Filegate Fiasco Prompts FBI FOIA Follies

Here at The Smoking Gun, we file loads of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests with city, state, and federal agencies. Many of these letters go to the FBI, which always answers with a form letter warning that it could take eons to respond to our queries. In that note, the bureau cites staff shortages and a massive backlog as reasons for the lengthy delay in providing documents. In fact, for a brief moment earlier this year, FOIA officials even acknowledged that the so-called "Filegate" scandal (in which confidential FBI dossiers were routinely sent to the Clinton White House) had triggered an increase in FOIA requests from the public. Well, it wasn't long before that embarrassing reference was deleted--presumably by touchy bureau brass--from the FBI's standard FOIA response. Here's the letter, before and after. (2 pages)