Chat message

Slack / Private Message Drop, p.314 [SLACK_000528] · slack_pm:msg:03294

Date: 2020-12-14 14:56
Type: chat message · slack
recipient: Kristian G. Andersen, Edward C. Holmes, Andrew Rambaut
speaker: Robert F. Garry
Topics: FOIA, records and transparency Intelligence community assessments

Recipients on this medium are inferred from channel membership, not per-message addressing.

Come to think of it - scanned pdfs are usually how NIH responds to FOIA requests. I haven't looked closely at themotherload of Baric emails, but personal stuff is usually exempt - ie. invasion of of privacy. Maybe other countries are different, but I would think that most of the correspondence between members of this this Slack channel wouldbe retracted as either personal or a trade secret. I've had FOIA request where most of the pages were redacted inblack. For example MOST of my correspondence with NIH program officers. What Can I Obtain with a FOIA Request? Under the FOIA and the FCC's implementing rules, you are allowed to obtain copies of FCC records unless the records contain information that is exempt under the FOIA from mandatory disclosure. Section 552(b) of the FOIA contains nine types of records which are routinely exempt from disclosure under the FOIA:• Records classified national defense or foreign policy materials, 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(1);• Internal personnel rules and agency practices, 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(2);• Information specifically exempted from disclosure by another statute, 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(3);• Trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person and privileged or confidential, 5U.S.C § 552(b)(4);• Inter- or intra-agency memoranda or letters which would not be available to a party in litigation with the agency, 5U.S.C. § 552(b)(5);• Personnel, medical and similar files, disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion ofpersonal privacy, 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(6);• Records compiled for law enforcement purposes, 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(7);• Records relating to the examination, operations, or condition of financial institutions, 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(8); and• Oil well data, 5 U.S.C. § 552 (b)(9).

Extracted statements

Rule-extracted, not adjudicated. The grade says what may be done with each one; read the document above before relying on any of them.

Statement	Grade	Attribution	Stance
Come to think of it - scanned pdfs are usually how NIH responds to FOIA requests.	own voice, substantive	speaker_own	asserts
I've had FOIA request where most of the pages were redacted inblack.	own voice, substantive	speaker_own	asserts
Under the FOIA and the FCC's implementing rules, you are allowed to obtain copies of FCC records unless the records contain information that is exempt under the FOIA from mandatory disclosure.	own voice, substantive	speaker_own	asserts

Statement

Grade

Attribution

Stance

Come to think of it - scanned pdfs are usually how NIH responds to FOIA requests.

own voice, substantive

speaker_own

asserts

I've had FOIA request where most of the pages were redacted inblack.

own voice, substantive

speaker_own

asserts

Under the FOIA and the FCC's implementing rules, you are allowed to obtain copies of FCC records unless the records contain information that is exempt under the FOIA from mandatory disclosure.

own voice, substantive

speaker_own

asserts

In context

A single line often inverts meaning once you see what it answers, so neighbouring messages are always shown.

2020-12-14 14:43 Robert F. Garry open

Here's your FOI friends Eddie - they apparently got about a TB of Baric's emails. https://usrtk.org/biohazards-blog/new-emails-show-scientists-deliberations-on-how-to-discuss-sars-cov-2-origins/
2020-12-14 14:46 Andrew Rambaut open

```In one email, dated Feb. 4, infectious disease expert Trevor Bedford commented: "I wouldn't mention binding sites here. If you start weighing evidence there's a lot to consider for both scenarios." By "both scenarios," Bedford appears to refer to lab-origin and natural-origin scenarios.```
2020-12-14 14:50 Andrew Rambaut open

Interesting - the emails seem to be all scanned PDFs - so you can't search them electronically - is that a normaltactic to a FOI?
2020-12-14 14:56 Robert F. Garry

Come to think of it - scanned pdfs are usually how NIH responds to FOIA requests. I haven't looked closely at themotherload of Baric emails, but personal stuff is usually exempt - ie. invasion of of privacy. Maybe other countries are different, but I would think that most of the correspondence between members of this this Slack channel wouldbe retracted as either personal or a trade secret. I've had FOIA request where most of the pages were redacted inblack. For example MOST of my correspondence with NIH program officers. What Can I Obtain with a FOIA Request? Under the FOIA and the FCC's implementing rules, you are allowed to obtain copies of FCC records unless the records contain information that is exempt under the FOIA from mandatory disclosure. Section 552(b) of the FOIA contains nine types of records which are routinely exempt from disclosure under the FOIA:• Records classified national defense or foreign policy materials, 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(1);• Internal personnel rules and agency practices, 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(2);• Information specifically exempted from disclosure by another statute, 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(3);• Trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person and privileged or confidential, 5U.S.C § 552(b)(4);• Inter- or intra-agency memoranda or letters which would not be available to a party in litigation with the agency, 5U.S.C. § 552(b)(5);• Personnel, medical and similar files, disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion ofpersonal privacy, 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(6);• Records compiled for law enforcement purposes, 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(7);• Records relating to the examination, operations, or condition of financial institutions, 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(8); and• Oil well data, 5 U.S.C. § 552 (b)(9).
2020-12-14 15:46 Kristian G. Andersen open

I love the fact that my email is so prominently displayed. https://usrtk.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/NASEM_Andersen-Email_Baric-1.pdf
2020-12-14 15:50 Kristian G. Andersen open

Oh, but I SO want to search all those emails - I'm CONVINCED Baric has been saying shit about us and it all gottabe in there somewhere. I'm sure the DRASTIC folks will transcribe these.
2020-12-14 15:51 Kristian G. Andersen open

I LOVE this bit from Trevor... :wink: [shared file(s): Screen Shot 2020-12-14 at 15.51.03.png]
2020-12-14 16:00 Andrew Rambaut open

You came out of it well with that email. Pretty much lays out what said in PO.

Full conversation →