The Center to Advance Security in America (CASA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting transparency and accountability in government, has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of the Army for alleged violations of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
The complaint, filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, accuses the Army of failing to comply with FOIA requirements by withholding records related to a controversial training presentation that labeled pro-life organizations as terrorist groups.
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According to the complaint, CASA submitted a FOIA request to the Army on July 30, 2024, seeking records pertaining to the Fort Liberty Public Affairs Office and a slide show that reportedly classified pro-life organizations as terrorist entities.
The request aimed to shed light on the Army’s decision-making process and the criteria used to designate groups as terrorists, which CASA argues is a matter of significant public interest.
The Army acknowledged receipt of the request on October 25, 2024, and assigned it a control number (FA-24-0864).
However, despite a status update on December 19, 2024, indicating that the request would be completed by February 28, 2025, CASA claims that the Army has failed to provide any responsive documents or a lawful justification for withholding them. As of the filing date, 176 days have passed since the request was submitted, far exceeding the statutory timeline for FOIA compliance.
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CASA’s lawsuit alleges that the Army’s failure to produce the requested records constitutes a violation of FOIA, which mandates timely disclosure of government records to ensure transparency and accountability. The complaint cites a memorandum from Attorney General Merrick Garland, which emphasizes that “timely disclosure of records is essential to the core purpose of FOIA.”
The organization argues that the requested records are critical to understanding the Army’s internal processes and ensuring that its classifications of groups as terrorists are consistent with the law. CASA also contends that the Army’s inaction has effectively forced the organization to exhaust its administrative remedies, necessitating judicial intervention.
CASA is seeking declaratory and injunctive relief from the court, including:
- An order requiring the Army to produce all non-exempt records responsive to the FOIA request within ten days of the court’s decision.
- An index justifying the withholding of any records claimed to be exempt from disclosure.
- An award of litigation costs, including attorney’s fees, under 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(4)(E).
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The case, Center to Advance Security in America v. U.S. Department of the Army (Civil Case No. 1:25-cv-294), will proceed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
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