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Resident cites FOIA, 5 U.S.C. §552(b)(7)(A) during public comment on alleged FBI probe
Summary
A Sullivan County resident who identified himself as Nate Henderson, founder of Sullivan's Legacy, described a Freedom of Information Act request to the FBI and cited 5 U.S.C. §552(b)(7)(A) during the meeting's public-comment period.
A Sullivan County resident who identified himself as Nate Henderson, founder of Sullivan's Legacy, used the meeting's public-comment period to describe a Freedom of Information Act request to the FBI and to read the text of 5 U.S.C. §552(b)(7)(A), which he said requires agencies to withhold records that would interfere with law enforcement proceedings and to cite the exemption used.
Henderson told the committee the organization submitted a detailed FOIA request seeking records of any FBI investigation into the sheriff’s office covering roughly 2017 through 2024. "When we submitted our FOIA request ... we gave them very specific information," Henderson said, and he listed materials the group provided, including names, screenshots of Facebook posts and alleged informant names. "This is black and white. If an investigation exists, the agency legally cannot release the information," he said, reading from the statute.
The comment was presented as a carryover from an earlier public-safety committee meeting. Committee members and other attendees repeatedly cautioned against turning the session into a political forum and said the presentation was welcome only insofar as it stated facts about the FOIA findings rather than advancing partisan claims. One committee member asked who invited the presenter; Henderson said he was asked to present by Louie Alvarez.
Henderson said Sullivan's Legacy has not endorsed any candidates and framed the FOIA disclosure as part of the group's effort to validate public claims. He offered to leave copies of the FOIA request and the FBI response with the legislature staff. "I was asked to come here to talk about it," Henderson said. "If you have any questions, I'm more than happy to give you the FOIA request that we received."
Committee members accepted the materials and reiterated that public-comment time can include such submissions but warned speakers to avoid political advocacy during committee meetings. The committee did not take any formal action related to the FOIA material during the meeting.
Provenance: Transcript public-comment remarks and follow-up questions.
