Foia Consultants

U N I T E D S T A T E SO F A M E R I C A

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION wASl ilNG'fON, D.('. 20580

Mr. S. M. Oliva,President Citizensfor VotuntaryTrade 2000F StreetNW, #315 Washington,DC 20006

Re:

FOrA-2005-00267 Ralnbus Case

DearMr. Oliva: requesting access, underthe This is in response to your 1111712004, comespondence Freedomof InformationAct ("FOIA"), to certaininformationfrom the RambusCase. In accordance with the FOIA and agencypolicy,we havesearched our recordsas of 01 2512005, the your requestin our FOIA office. datewe received records,almostall of which fall r,vithin We havelocatedabout27 boxesof responsive as explainedbelow. two of the exemptionsto the FOIA's mandatorydisclosurerequirements, Accordingly,I am parliallygrantingandpartiallydenyingyour request.I am enclosinga copy of the two pagesof accessible records. First,the responsivematerialis exemptfrom disclosureunderFOIA Exemption3, 5 U.S.C.$ 552(b)(3)'becausethey areexemptfrom disclosureby anotherstatute.Specifically, Section2l(f) providesthat the FTC may not discloseinformationit obtainsin a law enforcement investigationpursuantvoluntarilyin lieu of compulsoryprocess.15 U.S.C.$ 57b-2,seeA. Michael'sPiano,Inc. v. FTC,18 F.3d 138(2d Cir. 1994). Second,the recordsare exemptfrom disclosureunderFOIA Exemption7(A), 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(7XA), becausedisclosureof that materialcouldreasonably be expectedto interferewith $ the conductof the Commission'slaw enforcement activities.SeeRobbinsTire & RttbberCo. v. MRB, 437 U.S. 214(1978). If you arenot satisfiedwith this responseto your request,you may appealby writing to Irreedomof InformationAct Appeal,Office of the GeneralCounsel,FederalTradeCommission, 600 PennsylvaniaAvenue, N.W., WashingtonD.C. 20580,within 30 daysof the dateof this letter. Pleaseenclosea copy of your originalrequestanda copy of this response.If you believe that we shouldchooseto discloseadditionalmaterialsbeyondwhat the FOIA requires,please explainwhy this would be in the public interest.

o i: cs oE '-o

o

o c? o o c? o .t

C) o o o oo t

EA

o q

co o.g cr.X

,il{

trj

trt

vl

o

o E

a

a € o

F

\

$

o

+'r F

\

$

+i

--t

lr

o

t4

ul'

F

o

ra

\

o

o

e4 \U

a F F

\

$ {

ll

(t 3 E

loo (Y)

C.l

o, o; (\|

o o

C!

O

o, C!

t

t1

)< z o xz.

='

.E

. , f i 1,

'2. a l-

o tr o

!t

c\I o o c\l

c{ C> (3 (\I

5e 5e 9; QE

> k o0a

otr < F <, ar tA l? aZ UDZ a2 h= h= h= p< <= trc: F o z z zg {z z z o< O<

3?

F g

f )

o0,
C)

o.f l* cr)

o

@

rf O)

o) (o

J J

tr tu o 2,, 4 Y

z o x z

c!

o \c) o; rO

$

(q ct) N

Ft-cO c/) l\_ o F.-

.sE

N (\.1

J

uJ t E

0)

-{ F-$_ ttr)

IL

(ut (J> a=

t.
J \ J

3a to

sz Ea bDo

ffo h5 >F 6t I* t1

Z-

zn

n trl

-z

>LU o-

o

o -

>Q *ul

nv

I (o t-_ F-

6) (f)

l"* (9

F-

z

o_ tI} Y

X>


r

5e

( r-rt 4 u.r (J> 9> a=

>k

cf 0a o ( . < r-'- < F tA

sF
tA

od
aoz aZ ti> F<

# 2 , # " # ? s o? tzrzo zt rzo tzrzo F zz O< o () < c)

O<

o<

o<

5s (Uu>t Q=

> k oa(

;k o0a
ez X>

3? Fo zz o<

all z

h= >o p< FU

zz o<

o ()

o c{ LO rf) N

c{ C.l

c{ rr) rj) CV

$J

ro |r) $l

GI lf, rO c\t

II

o

i:

o (a

IE

o .ct

@ F E. F

zr'\

o

()

o) L.

uX o

o-

t a r

tr F z

X

tr

U) 1-*

v. F z

X

o

o

E tg

-o

L

3 -o

z

(l)

r[ = 6)

-ct

E z

,i

E (s E.

t-O

E

E. F.

z

E IY

a F O t F

z

O

o ()

X

x

o o

() ;

; E

E. a F O

N rf)

ro

N

f,

U, 3 -o

E t

E (o t

-o

E

Gl,

7: ,o

,t E. o

0'. .ct

s

()

N rf) lr) $l

c\I lO Ir) c{

c\t

ro ro c\l

rO rO c\l

c\l rO tr) GI

t a

FO

C)

F

z

o

ttf

TL X

L

o-

o

z L

(l) (U

E (D

.o

z

E. F

z

o

a F

F

z

tr a

o

F

F

t F

g. F

c) z

C)

O

X o

X

R o

() +

() ;=

()

c)

z o X

o

ta

,-

C)

u

0a^

Y

2 o-

E. tu s c) o c\t

s o () N

(tu 5e 5e 9.; 9F (J>

A=

O(r
> k o0a
< F(Il

a2 h=

a2 h=

r

zz zz zz o< O< o< O

O

O

(J .ct

o

i:

o o (E

xo

L

o

ot L

*


J

E

(o E

E

E (g

K.

E.

6

:q U) :t

E t

;

O

E E.

c)

q

.D -o

E $

K

a!

z L

qt It

(g

E

o o o

o q O

J J TU

tr E

ffo >F l..rJ

lr) o o ol

]L (l):

tf,

o O ol

E ct

5s

o T'


z

,Q

@;

> k od tA

o a2

h=

5? o 'rE t r o zz o< O

(D ,'lc' C\f lo In c\l

m rO rO N

c! tO

ro N

o O -o

o

c-l to lr) c{

gt E. a F O t F

z O

v. a FO t-.

z

o

X o

xO

,i c

ci c

o

a 1 .o

v. a F L) F

z o X

o

o 'l= o o g

u -o

o

tt) L. L

E, U) F t F

z O

I o

q'

:)

E t

(g

E,

,,

tr (! z

_o

E

o (!

x

o

(Y

=

Ir

L

to

H z

I

o-

-o

(t)

(\|

I*

gl

O

z

o T' tr o

cl

E

o 5 o

F-

L

<,

(l, Lj

fit

F

(

I :Gt 2 : lJl

v{<

6)

rii

o

Y.1Z

(l)

K, a

-ct

o

I

$ (o_

O) $l

e€

rF

z oF{

t t l

tr} .tr q

,'o

ll

a

h* a u?

e o-

q

o(' '.ct

*a # a o *< tro tro tro

m

o O

o,

E

o o c

>Q *ru

lr-

F

z

4z

€

.=

J

o

(l)

o

l$

O

1t

3

trl

o O

o q ro

o

g'6

o ttdI 4.,:> e! EI fi c) c o €o to-

rf, r (o cf)

lr,

o

o

t'

(J

I

!z

o

N

N

I

*rO

!t o

co C)

C', 1r)

I

L

t IU I

€ o ry \ t\ o)

o a. o

I

U Ja 6 2 > un

:,i <

o_

ets

E fit ?

e 8 Yiz

.*^

c\i

'it o

7

o;

q

E.E

(\t o ' s

o o

4tu U> a= =k or < F(l)

> k og.

o

c') : . ; O q

(D

to

e.l

a? ct) , C O

if)

$i s o-

o

lo .0 ef, o o l'- ' l l (9 ro

lf'

<) O rri lr) coo

(f)

T

o d o o_ rr) tca

(9

h= $ ? *a tzrzo tzrzo o<

O)

o o

$
TIJ

trj [L

_?

0q

,i< ,O,

x.

o-t

o

o

(o -

lJ Z

zg z> Q>

oIU a


$E +

4

E

-g

co g? o !n c o qt ,(l)'.9 cLt 1\

< 7 c > l>! OF h = tn () Xx > 3= >o- : f * -1

.9

..::o

.t g E lo to- o c t o '.ct cr) : , O

3 a * z _ .- t! r c ) t r . ^ - -sl L) w)z

x.

oE
Q,

rr)

C)

ul

CI

l-

C) F.f

--r O

6)

rct

(o -q o

N c\{ ad O)

E tll:

\

O

O

r+.LrJ E ( Ju>t ( J > n= oF

Z,

o o o o o ot

o q

J J

o I E (u ttu

z

q

(:)

O O O. a .q"

o

o

o

E z

,i c (D I

E (0

o q

(f)

o

ll?

(o (0

o, cr) o

(Y)

tr) (o (9

ot € (Y'

rhj

gH .g .o '-o

o

6

F

() 4 ---)

o

E (t)

tl

s$

Lr

o

*i

o

F

t(E

\

G

z

rlrl \r

(t)

o

5 t4

@-

(l,

6

o

o rr)

,i€

z

o

o

f.$

(!

o

o to

Eg co o-c o-H

o o g' H o

o ct

(J

o

o

v, \

()

a-

o

h

\

$

a(

'lt

o

o q o

Ee rr'tr

€-

o .g

l|)

co

(t z tD

o

:l

& ca

E o)

E.

c{ o o c.J

( u.t Q> A;'

c)o,
aZ F<

c! o o c!

rO c\t (o_

o 1f)

q

ot

E ct

=

ct g

o O lr

o lt 5

0

(o F

F UJ UJ ulF d< I-. E

frP \-t t LJO

0a() co

c! rO lr)

,;l

o

-l

ul

o

() 3 E.

tr

x. Fz O X

o

i:

a a

g t) -o

o p

o-

o o c{

t.l.

o

E $ z o

L

c tl,

z l-

c) (g

tE

=

o F (u

a6

=

(J,

O

C)

o c

E z

c{ c') o

o

a,

ll

E z

,tt

<e z;l z7 ?O

=P zJ z-) E

l!

.\I

J '

.=

o a r-v

\-,

;i

LJ>

o0(
(ut U> o(
aZ h=

5e a=

>k
h=

# " . *Fio 3? o ?4 Fo Fd zz o< ()

rs

zz zz O< o< O

zz O< C)

rr) ro e.l

i'

o

U) F a( F

z

x.

'l:

c) (.

a a

a F

l-

z

O

O

X

R o

o

t: o q L

o () -r,' 5 (!

c)

s(J

o ()

z

.n .o

:] E (!

a F-O u F

O

0) (o L

$ l-

(l)

|E

E

t(I)

O

o o o{-

o o c\l

o

c

(0 rt) c,i g) O

€ q $t

fn

7,J

Lll n-L

2?

(, lrl f

t g

ad

coo

t

L'

lJ-

o o ol

(>

o

tr (U >r.rt r!: z >k Q=

O'

13 t r
GI tr) lr) N

c\I tf) rO (\t

c$ rf) rf) ol

.cl

o

o o ()

tr a F O

tr F z

o

ca o

a

F.

F

() t F.

z

o

o

xO

o)

ro o

X

Cg

o .J

F

_q

a

.D 5 (o E.

()

L

o c a -o

:)

E t

l-

z

i= o th

s

C) .o

c\l !f. C\I

a F O

x F

z

o

co C)

ct) o-

o o

(t,

3 L

o -r, -o

E

E ([ z L

o

(ru U> 9.;
h=

#? tro zz O< O

N

ro rf) c{

X

o

z

t"--

z

X

o

(!.)

o)

(s o

o

L

o ()

o

q

o

IY

E x.

5

E

(t)

t U> F C)

O

TE

-ct

z

q

Z -\ & .

c)

g

c) 4

X n

o

o

o

co

E

n*

N

1t 3

.ct

(u o

q

C\l lf) Ir) C.l

z o

O

!

A

o ()

o

C)

o (o

(t) T'

o

N

O

??

o It c

n UJ

o q o

E IE Q

? Ol a\) AN co s o x. (9

LJF

o Fc? g rf' o lrO o @_ q F (o F

o q

o

o

Q

E c{ ro lr) ol

E:

(0 c o (.o g co^ o a,=
O

Eut 5E a; ac

o2

zz o<

€ q

C\

67

zz o<

o z

z >k

U 0

o

o o o

(f)

.sH

ro

s o

tr .o o
(9

N


$z #? tro tro

€ ry o)

o

o)_ 'o. ct tt

:f

<, U r -)

E.

K.

ffiP

Q;

h= h=

(Y)

N

,8. ru

> k >k otr od

a?

o o o

@ C\ r lO

5E 8y a=

D

E

o

a?

),

cf)

o o ol

r'! (o

r

lr)

O, v0c iEl , L J O :(P d ( )

u

o U) F O

C9

E . FLll uJ .tE, T U F z ' rF <0 a

q)

r

O)

e€

fia

(\I r

O o-

(f)

!f:

o (J

q, E

o ()

q 6l

(0

(Y)

TL

rt E L . ' o D- E '

o

o-

a

q

q

F,-

o Cf o o o_ lr) $l

O

rr) c! N

() o? B i i

o

o q

gE

€_ o c t o ' Jit F o

[0

CD

f

o{

n

o

r

C\

.: ,..'O

1t

F o o g () -o

a O

ol cq cO lo

q

o o o o lo (0

E

g :::

fs

q

,il{

tr

uJ

o E o

U

ro

o

o >< tzrzo s oC)<

\

O

F $

.cl

F

q

oo

o o

c{ o C9 o) O

o

UNITEDSTATESOF AMERICA

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION WASHINGTON. D.C.20580

Office of the GeneralCounsel

JuneI,2005 S.M. Oliva, President Citizensfor VoluntaryTrade PostOffice Box 100073 Arlington,VA 22210

Re: Freedomof InformationAct Appeal RambusCase FOIA RequestNo. 2005-00267 Dear Mr. Oliva: This respondsto your April 14,2005,appealof Ms. JoanFina's partial denial of your requestunderthe Freedomof InformationAct ("FOIA"), 5 U.S.C. $ 552. My office received your appealletter on April 19, 2005. By letter datedMay 17, 2005, I extendedthe time for deciding the appealby 10 working daysin order to retrieve and appropnatelyexaminethe voluminousamountof separate anddistinctrecords.See16 C.F.R.$$ 4.11(aX1)(iiiXB)and (a)(2Xii)(B);5 u.s.C. $ 552(a)(6)(B). In your initial requestletter,datedNovember l'7,,2004,you had requestedaccessto "any and all documents,relevantto the Rambuscase,that meetthe following descriptions: " 1. Communicationsdatedon or before June 26, 2002, by and betweenFIC staff and any officer, employee,agent,or counselof Micron Technology,Inc., Hynix Semiconductor,Inc., or InfineonTechnologiesAG; "2. Communicationsby and betweenFTC staff and CongressmanC.L. "Butch" Otter, or any memberof the congressman's staff or campaigncommittee;and "3. A list of any outsidecontractorshired by FTC staff, including a descriptionof the servicesprovidedby the contractorsand the amountof their compensation." By letter datedMarch 15, 2005,Ms.Fina partially grantedand partially deniedyour request.Ms. Fina providedyou with two pagesof responsiverecords(a charttitled "Rambus Consultantsand Cost"). Ms. Fina withheld approximately2J boxesof responsivedocuments underFOIA Exemption3, 5 U.S.C.$ 552(bX3),by virtue of Section2I(0 of the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C.$57b-2(0,andFOIA Exemption7A, 5 U.S.C.$ 552(b)(7XA).

Mr. S.M.Oliva

Page2

You limited your appealto documentsfalling into the first categoryof your initial request.Someof the documentsthat arecoveredby that first categoryarenow on the public recordbecausethey areincludedwithin the 50 additionalboxesof documentsthat havebeen releasedto the public recordin the caseof In the Matter of Rambus. A formal FOIA requestis not necessary to obtainmaterialthat is on the public record. Given the extraordinaryvolume of documentsin this matter,the Commissionis making the public materialsmore readily accessible on four computerdisks. I haveencloseda copy of threeof thesedisks,and I will forward the fourth as soonas it is available. The Secretary'soffice haswaived the cost of the disksto you. I haveenclosedthreeadditionalpagesof responsivedocuments,which are also on the public record. A significant portion of the recordsthat are responsiveto the first categoryof your request,however, arenot on the public record. I am denyingyour appealwith respectto those recordsbecauseI agreewith Ms. Fina's determinationthat the materialshewithheld is protected by the FOIA. First, all of the withheld documentsareexemptfrom disclosureunderFOIA Exemptions 7(A) and7(D), 5 U.S.C.$$ 552(bX7XA)and (D), becausedisclosureof that materialcould reasonablybe expectedto interferewith the conductof the Commission'slaw enforcement activities. SeeRobbinsTire & Rubber Co. v. NLRB,437 U.S. 214 (1978). Contraryto what you suggestin your appeal,the Commission'slaw enforcementproceedingagainstRambusis ongoingbecausethe Commissionhasnot yet issueda final decisionand order and further administrativehearingshavenot beenforeclosed.Accordingly,the Commission'sproceeding againstRambuswould be harmedby the prematurereleaseof evidenceor information. Second,most of the withheld documentsareprotectedfurther by FOIA Exemption3, which exemptsfrom mandatorypublic disclosurematerialprotectedby statutesotherthan the FOIA, includingFIC Act Sections2l(b) and (f). SectionzI(b) prohibitspublic disclosureof informationthat was obtainedundercompulsoryprocessin connectionwith a Commissionlaw enforcementinvestigation.Section2I(f) exemptsfrom FOIA recordsobtainedby the Commissionpursuantto compulsoryprocess,or voluntarily in lieu of process.SeeA. Michael's Piano,Inc.v.FTC,18F.3d I38(2dCir.1994). Mostof thedocumentsMs.Finawithheldwere providedto the Commissionpursuantto compulsoryprocessor voluntarily in lieu of process.I have determinedin fact, that there are up to 423 boxes of recordsreceivedpursuantto compulsoryprocess,althoughsomeof thesedocumentsmay havebeenreceivedafter June26, 2002 and would not be responsiveto your request.As explainedabove,thesedocumentsare exemptfrom disclosureunderFOIA Exemption3, and Sectron2I(b) of the FTC Act prohibits public disclosureof them. You assertthat it is in the public interestto disclosethe documentsbecauseof the "exceptionalcircumstancesof the Rambuscase." However,many of the withheld documents cannotbe releasedbecauseFTC Act SectronZI(b) prohibitspublic disclosureof informationthat was obtainedundercompulsoryprocess.To the extentI have discretionto releasethe remaining

Page3

Mr. S.M. Oliva

exemptdocuments,I must weigh the public interestin disclosureagainstthe public interestin nondisclosure.Nondisclosurewould servethe strongpublic interestin preventingharm to the Commission'slaw enforcementactivities. In my judgment,the likely harm of releasingthe responsivematerialin this caseoutweighsany public interestin releasingit at this time. Accordingly,I am denyingyour requestfor discretionaryrelease. Finally, I am denyingyour requestthat I exercisemy discretionto refer this appealto the Commissionfor determination.The applicationof the FOIA in this casedoesnot raiseany unusualor difficultissues.See16 C.F.R.$ 4.11(a)(2)(iiixA). As requiredby the FOIA, you areherebyadvisedthatjudicial review of this decisionmay be obtainedunder5 U.S.C. $ 552(d@)(B),in aUnited StatesDistrict Court in the district where you resideor haveyour principal placeof business,or in the District of Columbia. Also, as requiredby the FOIA, you are herebyadvisedthat I am the designatedofficial responsiblefor this partial denial of your appeal.

Sincerely,

William Blumenthal GeneralCounsel Enclosures