FROM THE FILES OF THE FBI 270
February 8, 1974
[ADDRESS BLOCK BLACKED OUT]
Dear Mr. [BLACKED OUT]
Your letter to the Department of Justice, requesting data from our files
concerning Mr. L. Ron Hubbard, and the groups Dianetics and Scientology,
has been referred to this Bureau and was received on January 31st.
I regret to advise you that most of the data we have received are in files
that are not subject to disclosure under Title 5, United States Code,
Section 552, since they fall into exemptions (1), (4), (5) and (7) of
subsection (b) of the Freedom of Information Act. However, exceptions to
the above would include such things as exchanges of correspondence between
officials of these organizations and this Bureau, as well as any newspaper
clippings that may pertain to these groups and Mr. Hubbard.
Since this material is contained in files consisting of some 400 pages, it
will be necessary to review this data for the purpose of extracting this
information. Pursuant to Title 28, Code of Federal Regulatioins, Section
16.9, we are authorized to charge a prescribed rate for furnishing copies
of information and for time spend searching and screening our records.
Based on a preliminary estimate, we conservatively project the cost to
process your request to be approximately $200. A 25 percent deposit, or
$50, payable by check or money order to the Treasury of the United States,
will be required to initiate the processing.
If you wish us to process your request, please indicate in writing your
willingness to pay the fees anticipated, enclose a deposit as mentioned
above, and a signed, notarized statement from Mr. Hubbard indicating that
we may make this date available to you. I am enclosing a reprint which
sets forth Department of Justice regulations and policy implementing the
Freedom of Information Act.
1 - Office of the Deputy Attorney General - Enclosure
1 - Bufile 62-115530 (FOI-REPLIES)
JCF:law (6)
[page 2]
Mr. [BLACKED OUT]
You may appeal my decision in this matter by writing to the Attorney
General, Attention: Office of Legal Counsel, Washington, D.C. 20530.
Additionally, judicial review is thereafter available either in the
district in which you reside or have a place of business or in the
District of Columbia, the location of the records to which you seek
access.
Sincerely,
[stamped] C.M. Kelley
Clarence M. Kelley
Director
Enclosure
NOTE: Our files reveal no record identifiable with correspondent.
Although we have not conducted a full-field investigation of these
organizations or Mr. Hubbard, our files contain numerous references to
them. Some of this data has been furnished us by other Governmental
agencies, or field offices, citizens writing in and various legats.
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