UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
____________________________________
ASSASSINATION ARCHIVES AND
RESEARCH CENTER, et al.
Plaintiffs,
v.
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY :
Washington, D.C. 20505
Defendant.
Civil Action No. 21- 01237 (CRC)
__________________________________ :
PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT COMBINED
WITH OPPOSITION TO CIA’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT
Plaintiffs Assassination Archives and Research Center (“AARC”) and James H. Lesar hereby move for summary judgment against defendant Central Intelligence Agency (“CIA) to obtain an order to require CIA to perform an adequate search for responsive records in this case and to release such records to plaintiffs. AARC and Lesar also oppose CIA’s motion for summary judgment. A memorandum of points and authorities in support of Plaintiffs’ motion and combined opposition
follows.
Respectfully submitted,
__/s/_Daniel S. Alcorn_____
Daniel S. Alcorn
Counsel for Plaintiffs
August 12, 2022
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR
SUMMARY JUDGMENT COMBINED WITH OPPOSITION TO CIA’S
MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT
Table of Contents
BACKGROUND ………………………………………………………..………..6
ARGUMENT ……………………………………………………………..……..11
I. CIA MUST BE ORDERED TO SEARCH ITS OPERATIONAL FILES
FOR RESPONSIVE RECORDS…………………………………………..11
II. CIA HAS FAILED TO ADEQUATELY SEARCH FOR, LOCATE,
RETRIEVE AND PRODUCE RESPONSIVE RECORDS……………….18
A. Legal Standard Governing Searches………………………………..18
B. The Inadequacy of the CIA’s Search Is Evidenced by the Absence of
Records Pertaining to Known Operations, Events and Activities….22
C. CIA’s conflicting statements as to whether it received plaintiffs’
request undermines the credibility of any CIA statements in this case
and requires discovery by plaintiff…………………………………23
III. EXEMPTIONS b(1) AND b(3) DO NOT APPLY TO THESE
ANCIENT DOCUMENTS. ………………………………………..…24
A. National Security Act of 1947 (“NSA Act”)
50 U.S.C. §3024……………………………………………..26
B. The CIA Act Exemption 3 Statute 50 U.S.C. §3507…………26
IV. SEGREGABILITY …………………………………………….28
Case 1:21-cv-01237-CRC Document 21 Filed 08/12/22 Page 3 of 40
4
CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………29
Table of Authorities
Cases
Baker v. CIA, 580 F.2d 664, 669 (D.C.Cir. 1978)…………………………..……27
Brown v. Bd. Of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954)………………………………7n.1
Founding Church of Scientology, Inc. v. Nat. Sec. Agency,
610 F.2d 824, 836-37 (D.C.Cir.1979)……………………….……….19,21
King v. United States Department of Justice,
830 F.2d 210, 221 fn. 90 (D .C .Cir .1987). ………………….……….,26
Meeropol v. Meese, 790 F.2d 942, 956 (D.C.Cir.1986)…………………..…….20
Morley v. CIA, 508 F. 3d 1108, 1117 (D.C.Cir. 2007)………………………… 11
National Cable Television Ass’n v. FCC,
479 F.2d 183, 186 (D.C.Cir.1973)……………………………………..19
Neugent v. U.S. Dept. of Interior, 640 F.2d 386,391 (D.C. Cir. 1981)……….…24
Phillippi v. CIA (“Phillippi”),
546 F.2d 1009, 1015 n.14 (D.C. Cir. 1976)………………………………….27
Sack v. CIA, 49 F. Supp. 3d 15, 22 (D.D.C. 2014)…………………………..…..27
Truitt v. Department of State, 897 F.2d 540 (D.C.Cir.1990)……………………..20
Weisberg v. United States Dept. of Justice,
627 F.2d 365, 371 (D.C.Cir.1980). …………………………………….….19
Case 1:21-cv-01237-CRC Document 21 Filed 08/12/22 Page 4 of 40
5
Weisberg v. Department of Justice,
745 F.2d 1476, 1485 (D.C.Cir.1984)……………………………………….20
Statutes and Executive Orders
Central Intelligence Agency Act of 1949 (“CIA
Act”), 50 U.S.C. 3507…………………………………………………………26,27
CIA Information Act of 1984 (50 USC §3141(c)(3))………..…………….11,12,21
Executive Order 13,526………………………….………………………,24,25,26
Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) 5 U.S.C. § 552………..…………6,8,11,29
National Security Act of 1947 (“NSA Act”) 50 U.S.C. §3024……..……………26
Nazi War Crimes Disclosure Act, 5 U.S.C. §552 (note);
P.L. 105-246………………………………………………………………… 18
President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records
Collection Act of 1992, codified at 44 U.S.C. §2107 notes……….……………13
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