Case 1:19-cv-03562 Document 1 Filed 11/26/19 Page 1 of 3

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
________________________________________________
THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY and
CHARLIE SAVAGE,
Plaintiffs,
- against OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET,
Defendant.

X
:
:

COMPLAINT

:
:

:
________________________________________________X
Plaintiffs THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY and CHARLIE SAVAGE (jointly,
“The Times”), by their undersigned attorneys, allege as follows:
1.

This is an action under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552

(“FOIA”), to obtain an order for the production of agency records from the Office of
Management and Budget (“OMB”) in response to a request properly made by Plaintiff.
PARTIES
2.

Plaintiff The New York Times Company publishes The New York Times

newspaper and www.nytimes.com. The New York Times Company is headquartered in New
York.
3.

Defendant Office of Management and Budget is an agency of the federal

government that has possession and control of the records that Plaintiff seeks.
JURISDICTION AND VENUE
4.

This Court has subject matter jurisdiction over this action pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §

1331 and 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(4)(B).
1

 Case 1:19-cv-03562 Document 1 Filed 11/26/19 Page 2 of 3

5.

Venue is proper in the District of Columbia under 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(4)(B).

6.

Plaintiffs have exhausted all administrative remedies available in regard to the

request at issue. See U.S.C. § 552(a)(6)(C).
FACTS
7.

On September 26, 2019, The Times submitted a FOIA request to OMB, seeking

“all email correspondence between Michael Duffey and Robert Blair from May 1 [2019] to the
present.”
8.

On September 27, 2019, OMB acknowledged receipt of the request and assigned

it FOIA number 19-486.
9.

On October 29, 2019, The Times appealed the delay and constructive denial of

the request.
10.

OMB has not responded to The Times’s appeal or communicated in any way with

The Times regarding The Times’s request since its September 27, 2019 acknowledgment of
receipt.
FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION
11.

Plaintiff repeats, realleges, and reincorporates the allegations in the foregoing

paragraphs as though fully set forth herein.
12.

OMB is an agency subject to FOIA and must therefore release in response to a

FOIA request any disclosable records in its possession at the time of the request and provide a
lawful reason for withholding any other materials as to which it is claiming an exemption.
13.

OMB’s failure to make a reasonable effort to search for the records requested by

The Times violates FOIA, 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(3)(C), and OMB’s corresponding regulations.

2

 Case 1:19-cv-03562 Document 1 Filed 11/26/19 Page 3 of 3

14.

OMB’s failure to make promptly available the records requested by The Times

violates FOIA, 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(3)(A), and OMB’s corresponding regulations.
REQUEST FOR RELIEF
WHEREFORE, Plaintiff respectfully requests that this Court:
15.

Declare that the documents sought by the requests, as described in the foregoing

paragraphs, are public under 5 U.S.C. § 552 and must be disclosed;
16.

Order OMB to undertake an adequate search for the requested records and

provide those records to Plaintiffs within 20 business days of the Court’s order;
17.

Award Plaintiffs the costs of this proceeding, including reasonable attorney’s fees,

as expressly permitted by FOIA; and
18.

Grant Plaintiffs such other and further relief as this Court deems just and proper.

Dated: New York, New York
November 26, 2019
/s/ David E. McCraw
David E. McCraw*
Dana R. Green
Alexandra Perloff-Giles
Legal Department
The New York Times Company
620 8th Avenue
New York, NY 10018
Phone: (212) 556-4031
Fax: (212) 556-4634
E-mail: mccraw@nytimes.com
Counsel for Plaintiffs
* D.C. Bar Admission Renewal Pending

3

 Case 1:19-cv-03562 Document 1-1 Filed 11/26/19 Page 1 of 2
CIVIL COVER SHEET

JS-44 (Rev. 6/17 DC)

I. (a) PLAINTIFFS

DEFENDANTS

The New York Times Company & Charlie Savage

Office of Management and Budget

u .S.A.

COUNTY OF RESIDENCE OF FIRST LISTED DEFENDANT
(IN U.S. PLAINTIFF CASES ONLY)

(b) COUNTY OF RESIDENCE OF FIRST LISTED PLAINTIFF
(EXCEPT IN U.S. PLAINTIFF CASES)

NOTE: 1N LAND CONDEMNATION CASES, USE Tl-IE LOC'ATION OFTlfE TRACT OF LAND JNVOJ,VED

(c) AHORNEYS (FIRM NAME. ADDRESS, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER)

ATTORNEYS (IF KNOWN)

David Mccraw, The New York Times Company
620 Eighth Avenue
New York, NY 10018
(212) 556-4031
II. BASIS OF JURISDICTION

0

III. CITIZENSHIP OF PRINCIPAL p ARTIES

(PLACE AN x IN ONE BOX ONLY)

I U.S. Government
Plaintiff

U.S. Government
0 2 Defendant

Federal Question
0 3 (U.S.
Government Not a Party)

0 4 Diversity
(Indicate Citizenship of

(PLACE AN X IN ONE BOX FOR
PLAINTIFF AND ONE BOX FOR DEFENDANT) FOR DIVERSITY CASES ONLY!
PTF
OFT
PTF

01 01

Citizen of this State
Citizen of Another State

Parties in item JII)

Citizen or Subject of a
Foreign Country

02 02
03 0 3

Incorporated or Principal Place
of Business in This State
Incorporated and Principal Place
of Business in Another State
Foreign Nation

DFT

04 04
Os

os

06 06

IV. CASE ASSIGNMENT AND NATURE OF SUIT

(Place an X in one category, A-N, that best represents vour Cause of Action and one in a corresnondinz Nature of Suit)

0

A. Antitrust

D 410

Antitrust

0

0

B. Personal Injury/
Malpractice

D 310 Airplane
D 315 Airplane Product Liability
D 320 Assault, Libel & Slander
D 330 Federal Employers Liability

O340Marine
D 345 Marine Product Liability
D 350 Motor Vehicle
D 355 Motor Vehicle Product Liability
D 360 Other Personal Injury
D 362 Medical Malpractice
D 365 Product Liability
D 367 Health Care/Pharmaceutical
Personal Injury Product Liability
D 368 Asbestos Product Liability

0

E. General Civil (Other)

Real Property
D 210 Land Condemnation
D 220 Foreclosure
D 230 Rent, Lease & Ejectment
D 240 Torts to Land
D 245 Tort Product Liability
290 All Other Real Property

D

Personal Property
D 370 Other Fraud
D 371 Truth in Lending
D 380 Other Personal Property
Damage
385 Property Damage
Product Liability

D

Social Security
0 861 HIA (1395ft)
D 862 Black Lung (923)
0 863 DIWC/DIWW (405(g))
864 SSID Title XVI
0 865 RSI (405(g))
Other Statutes
D 891 Agricultural Acts
893 Environmental Matters
D 890 Other Statutory Actions (If
Administrative Agency is
Involved)

D

D. Temporary Restraining
Order/Preliminary
Injunction

Any nature of suit from any category
may be selected for this category of
case assignment.
*(If Antitrust, then A governs)*

D

OR

Prisoner Petitions
535 Death Penalty
D 540 Mandamus & Other
D 550 Civil Rights
555 Prison Conditions
D 560 Civil Detainee - Conditions
of Confinement

D

D

Prooerty Rights
820 Copyrights
D 830 Patent
D 835 Patent - Abbreviated New
Drug Application
840 Trademark

D

0

D 151 Medicare Act

Bankruptcy
D 422 Appeal 27 USC 158
D 423 Withdrawal 28 USC 157

0

C. Administrative Agency
Review

0 F.

Pro Se General Civil

Federal Tax Suits
D 870 Taxes (US plaintiff or
defendant)
D 871 IRS-Third Party 26 USC
7609
Forfeiture/Penalty
D 625 Drug Related Seizure of
Property 21 USC 881
O6900ther
Other Statutes
D 375 False Claims Act
D 376 Qui Tam (31 USC
3729(a))
D 400 State Reapportionment
D 430 Banks & Banking
D 450 Commerce/ICC
Rates/etc.
D 460 Deportation

D 462 Naturalization
Application

D 465 Other Immigration
Actions

D 470 Racketeer Influenced

& Corrupt Organization

D 480 Consumer Credit

D 490 Cable/Satellite TV
D 850 Securities/Commodities/
Exchange

D 896 Arbitration
D 899 Administrative Procedure
D
D

Act/Review or Appeal of
Agency Decision
950 Constitutionality of State
Statutes
890 Other Statutory Actions
(if not administrative agency
review or Privacy Act)

 Case 1:19-cv-03562 Document 1-1 Filed 11/26/19 Page 2 of 2
0

G. Habeas Corpus/
2255

D 530 Habeas Corpus - General
D 510 MotionNacate Sentence
D 463 Habeas Corpus - Alien

0 H. Employment

0

I. FOIA/Privacy Act

0

D 442 Civil Rights - Employment

[Kl

895 Freedom oflnformation Act

D 152 Recovery of Defaulted

Discrimination

(criteria: race, gender/sex,
national origin,
discrimination, disability, age,
religion, retaliation)

Detainee

K. laborIERISA

(non-employment)

D 710 Fair Labor Standards Act
D 720 Labor/Mgmt. Relations
D 740 Labor Railway Act
D 751 Family and Medical
Leave Act

D 790 Other Labor Litigation
D 791 Empl. Ret. Inc. Security Act

0

D 446

0

1 Original
Proceeding

0 2 Removed 0
from State
Court

0

4 Reinstated
or Reopened

0

D 153
D 160
D 190
D 195
D 196
5 Transferred
from another
district (specify)

N. Three-Judge

Court

D 441 Civil Rights - Voting

0 120Marine

D 130 Miller Act
D 140 Negotiable Instrument
D 150 Recovery of Overpayment

Act)
Housing/Accommodations
Other Civil Rights
Americans w/Disabilities Employment
Americans w/Disabilities Other
Education

3 Remanded
from Appellate
Court

0

M. Contract

D 110 Insurance

D 441 Voting (if not Voting Rights

D 448

V. ORIGIN

0

L. Other Civil Rights
(non-employment)

D 443
D 440
D 445

Student Loan
(excluding veterans)

(if Privacy Act)

*(If pro se, select this deck)*

*(If pro se, select this deck)*

0

D 890 Other Statutory Actions

J. Student loan

(if Voting Rights Act)

& Enforcement of
Judgment
Recovery of Overpayment
of Veteran's Benefits
Stockholder's Suits
Other Contracts
Contract Product Liability
Franchise

0

6 Multi-district
Litigation

0 7 Appeal to

0

District Judge
from Mag.
Judge

8 Multi-district
Litigation Direct File

VI. CAUSE OF ACTION (CITE THE U.S. CIVIL STATUTE UNDER WHICH YOU ARE FILING AND WRITE A BRIEF STATEMENT OF CAUSE.)

Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552
VH. REQUESTED IN
COMPLAINT

CHECK IF THIS IS A CLASS
ACTION UNDER F.R.C.P. 23

DEMAND$
JURY DEMAND:

VIII. RELATED CASE(S)
IF ANY

(See instruction)

YES[KJ

11/26/2019

DATE:

I

SIGNATURE OF ATTORNEY OF RECORD

Check YES only if demanded in complaint

YESLJ

NOLJ

·n

1

I

NO[](]

If yes, please complete related case form
I

L- r

-~

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING CIVIL COVER SHEET JS-44
Authority for Civil Cover Sheet
The JS-44 civil cover sheet and the information contained herein neither replaces nor supplements the filings and services of pleadings or other papers as required
by law, except as provided by local rules of court. This form, approved by the Judicial Conference of the United States in September 1974, is required for the use of the
Clerk of Court for the purpose of initiating the civil docket sheet. Consequently, a civil cover sheet is submitted to the Clerk of Court for each civil complaint filed.
Listed below are tips for completing the civil cover sheet. These tips coincide with the Roman Numerals on the cover sheet.
I.

COUNTY OF RESIDENCE OF FIRST LISTED PLAINTIFF/DEFENDANT (b) County of residence: Use 11001 to indicate plaintiff if resident
of Washington, DC, 88888 if plaintiff is resident of United States but not Washington, DC, and 99999 if plaintiff is outside the United States.

Ill.

CITIZENSHIP OF PRINCIPAL PARTIES: This section is completed Q[!)y if diversity of citizenship was selected as the Basis of Jurisdiction
under Section II.

IV.

CASE ASSIGNMENT AND NATURE OF SUIT: The assignment of a judge to your case will depend on the category you select that best
represents the llli!llfilY cause of action found in your complaint. You may select only one category. You must also select Q!!Q corresponding
nature of suit found under the category of the case.

VI.

CAUSE OF ACTION: Cite the U.S. Civil Statute under which you are filing and write a brief statement of the primary cause.

VIII.

RELATED CASE(S), IF ANY: If you indicated that there is a related case, you must complete a related case form, which may be obtained from
the Clerk's Office.

Because of the need for accurate and complete information, you should ensure the accuracy of the information provided prior to signing the form.

 Case 1:19-cv-03562 Document 1-2 Filed 11/26/19 Page 1 of 1
F OI A S u m m o n s

1/ 1 3

U NI T E D S T A T E S DI S T RI C T C O U R T
F O R T H E DI S T RI C T O F C O L U M BI A
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h e NNew
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or k Ti
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CL E A R F O R M

9- 3 5 6 2
Ci vil A cti o n N o. 119-3562

S U M M O N S I N A CI VI L A C TI O N
T o:

( D ef e n d a nt’ s n a m e a n d a d d r e s s)

Offi c e of
M a n a g e m e nt and
a n d Budget
B u d g et
Office
of Management
7 2 5 117th
7t h Str
e et, NW
N W
725
Street,
W a s hi n gt o n, DC
D C 20503
20503
Washington,

A l a ws uit h as b e e n fil e d a g ai nst y o u.
Wit hi n 3 0 d a ys aft er s er vi c e of t his s u m m o ns o n y o u ( n ot c o u nti n g t h e d a y y o u r e c ei v e d it) y o u m ust
s er v e o n t h e pl ai ntiff a n a ns w er t o t h e att a c h e d c o m pl ai nt or a m oti o n u n d er R ul e 1 2 of t h e F e d er al R ul es of
Ci vil Pr o c e d ur e. T h e a ns w er or m oti o n m ust b e s er v e d o n t h e pl ai ntiff or pl ai ntiff’s att or n e y, w h os e n a m e a n d
a d dr ess ar e:

If y o u f ail t o r es p o n d, j u d g m e nt b y d ef a ult m a y b e e nt er e d a g ai nst y o u f or t h e r eli ef d e m a n d e d i n t h e
c o m pl ai nt. Y o u als o m ust fil e y o ur a ns w er or m oti o n wit h t h e c o urt.

A N G E L A D. C A E S A R, C L E R K O F C O U R T

D at e:

Si g n at u r e of Cl e r k o r D e p ut y Cl e r k