Re: Cypherpunks FOIA request

[pdh@best.com (Peter Hendrickson)]

At 12:40 AM 2/5/1997, Greg Broiles wrote:
> On 1/18/97, I sent freedom of information act requests to the FBI (main and
> San Francisco offices), CIA, NSA, and Secret Service, asking them for copies
> of information in their files relating to or referring to the cypherpunks
> list, the cypherpunks meetings, and copies of any messages sent from or to
> "cypherpunks@toad.com".

> To date, I have received three responses: one from the SF office of the FBI,
> indicating that they have no records responsive to my request; one from the
> NSA, indicating that they are processing my request, and one from the Secret
> Service, asking for a copy of my signature. (I've got no clue why they want
> that; unless I screwed up, I believe my initial request was signed.)

Have these organizations been known to lie?  What penalties does
the organization or its employees face when they do so?  Have these
penalties ever been applied?

Also, which exceptions in the FOIA law would allow them to respond
dishonestly?

Inquiring minds want to know!

Peter Hendrickson
pdh@best.com