FOIA Tools & Resources
Systematic Accountability Through Public Records
True Signal Media operates one of the most comprehensive independent FOIA tracking systems in journalism. We don't just report on government failures—we document them systematically through Freedom of Information Act requests, building the public record that institutions won't create themselves.
Our FOIA Operations
Current FOIA Campaigns:
- Jeffrey Epstein Documentation: 50-request campaign targeting federal agencies for comprehensive Epstein-related records
- Veteran Abandonment Cases: State Department, VA, and DoD failures in consular services and veteran support
- State Transparency Investigations: Systematic investigations of state-level government accountability
- Pandemic Response Audits: Tracking government shutdown impacts and SNAP funding documentation
- Education Funding Failures: Documentation of layoffs, mismanagement, and institutional negligence
Live FOIA Tracking Dashboard
This is our actual request tracking system—not a demonstration or approximation. Every FOIA request TSM files is documented here with request date, agency, status, and public records obtained.
How to Read This Dashboard:
- Request Type: Investigation category (Veteran Cases, Epstein Docs, State Transparency, etc.)
- Agency: Federal or state entity receiving the request
- Status: Submitted, Acknowledged, In Review, Documents Received, Appeal Filed
- Date Filed: When TSM submitted the FOIA request
- Notes: Response details, exemptions claimed, follow-up actions
Dashboard updated in real-time as agencies respond to requests. Tracking system built in Airtable with systematic documentation of all government communications.
What Is FOIA?
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a federal law that gives you the right to request access to records from any federal agency. It's often described as the law that keeps citizens in the know about their government.
Why It Matters
FOIA is the primary mechanism for holding government accountable. Without it, institutional failures remain hidden, official misconduct goes undocumented, and citizens have no way to verify what their government claims versus what it actually does.
Every major accountability investigation relies on FOIA:
- Exposing VA failures in veteran healthcare
- Documenting State Department consular negligence
- Revealing Pentagon spending waste
- Tracking pandemic response failures
- Uncovering institutional corruption
Who Can File?
Anyone. You don't need to be a journalist, lawyer, or U.S. citizen. If you want records from a federal agency, you have the right to request them.
What Can You Request?
Any existing federal agency records: emails, memos, reports, data, photos, videos, audio recordings. If it exists and isn't classified or exempt, you can request it.
How to File Your Own FOIA Request
Filing a FOIA request is simpler than most people think. Here's our step-by-step guide based on 180+ requests filed.
Identify the Right Agency
Determine which federal agency has the records you want. If you're not sure, start with the agency most likely to have created or received the documents.
Tip: Use FOIA.gov to search by topic or browse agency directories.
Be Specific But Not Narrow
Describe what you want clearly enough that the agency can locate records, but don't be so specific that you exclude relevant documents.
Good: "All emails between [Official A] and [Official B] regarding [Topic] from January 1, 2024 to June 30, 2024."
Too vague: "Everything about [Topic]."
Too narrow: "Only emails sent at 3pm on March 15, 2024 with 'urgent' in the subject line."
Submit Your Request
Most agencies accept FOIA requests via:
- Online portal (preferred - fastest)
- Email to FOIA office
- Fax (yes, really, some agencies still use this)
- Mail (slowest option)
Tip: Always keep a copy of your request and note the date submitted.
Request Fee Waiver (If Applicable)
You can request a fee waiver if disclosure would contribute to public understanding of government operations. Journalists, researchers, and public interest organizations often qualify.
Download our fee waiver template below.
Wait (and Follow Up)
Agencies have 20 business days to respond. In practice, most take months or years. Track your request and follow up if you don't hear back within 30 days.
Tip: Keep records of all communications. You'll need them if you have to appeal.
Appeal If Necessary
If your request is denied or you receive heavily redacted documents, you have the right to appeal. Most denials can be challenged through administrative appeals.
Download our appeal template below.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Being Too Vague
"All documents about [Topic]" forces agencies to search too broadly and often results in denials.
❌ Not Following Up
Agencies will ignore requests they think you've forgotten about. Persistent follow-up matters.
❌ Accepting Initial Denials
Many denials are overturned on appeal. Always appeal if the denial seems improper.
❌ Wrong Agency
Filing with the wrong agency wastes time. Research which agency has the records first.
Downloadable FOIA Resources
Templates and guides based on True Signal Media's systematic FOIA operations. These are the actual formats we use in our 180+ active requests.
Basic FOIA Request Letter
Standard template for submitting federal FOIA requests. Includes proper formatting, required elements, and professional language.
Download Template →Fee Waiver Request
Template for requesting fee waivers based on public interest. Includes justification language and legal citations.
Download Template →Expedited Processing Request
Template for requesting expedited processing when urgency is warranted. Includes criteria and supporting arguments.
Download Template →Administrative Appeal Letter
Template for appealing denied or inadequate FOIA responses. Includes legal framework and persuasive structure.
Download Template →FOIA Tracking Spreadsheet
Simple spreadsheet template for tracking your own FOIA requests. Based on TSM's Airtable system, simplified for individual use.
Download Template →Agency Contact Directory
Compiled list of FOIA office contacts for major federal agencies. Includes email, phone, and online portal links.
Download Directory →Advanced FOIA Strategies
Insider techniques from systematic FOIA operations. These strategies come from filing 180+ requests and navigating bureaucratic resistance.
Understanding Exemptions (and How to Challenge Them)
Agencies invoke 9 statutory exemptions to withhold records. Knowing which exemptions are legitimate versus which are abused is critical:
Exemption 5 (b5): Deliberative Process
Most abused exemption. Agencies claim "deliberative process privilege" to withhold internal discussions. Challenge this when:
- Documents are purely factual (not deliberative)
- Decision has already been made (deliberation is over)
- Public interest outweighs privilege
Appeal strategy: Argue that factual material must be segregated from deliberative content and released.
Exemption 6 (b6): Personal Privacy
Protects personal information that would constitute "clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy." Challenge when:
- Information is about public officials acting in official capacity
- Public interest in disclosure outweighs privacy concern
- Information is already public elsewhere
Appeal strategy: Argue the public official exception and request redaction of only truly private details.
Exemption 7 (b7): Law Enforcement
Protects law enforcement records that could interfere with investigations. Often invoked improperly for closed cases. Challenge when:
- Investigation or proceeding has concluded
- Information is historical/archival
- Agency provides no specific harm justification
Appeal strategy: Demand specific explanation of how disclosure would interfere with enforcement proceedings.
Handling Glomar Responses
A "Glomar response" is when an agency refuses to confirm or deny that records exist, claiming that acknowledgment alone would reveal exempt information. This tactic originated with CIA responses about the Glomar Explorer ship.
When Glomar is legitimate: Rare cases involving classified operations, ongoing investigations, or where acknowledgment truly reveals protected information.
When Glomar is abused: Agencies use it as blanket denial without justification, especially when the existence of records is already public knowledge.
How to challenge:
- Demonstrate that existence of records is already publicly acknowledged
- Argue that categorical Glomar response is overbroad
- Request that agency provide detailed justification for why mere acknowledgment would cause harm
- Cite precedent where courts have rejected Glomar claims in similar circumstances
Agency-Specific Quirks
Each agency has institutional patterns in how they handle FOIA requests. Understanding these patterns improves success rates:
State Department
Average response time: 18-36 months
Common issues: Claims everything is "deliberative" or "classified"
Strategy: Request specific cables or communications by date/sender. Broad requests get lost in queue.
Department of Veterans Affairs
Average response time: 6-12 months
Common issues: Invokes privacy exemptions even for clearly public information
Strategy: Emphasize public interest in veteran welfare. Request aggregated/anonymized data first.
FBI
Average response time: 12-24 months (longer for controversial topics)
Common issues: Heavy redactions, Glomar responses, claims of ongoing investigations decades after events
Strategy: Request records on closed cases. Cite Freedom of Information Act case law on timeliness.
Department of Defense
Average response time: 12-18 months
Common issues: Classification creep (over-classifying routine material)
Strategy: Request unclassified summaries or already-public testimony. Challenge classification when material appears routine.
When to Consider Litigation
FOIA litigation is expensive and time-consuming, but sometimes necessary. Consider legal action when:
- Agency has ignored requests for over a year despite multiple follow-ups
- Denial is clearly pretextual (exemptions don't apply to requested records)
- Records are of significant public interest
- You have pro bono legal support or organizational backing
- Administrative appeals have been exhausted
Litigation realities: Most FOIA cases settle before trial. Agencies often release records once litigation is filed, rather than defend in court. The threat of litigation can be as effective as actual filing.
Systematic Campaign Strategies
True Signal Media operates systematic FOIA campaigns rather than one-off requests. This approach:
- Reveals patterns: Filing similar requests across multiple agencies exposes which agencies are transparent versus obstructionist
- Creates leverage: One responsive agency can pressure others ("Agency X released this, why won't you?")
- Builds institutional knowledge: Repeated engagement teaches you each agency's patterns
- Demonstrates persistence: Agencies are less likely to stonewall systematic campaigns
Example: TSM's 50-request Jeffrey Epstein campaign targets multiple agencies with parallel requests. When FBI claims records are exempt, we can point to State Department disclosures of similar material.
Why This Matters
FOIA isn't just bureaucratic paperwork—it's the mechanism that exposes institutional failure, documents government negligence, and holds power accountable when nothing else can.
Veteran Abandonment Cases
True Signal Media's FOIA requests to the State Department and VA revealed systematic failures in consular services for U.S. veterans stranded overseas. Without these requests, cases like Kelvin Blas—abandoned in Togo for 8+ years—would remain undocumented institutional secrets.
Government Shutdown Impacts
Our systematic FOIA campaigns tracking SNAP funding and pandemic response revealed gaps in government transparency during crises. Agencies that claimed full accountability couldn't produce basic documentation when pressed.
State-Level Transparency Failures
Parallel FOIA requests across multiple states exposed which jurisdictions maintain genuine transparency versus those that obstruct public access. The pattern reveals institutional culture, not isolated incidents.
"Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants; electric light the most efficient policeman." — Justice Louis Brandeis
Every FOIA request is an assertion that government belongs to the people, not the bureaucracy. Every response—whether cooperative or obstructionist—reveals institutional character. True Signal Media files systematic campaigns because patterns matter more than individual cases, and documentation outlasts news cycles.
Support Systematic Accountability
True Signal Media operates one of the most comprehensive independent FOIA tracking systems in journalism. This work requires time, resources, and relentless follow-through. Your support funds systematic investigations that build the public record.