EFTA00585164.pdf

MARTIN G. WEINBERG1 M ATTORNEY AT LAW 20 PARR PLAZA.SUITE 1008 EMAIL ADDRESSES: BOSTON. MASSACHUSETTS 02116 FAX NIGHT EA1£RGENCY.: November 17, 2015 Via Certified Mail Dennis J. Argall FOIPA Public Liaison Officer Federal Bureau of Investigation Record/Information Dissemination Section 170 Marcel Drive Winchester, VA 22602-4483 RE: Request No 1203982-001 (Jeffrey Epstein) Dear Mr. Argall: This letter supplements my communications to you dated May I, 2015, and August 13, 2015, which detailed that between April 25, 2013, when the FBI re-opened its FOIA file in response to Mr. Epstein's requests, and August 13, 2015, that Mr. Epstein had received two productions, totaling 708 pages from the over 12,000 pages that constitute the FBI file that is being reviewed. Yesterday an additional 131 pages were received. Thus, in over 30 months, only 841 pages have been produced. The transmittal letters reflect that this production resulted from a review of only a small percentage of the over 12,000 page file. My concern, as repeatedly raised in our many conversations, is that at this pace it will take significantly more than 10 years to complete the FOIA review — a period of time in stark conflict with the policy of President Obama who directed each agency to "act promptly" and make "timely disclosures of information" and with the statements of the Attorney General who said, "timely disclosure of information is an essential component of transparency (and) long delays should not be viewed as an inevitable and insurmountable consequence of high demand." (emphasis added). Of additional concern is that the most recent "third" batch which was produced 5'A months after the "second" batch encompassed a review of only 287 pages of materials with the production of only 131 pages. Based on our October 27, 2015, conversation I had understood and expected that this third production would result from a review of approximately 600 pages (an amount similar to that in the two prior reviews) that I was told had been analyzed and EFTA00585164 redacted and was being reviewed. I fear given the significantly reduced volume of the most recently produced batch, that the projection of time that it will take to complete the over 12,000 page file threatens to significantly exceed the prior expectation of 10 years. More is required than for Mr. Epstein to simply wait, year after year, for the FBI to comply with its FOIA obligations. I would request that the FBI agree to a procedure that expedites the production of the 12,000 page file and assures that the pace of production proceed at a faster pace than one batch every 5 1/2 months. I further request that the FBI analyze, redact, and review larger volumes of documents than the 287 pages reviewed in the most recent production. A citizen should not have to wait over a decade to have his FOIA rights vindicated. Yours truly, Martin G. Weinberg cc: David Hardy, Section Chief EFTA00585165