USDA United States Department of Agriculture Office of the General Counsel 1400 Independence Ave. SW Washington, DC 20250-1400 December 6, 2019 Delivered via Electronic Mail Austin R. Evers American Oversight 1030 15th Street N.W., Suite B255 Washington, DC 20005 Email: foia@americanoversight.org Re: Final Response for Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request No. 2020-OSEC-01022-F Dear Mr. Evers: This is the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Departmental FOIA Office’s (DFO) final response for your November 22, 2019 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. You requested: All email communications (including email messages, email attachments, calendar invitations, and calendar invitation attachments) between Sarah Huckabee Sanders and the following USDA officials or individuals in the following roles: I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. Secretary Sonny Perdue Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Censky Anyone serving as Chief or Deputy Chief of Staff to Secretary Perdue or Deputy Secretary Censky Anyone serving in the immediate office of the Secretary as an advisor or assistant to Secretary Perdue All schedulers and advance team personnel for Secretary Perdue, or other personnel with such scheduling and advance responsibilities Anyone serving as White House Liaison or White House Advisor Anyone serving as Director or Deputy Director of Communications All political appointees* serving in the Office of Communications, including but not limited to anyone serving as Director or Deputy Director, Press Secretary or Deputy Secretary, senior advisors, or anyone with scheduling and advance responsibilities Your request was processed under the FOIA, 5 U.S.C. § 552. A search for responsive records was conducted by the Office of the General Counsel’s (OGC) telecommunications provider, the Client Experience Center (CEC). The CEC provides comprehensive, fee-for-service information technology (IT) associated operations, security, and Austin R. Evers OSEC FOIA Case No. 2020-OSEC-01022-F Page 2 technical support services to USDA end users. The CEC also implements and manages enterprise IT solutions for users Department-wide. No responsive records were identified as a result of the search. You may appeal this response by email at USDAFOIA@usda.gov, or by mail to Inga BumbaryLangston, Deputy General Counsel, Room 101-W, Jamie L. Whitten Federal Building, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 202500103. Your appeal must be in writing, and it must be received no later than 90 calendar days from the date of this letter. The OGC will not consider appeals received after the 90 calendar-day limit. Appeals received after 5:00 p.m. EST will be considered received the next business day. The appeal letter should include the FOIA tracking number listed above, a copy of the original request, the DFO’s response to your original request, and a statement explaining the basis of your appeal. For quickest possible handling, the subject line of your email, the appeal letter, and its envelope, if applicable, should be marked “Freedom of Information Act Appeal.” You should also reference FOIA No. 2020-OSEC-01022-F. You may seek dispute resolution services from the DFO’s FOIA Public Liaison, Ms. Camille Aponte. Ms. Aponte may be contacted by telephone at 202-690-5260, or electronically at Camille.Aponte@usda.gov or USDAFOIA@usda.gov. You also have the option to seek assistance from the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS). Please visit https://ogis.archives.gov/mediation-program/request-assistance.htm for information about how to request OGIS assistance in relation to a FOIA request. If you have any questions regarding the processing of this request, please contact Mr. Kyle Kemper at 202-378-1074, or electronically at Kyle.Kemper@usda.gov or USDAFOIA@usda.gov. For additional information regarding USDA FOIA regulations and processes, please refer to the information available online at www.dm.usda.gov/foia. The DFO appreciates the opportunity to assist you with this matter. Sincerely, Alexis R. Graves Departmental FOIA Officer Office of the General Counsel