418:
389:
358:
94:
31:, refers to a response to a request for information that will "neither confirm nor deny" (NCND) the existence of the information sought. For example, in response to a request for police reports relating to a certain person, the police agency may respond: "We can neither confirm nor deny that our agency has any records matching your request." The phrase was notably used to respond to requests for information about the
244:. Acknowledgement of the existence or non-existence of the information you request could reasonably be expected to result in the compromise of important intelligence operations and significant scientific and technological developments relating to the national security, and might also result in a disruption in foreign relations significantly affecting the national security.
47:, the integrity of an ongoing investigation, or a person's privacy. For example, disclosing that a police department has documents about a current investigation into a criminal conspiracy, even if the content of the documents is not disclosed, would make it public that the investigation is happening and could help suspects destroy evidence.
239:
Mr. Duckett has determined that, in the interest of national security, involvement by the U.S. Government in the activities which are the subject matter of your request can neither be confirmed nor denied. Therefore, he has determined that the fact of the existence or non-existence of any material or
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In 1976, Phillippi appealed, arguing that the Agency "should have been required to support its position on the basis of the public record. This means that the Agency should have to provide a public record "explaining in as much detail as it possible the basis for its claim that it can be required
145:
In a subsequent lawsuit, Phillippi requested "all records relating to the
Director's or any other agency personnel's attempts to persuade" media to refrain from publishing further stories about the clandestine project. Additionally, she asked the court to demand the Agency to provide a "detailed
58:
must disclose information. The term "Glomar" originated in association with the FOIA law. Lower courts have thus far ruled the Glomar response to have potential merit if the secretive nature of the material truly requires it, and only if the agency provides "as much information as possible" to
42:
policies, governments are often required to tell people who request information (e.g. journalists or attorneys) whether they located the requested records, even if the records end up being kept secret. But at times, a government may determine that the mere act of truthfully disclosing that the
591:, 1976. (LEXSEE 546 f2d 1009. Phillippi v. CIA, No. 76-1004, United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. 178 U.S. App. D.C. 243; 546 F.2d 1009; 1976 U.S. App. LEXIS 6221; 2 Media L. Rep. 1208. Argued April 19, 1976; decided November 16, 1976.) Retrieved from
162:, arguing that because an official acknowledgement of the existence or nonexistence of a certain project could "severely damage the foreign relations and the national defense of the United States." However, the affidavit used was actually already submitted in another case,
146:
justification" for the information said to be "exempt from disclosure." The government responded with a motion for summary judgement, which the district court granted, stating that the materials were "exempt from disclosure under the provision of the third exemption of
89:
automobile. When the governor of Kansas was questioned in 1920 about a report addressing a state official's potential ouster, he responded that he would "neither confirm nor deny" the report's existence.
231:
We can neither confirm nor deny the existence of the information requested but, hypothetically, if such data were to exist, the subject matter would be classified, and could not be disclosed.
240:
documents that may exist which would reveal any CIA connection or interest in the activities of the Glomar
Explorer is duly classified Secret in accordance with criteria established by
194:
687:
170:). In its holding, the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit stated that "we cannot sustain summary judgment for the on the basis of documents filed (the
606:
151:
147:
51:
189:, and the government's position on the matter changed, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the grant of summary judgement in favor of the CIA.
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the story. In response, the CIA chose to "neither confirm nor deny" both the project's existence and its attempts to keep the story unpublished.
55:
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podcast, the original text of the Glomar response was written by the
Associate General Counsel at the CIA, under the
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The phrase itself, "neither confirm nor deny", has long appeared frequently in news reports, as an alternative to a "
520:
Matter of Risk: The
Incredible Inside Story of the CIA's Hughes Glomar Explorer Mission to Raise a Russian Submarine
166:, 418 F. Supp 876 (D.D.C. 1976) (where the plaintiff wanted copies of contracts for construction and operation of
192:
The "Glomar response" precedent still stood, and has since had bearing in FOIA cases such as in the 2004 lawsuit
72:
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representatives said they would "neither confirm nor deny" that price cuts were in the offing for its popular
376:
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neither to confirm nor to deny the existence of the records." This request was refuted through a
Government
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affidavit) in a separate case concerned with different, although related, issues." The case was remanded.
39:
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The original text of the CIA's reply of May 21, 1975, to
Phillippi's FOIA request, seems to have been:
371:
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Response to an information request that will "neither confirm nor deny" the information's existence
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justify its claim. Otherwise, the principles established in FOIA may outweigh claims to secrecy.
523:
199:
44:
302:
692:
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and CIA's use of the Glomar response in refusing to release documents and photos depicting
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requested that the CIA provide disclosure of both the Glomar project and its attempts to
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381:
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681:
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71:" response when the respondent does not wish to answer. In 1911, for example, the
130:. In February 1975, the CIA became aware of a story awaiting publication in the
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of Global Marine
Development, the company commissioned by the CIA to build the
43:
records do or do not exist would pose some actual or possible harm, such as to
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account with, "We can neither confirm nor deny that this is our first tweet."
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it would "neither confirm nor deny" reports about its future plans. In 1916,
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Glomar responses are commonly associated with the United States
633:"We can neither confirm nor deny that this is our first tweet"
607:"How The CIA Found a Soviet Sub — Without the Soviets Knowing"
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either what the CIA knew or did not know, the response read:
583:
Quoted in the majority opinion penned by
Circuit Judge
481:, 178 U.S. App. D.C. 243, 546 F.2d 1009, 1013-14 (1976)
195:
American Civil
Liberties Union v. Department of Defense
593:
https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/ciacase/Phillipi.doc
493:, 178 U.S. App. D.C. 243, 546 F.2d 1009, 1015 (1976)
469:, 178 U.S. App. D.C. 243, 546 F.2d 1009, 1013 (1976)
457:, 178 U.S. App. D.C. 243, 546 F.2d 1009, 1012 (1976)
445:, 178 U.S. App. D.C. 243, 546 F.2d 1009, 1012 (1976)
317:"Neither Confirm Nor Deny | Radiolab | WNYC Studios"
545:, 211 U.S. App. D.C. 95, 655 F.2d 1325, 1326 (1981)
507:. College Station: Texas A&M University Press.
403:"May Ask Kansas Bank Commissioner to Quit Office"
433:, 178 U.S. App. D.C. 243, 546 F.2d 1009 (1976)
301:FOIA Update, Vol. VII, No. 1, Page 3 (1986).
8:
118:"—an attempted salvaging of a sunken Soviet
667:"Project Jennifer - Hughes Glomar Explorer"
223:of Walt Logan. So as not to divulge to the
688:Freedom of Information Act (United States)
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577:
110:was a large salvage vessel built by the
303:"OIP Guidance: Privacy "Glomarization""
293:
305:. United States Department of Justice.
54:(FOIA), which generally dictates how
7:
150:. This claim stood, and Phillippi's
372:"Report says Ford price to go down"
562:. Radiolab, WNYC. 12 February 2014
14:
671:Federation of American Scientists
605:Myre, Greg (18 September 2017).
518:Varner, Roy D (1 January 1978).
416:
387:
356:
349:. February 10, 1911 – via
19:In United States law, the term
272:Policy of deliberate ambiguity
164:Military Audit Project v. Bush
154:(FOIA) request was rejected.
1:
409:. June 26, 1920 – via
380:. July 31, 1916 – via
248:In 2014, the CIA opened its
112:Central Intelligence Agency
38:In national or subnational
709:
556:"Neither Confirm Nor Deny"
522:. New York: Random House.
503:Burleson, Clyde W (1997).
208:abuse at Abu Ghraib prison
187:1976 presidential election
152:Freedom of Information Act
52:Freedom of Information Act
73:Boston and Maine Railroad
198:, wherein Federal Judge
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172:Military Audit Project
114:(CIA) for its covert "
107:Hughes Glomar Explorer
100:
98:Hughes Glomar Explorer
40:freedom of information
611:National Public Radio
341:"Manager Barr Silent"
267:Plausible deniability
242:Executive Order 11652
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204:Department of Defense
183:Carter administration
136:Harriet Ann Phillippi
124:syllabic abbreviation
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631:@CIA (6 June 2014).
505:The Jennifer Project
181:was replaced by the
148:5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(3)
179:Ford administration
185:in 1977 after the
122:. "Glomar" is the
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63:Origin of the term
377:Huntington Herald
277:Schrödinger's cat
200:Alvin Hellerstein
132:Los Angeles Times
45:national security
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21:Glomar response
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566:18 February
321:wnycstudios
682:Categories
326:2018-04-25
288:References
262:No comment
69:no comment
221:pseudonym
160:affidavit
120:submarine
560:Radiolab
256:See also
216:Radiolab
693:Phrases
649:Twitter
250:Twitter
87:Model-T
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140:censor
637:Tweet
105:USNS
75:told
645:2022
618:2017
568:2014
524:ISBN
103:The
83:Ford
27:or
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
