FBI FOIA Request for Russia-Gate Investigation Dates (2018–2021): Denial and Appeal
A federal investigation was acknowledged to exist.
A file of more than 500 pages was identified.
Only the opening and closing dates were requested.
The request was declined.
An appeal followed.
This post presents a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request submitted to the FBI seeking only the administrative opening and closing dates of a previously identified Russia-Gate investigation involving Dr. Bradley Foerster, along with the FBI’s response and subsequent appeal.
The investigation at issue has been identified by the FBI as consisting of more than 500 pages of records and associated audio materials, and as spanning approximately 2018 through 2021. This FOIA request did not seek those investigative records or any substantive materials, but only discrete administrative date fields associated with that investigation.
FOIA Request – Administrative Dates of Investigation (April 3, 2026)
The request sought only two discrete data points: the date the investigation was formally opened and the date the investigation was formally closed.
The request expressly stated that it did not seek investigative records, narrative content, or analysis, and was limited to existing administrative entries within FBI systems.
Exhibit A — Complete Two-Page FOIA Request (April 3, 2026)
%20(dragged).png)
Page 1 of 2
%20(dragged)%202.png)
FBI Response – Request Declined (April 23, 2026)
The FBI declined to process the request, stating that FOIA does not require agencies to answer inquiries, create records, conduct research, or draw conclusions concerning queried data.
The response nevertheless identified the subject as “Opened and Closed Dates Regarding Investigation File” and referenced a date range of January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2021.
Exhibit B — Complete Two-Page FBI Response Letter (April 23, 2026)
.png)
Page 1 of 2
%202.png)
Page 2 of 2
FOIA Appeal – Administrative Data Fields (April 29, 2026)
An appeal was submitted to the Department of Justice Office of Information Policy challenging the FBI’s determination.
The appeal states that the request does not seek answers or explanations, but rather existing administrative data fields routinely maintained within agency systems.
It further notes that the FBI had already identified both the existence and general time frame of the investigation, and that retrieving the precise opening and closing dates does not require the creation of a new record.
Exhibit C — FOIA Appeal (April 29, 2026)
Excerpt — FOIA Appeal (April 29, 2026)
%20(dragged).png)
FOIA Appeal – Request No. 1733414-000 (April 29, 2026)
The investigation was identified.
A 500+ page file was acknowledged.
A date range was provided.
The opening and closing dates were not provided.
Related Reporting
- The Institutional Fingerprint of the FBI Russia-Gate File
- May 12, 2026 Joint Status Report Filed After FBI Missed May 4 Production Deadline in “Russia-Gate” FOIA Litigation; New Production Dates Set for May 15 and June 16, 2026
- University of Michigan States No Responsive Documents Exist Regarding Dr. Foerster’s 2018 Psychiatric Peer Review Following Litigated FOIA Appeal
- Bank of Ann Arbor Reported $1,412,380 Sheriff's Sale Purchase; Follow-Up RESPA Request Seeks Reconciliation Record
Brad Foerster, MD PhD
Brad Foerster is a FOIA advocate documenting requests, transparency disputes, and accountability investigations involving public agencies, universities, police oversight, and Russia-Gate related inquiries. His work compiles original documents, timelines, and analysis of public records and institutional responses. Brad is also a board-certified radiologist, author of Town & Gown, and has published over 40 peer-reviewed articles. Brad lives in Potomac, Maryland with his family and is active in the Montgomery County Medical Society and the Takoma Park U.S. & World History Book Club.