Wednesday, July 09, 2008


FOIA Requests:
Any FBI Files on Jesse Helms or Tim Russert?


The other day, I had reason to look again at the 534 pages of the FBI's file on the Gay Activists Alliance posted on the agency's web site, which still doesn't have a link to the 1,113 pages the FBI has on the Gay Liberation Front, and after I read the GAA file I had a look at the 5-page file on singer Marvin Gaye.

This is how the FBI describes what's in the Gaye pages, dated from October 1977:
Marvin Gaye, a singer, who performed on stage for a fee of $40,000 per performance, was paid by his production company. However, when he arrived in both Richmond and Norfolk, he insisted he hadn't received the $40,000 from either city and they had to pay him again before he would perform. The company who sponsored Gaye's performance made $10,000 less than it was paid out, therefore, they tried to recover the money they paid out twice.
Sure is curious to see how FBI resources and staff time were spent on a payment dispute with the great soul singer, and it got me thinking about two recent powerful men who died recently, and if the FBI has files on either one of them -- former GOP Sen. Jesse Helms and NBC newsman Tim Russert.

Federal law allows that once a person is deceased, his or her FBI can be requested and released to the media or members of the general public, pursuant to FOIA regulations and requirements. The feds require that such requests have an obituary or death notice attached, as proof that the person is actually dead.

To get the process underway, I snail mailed and emailed FOIA requests to the FBI asking the bureau for any records on Helms or Russert.

Not sure what might be in a file on either man, if the FBI has any files on them. I suspect there's likely to be one on Helms, because of all the political enemies and controversies he attracted over his long tenure doing damage in the Senate chamber. And there must be quite a few things in the agency's archive on Russert, who was interviewed by FBI agents over his knowledge of and involvement in the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame.

Here's a copy of my FOIA request related to Helms. A very similar one for Russert is on it's way to FBI headquarters.
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Record Information/Dissemination Section
FOIA Officer
170 Marcel Drive
Winchester, VA 22602-4843

Dear Sir or Madam,

Under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, I am hereby requesting copies of, or access, any and all FBI records or files related to former U.S. Senator Jesse Helms, Republican of North Carolina, who passed away on July 4.

I am requesting any such FBI records on him in all media formats, print or digital or audio/visual, but would most appreciate it if your agency can provide me with any records in electronic format.

Enclosed is an obituary for Sen. Helms that appeared in the New York Times newspaper on July 5.

If you have need for clarification or have any questions, please contact me at 415-xxx-xxxx.

Sincerely,
Michael Petrelis


6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Michael,
Could you also request information on Rudolf Nureyev, a gay ballet dancer who passed away in 1993? I bet the FBI kept a file on him.

Anonymous said...

There is one more person that was definitely snooped upon by the FBI. It's Bayard Rustin - an openly gay associate of Mrtin Luther King who actually came up with the idea of the March on Washington in 1963 and was "the brains" behid its organization. It would be interesting to find out what FBI knew about him.

Unknown said...

Thanks for the suggestions.

I checked the FBI FOIA reading room and it turns out the agency has a file on Nureyev which is 160-pages long. Unfortunately, the file is not posted on the web.

Nothing was listed for a file on Rustin at the FBI site, but a Google search returned a few hits showing the FBI had a file on Rustin. Seems as though the makers of a documentary on Rustin used some of his file for their movie on him.

Anonymous said...

Mike,
Cold you give a link to the FBI FOIA reading room or its file on Nureyev? Do you know if anyone ever requested the Nureyev files? Can you do it? Thanks for your response.

Unknown said...

Here is the link to the reading room section for N names:

http://foia.fbi.gov/foiaindex/foiaindex_n.htm

I'm not aware of anyone requesting the file on Nureyev, and I'm not interested in it enough to file the FOIA request.

However, I strongly encourage to make a request on the FBI to release the 160 pages to you.

Satisfy your curiosity and file the FOIA! Should not take long for its release.

Anonymous said...

I am surprised that Tim Russert (a total nonentity except for a familiar face) is more interesting for you than Rudolf Nureyev - one of the most famous and accomplished gay men ever. But that's OK. Let us know about the results of your inquiries. And that's again for your interesting blog and your activism.