Information

Question

1. Please send to me any record of information that relates to the formulation and execution of U.S. Foreign Policy and the administration and operations of the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Defence which alleges the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Defence committed electoral fraud at the June 23rd 2016, United Kingdom European Union membership referendum and/or the June 8th 2017, United Kingdom general election.

Answer

I can confirm that the OPCC has considered your requests for information, however, we consider the request to be vexatious under Section 14(1) of the Freedom of Information Act. Section 14(1) states that the OPCC is not obliged to comply with a request that is vexatious. In considering your requests for information I have looked at the Information Commissioner’s Office guidance in respect of determining vexatious requests which are outlined on pages 7 and 8 of the following link: https://ico.org.uk/media/1198/dealing-with-vexatious-requests.pdf Section 14 of the Act allows the Department to consider the wider interactions with a requester beyond the parameters of the request itself when determining whether a request is vexatious. The request does not have to meet all of the outlined indicators in order to be determined as vexatious. I consider the following indicators, as outlined in the guidance, are met in respect of this request:

• Burden on the Authority
• Personal grudges
• Unfounded accusations
• Frequent or overlapping requests

Furthermore, in our response to your request, Our Ref: 19052018-1 it was explained to you that given the frequency and content of your requests to this office, the OPCC were minded to consider any further freedom of information requests in relation to elections as vexatious. Section 14 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) allows public authorities to classify requests as vexatious and/or repeated. In such circumstances a public authority is not obliged to comply with the request. The purpose of this provision is to prevent abuse of the “right to know”.

The OPCC has responded to your previous requests (below) and each time advised you that no information on elections was held by our office:

FOI Our Ref: 06042018-1

FOIA REQUEST 1:
Do you hold any record of evidence that the June 23rd 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum was illegal? If so, then please send to me a copy of that record of evidence.

FOIA REQUEST 2:
Do you hold any record of evidence that vote fraud was committed at the June 23rd 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum? If so, then please send to me a copy of that record of evidence.

FOIA REQUEST 3:
Do you hold any record of evidence that the June 8th 2017 United Kingdom general election was illegal? If so, then please send to me a copy of that record of evidence.

FOIA REQUEST 4:
Do you hold any record of evidence that electoral fraud was committed at the June 8th 2017 United Kingdom general election? If so, then please send to me a copy of that record of evidence.

FOIA REQUEST 5:
Do you hold any record of evidence that the November 8th 2016 United States of America congressional and presidential election was illegal? If so, then please send to me a copy of that record of evidence.

FOIA REQUEST 6:
Do you hold any record of evidence that electoral fraud was committed at the November 8th 2016 United States of America congressional and presidential election? If so, then please send to me a copy of that record of evidence.

FOIA REQUEST 7:
Do you hold any record of evidence that the April 23rd 2017-May 7th 2017 French presidential election was illegal? If so, then please send to me a copy of that record of evidence.

FOIA REQUEST 8:
Do you hold any record of evidence that electoral fraud was committed at the April 23rd 2017-May 7th 2017 French presidential election? If so, then please send to me a copy of that record of evidence.

FOIA REQUEST 9:
Do you hold any record of evidence that the October 15th 2017 Austrian legislative election was illegal? If so, then please send to me a copy of that record of evidence.

FOIA REQUEST 10:
Do you hold any record of evidence that electoral fraud was committed at the October 15th 2017 Austrian legislative election? If so, then please send to me a copy of that record of evidence.

FOIA REQUEST 11:
Do you hold any record of evidence that the Irish Fine Gael leadership election, which began on May 29th 2017, was illegal? If so, then please send to me a copy of that record of evidence.

FOIA REQUEST 12:
Do you hold any record of evidence that electoral fraud was committed at the Irish Fine Gael leadership election which began on May 29th 2017? If so, then please send to me a copy of that record of evidence.

FOIA REQUEST 13:
Do you hold any record of evidence that the March 4th 2018 Italian general election was illegal? If so, then please send to me a copy of that record of evidence.

FOIA REQUEST 14:
Do you hold any record of evidence that electoral fraud was committed at the March 4th 2018 Italian general election? If so, then please send to me a copy of that record of evidence.

FOIA REQUEST 15:
Do you hold any record of evidence that the September 24th 2017 German federal election was illegal? If so, then please send to me a copy of that record of evidence.

FOIA REQUEST 16:
Do you hold any record of evidence that electoral fraud was committed at the September 24th 2017 German federal election? If so, then please send to me a copy of that record of evidence.

FOI Our Ref: 29042018-1
Please send to me any record of evidence that shows electoral fraud will be committed at the May 3rd 2018, United Kingdom local elections.

FOI Our Ref: 03052018-1
Please send to me any record of information that shows the United States of America
Department of Defense committed electoral fraud at any of the following elections and
referenda:

• June 23rd 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum.
• June 8th 2017 United Kingdom general election.
• November 8th 2016 United States of America congressional and presidential election.
• April 23rd 2017-May 7th 2017 French presidential election.
• October 15th 2017 Austrian legislative election.
• May 29th 2017 Irish Fine Gael leadership election.
• March 4th 2018 Italian general election.

FOI Our Ref: 19052018-1
Please send to me any record of evidence which alleges the Conservative Party won an outright majority of MPs at the June 8th 2017 United Kingdom general election.