While looking for something else online, I found this FOIA for the NPS from a member of the Rimmasch family: https://foiaonline.gov/foiaonline/actio ... pe=Request

"NPSG: Requesting all contracts completed and executed whether in full or in part relating to Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton Pennsylvania. This request includes all solicitations, contract awards and final contract reviews and completion reports at Steamtown National Historical Site between 1992-2021, including but not limited to contracts issued by the Gettysburg contracting office, the Denver Service Center, or the Washington Office (WASO) contracting offices. (FOIA.gov #298266)"

Interesting that this particular FOIA search was requested on 12/12/2021...

One of the many caps I wear in my real job is the attorney who advises the agency I represent on government records request. Of course, the state law is different than FOIA, but a lot of the same general principles apply. A few impressions

I cannot imagine one using their son, instead of their "legal team" to make the request. Just seems odd. Then again, anyone can make a request, so it's not relevant.

The net seems wide, very wide, perhaps too wide. From my experience the Park Service uses contractors for a lot of jobs, anything from emptying vault toilets, to steam locomotive restoration and service work, and everything between. Casting that wide of a net may cause a significant delay in getting responsive materials back in time to be of benefit to one in legal proceedings. It also may result in a mountain of responsive documents that's too large to effectively manage.

The feds can take a very long time to release information under FOIA. The last time I sent a request to a federal agency, the response came about a year later, and that was a pretty laser-precise request.

As to the "why," I do not engage in mind-reading, so I won't speculate. At the end of the day, I wonder, given the nature of the charges, how relevant it is. Either the defendant fraudulently billed NPS or not. It reminds me of the person pulled over for speeding and telling the police officer that other people were speeding on the highway too.

One of the many caps I wear in my real job is the attorney who advises the agency I represent on government records request. Of course, the state law is different than FOIA, but a lot of the same general principles apply. A few impressions

I cannot imagine one using their son, instead of their "legal team" to make the request. Just seems odd. Then again, anyone can make a request, so it's not relevant.

The net seems wide, very wide, perhaps too wide. From my experience the Park Service uses contractors for a lot of jobs, anything from emptying vault toilets, to steam locomotive restoration and service work, and everything between. Casting that wide of a net may cause a significant delay in getting responsive materials back in time to be of benefit to one in legal proceedings. It also may result in a mountain of responsive documents that's too large to effectively manage.

The feds can take a very long time to release information under FOIA. The last time I sent a request to a federal agency, the response came about a year later, and that was a pretty laser-precise request.

As to the "why," I do not engage in mind-reading, so I won't speculate. At the end of the day, I wonder, given the nature of the charges, how relevant it is. Either the defendant fraudulently billed NPS or not. It reminds me of the person pulled over for speeding and telling the police officer that other people were speeding on the highway too.

My guess would be using your son is far more affordable than using a "legal team".

What would be the advantage of filing under the FOIA as opposed to obtaining the desired information through the discovery process? As has been pointed out, the FOIA has an uncertainly long time line and can be denied. In discovery, wouldn't the feds have to provide the requested information prior to trial?