/2020. (dot) (Entered: 05/22/2020)
2020-06-198Joint STATUS REPORT on Behalf of the Parties by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. (Kossak, Jonathan) (Entered: 06/19/2020)
2020-06-22MINUTE ORDER: The Court has received the parties' 8 Joint Status Report. The parties indicate that there is limited access to and review of the documents potentially responsive to Plaintiffs' request due to restrictions implemented in light of COVID-19. Accordingly, the Court ADOPTS the parties' suggestion that they file a further status report with the Court on or before JULY 10, 2020 updating the Court on their progress. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on June 22, 2020. (lccck1) (Entered: 06/22/2020)
2020-06-22Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 7/10/2020, updating the Court on their progress. (dot) (Entered: 06/22/2020)
2020-07-109Joint STATUS REPORT on behalf of the Parties by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. (Kossak, Jonathan) (Entered: 07/10/2020)
2020-07-13MINUTE ORDER: The Court has received the parties' 9 Second Joint Status Report. The parties explain that the Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General has determined that many of the documents potentially responsive to the FOIA requests will have to be processed by other DOJ components, and so the Office has approved a single staff member to collect and disseminate the materials for processing. The Office hopes to complete this by the end of August 2020. Accordingly, the Court ADOPTS the parties' suggestion that they file a further joint status report with the Court on or before SEPTEMBER 4, 2020. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on July 13, 2020. (lccck1) (Entered: 07/13/2020)
2020-07-13Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 9/4/2020. (kt) (Entered: 07/13/2020)
2020-09-0410Joint STATUS REPORT on behalf of the Parties by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. (Kossak, Jonathan) (Entered: 09/04/2020)
2020-10-1511Joint STATUS REPORT on behalf of the Parties by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. (Kossak, Jonathan) (Entered: 10/15/2020)
2020-12-0312Joint STATUS REPORT on behalf of the parties by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. (Kossak, Jonathan) (Entered: 12/03/2020)
2021-01-2913Joint STATUS REPORT on behalf of the Parties by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. (Kossak, Jonathan) (Entered: 01/29/2021)
2021-03-2214Joint STATUS REPORT on behalf of the Parties by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. (Kossak, Jonathan) (Entered: 03/22/2021)
2021-05-2115Joint STATUS REPORT on behalf of the Parties by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. (Kossak, Jonathan) (Entered: 05/21/2021)
2021-07-2116Joint STATUS REPORT on behalf of the Parties by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. (Kossak, Jonathan) (Entered: 07/21/2021)
2021-09-2117Joint STATUS REPORT on behalf of the parties by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. (Kossak, Jonathan) (Entered: 09/21/2021)
2021-11-2218Joint STATUS REPORT on behalf of the parties by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. (Kossak, Jonathan) (Entered: 11/22/2021)
2022-01-2119Joint STATUS REPORT on behalf of the parties by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. (Kossak, Jonathan) (Entered: 01/21/2022)
2022-03-2320Joint STATUS REPORT on behalf of the parties by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. (Kossak, Jonathan) (Entered: 03/23/2022)
2022-05-2521Joint STATUS REPORT on behalf of the parties by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. (Kossak, Jonathan) (Entered: 05/25/2022)
2022-07-2222Joint STATUS REPORT on behalf of the parties by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. (Kossak, Jonathan) (Entered: 07/22/2022)
2022-09-2223Joint STATUS REPORT on behalf of the parties by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. (Kossak, Jonathan) (Entered: 09/22/2022)
2022-11-0224NOTICE of Appearance by Courtney Danielle Enlow on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL (Enlow, Courtney) (Entered: 11/02/2022)
2022-11-2225Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. (Enlow, Courtney) (Entered: 11/22/2022)
2023-01-2326Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. (Enlow, Courtney) (Entered: 01/23/2023)
2023-03-2427Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. (Enlow, Courtney) (Entered: 03/24/2023)
2023-05-2328Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. (Enlow, Courtney) (Entered: 05/23/2023)
2023-07-2429Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. (Enlow, Courtney) (Entered: 07/24/2023)
2023-08-2330NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF APPEARANCE as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. Attorney Courtney Danielle Enlow terminated. (Enlow, Courtney) (Entered: 08/23/2023)
2023-09-2231Joint STATUS REPORT on behalf of the parties by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. (Kossak, Jonathan) (Entered: 09/22/2023)
2023-11-2232Joint STATUS REPORT on behalf of the parties by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. (Kossak, Jonathan) (Entered: 11/22/2023)
2023-11-22MINUTE ORDER: The Court is in receipt of the parties' 32 Joint Status Report. The parties explain that the Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has identified approximately 7,897 pages of potentially responsive records, of which approximately 7,112 pages were sent to the FBI for review. Since July 2021, the FBI has consulted on and returned 6,803 pages of records to OIG. OIG expects that it can process the records returned by the FBI at a maximum rate of 150 pages per month. The parties further explain that they believe it is premature to propose a summary judgment briefing schedule at this time. Accordingly, the Court ADOPTS the parties' suggestion that they file a further joint status report with the Court on or before December 22, 2023 , and, if necessary, another joint status report every ninety days thereafter. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on November 22, 2023. (lcckk1) (Entered: 11/22/2023)
2023-11-22Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 12/22/2023, and, if necessary, another joint status report every ninety days thereafter. (dot) (Entered: 11/27/2023)
2023-12-2233Joint STATUS REPORT on behalf of the parties by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. (Kossak, Jonathan) (Entered: 12/22/2023)
2024-02-2034Joint STATUS REPORT on behalf of the parties by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. (Kossak, Jonathan) (Entered: 02/20/2024)
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