Appeal challenges FBI’s denial of public records request exploring connections with the animal agriculture industry
CURRENT STATUS: (Active) FBI agreed to grant access to records after lawsuit was filed; pending receipt of records
Animal Partisan has filed an administrative appeal with the Department of Justice’s Office of Information Policy challenging the FBI’s denial of multiple public records requests exploring connections between the agency and the animal agriculture industry.
In October and November 2022, Animal Partisan filed multiple requests with the FBI under the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) seeking records related to communications and connections between the agency and various animal agriculture entities. The requests follow the groundbreaking acquittal of two Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) activists on burglary and theft charges for removing two dying piglets from a Smithfield-owned Utah factory farm. The trial highlighted the FBI’s deep involvement with the animal agriculture industry in pursuing animal rights activists.
Animal Partisan’s requests sought records related to any communications that may exist between the FBI and specific agriculture industry organizations and producers, records related to FBI participation at agriculture industry conferences, and records pertaining to communications from specific Special Agents about animal agriculture interests.
The FBI denied Animal Partisan’s requests and refused to provide any records, citing a variety of FOIA exemptions that we believe were relied on in error. Notably, the FBI first denied that any records even existed for an FBI presentation at a 2020 animal agriculture conference, but when challenged by Animal Partisan, the agency backtracked on its position that no records existed and instead refused to provide them.
Animal Partisan’s appeal asks the Department of Justice’s Office of Information Policy, the entity responsible for enforcing FOIA within the agency, to intervene, remedy the FBI’s legal error, and provide the requested documents.
The public deserves to understand the depths of the FBI’s involvement with the animal agriculture industry in pursuing animal rights activists for criminal prosecution.
View a copy of the appeal HERE.
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