Case 1:08-cv-01548-CKK Document 46 Filed 01/05/2009 Page 1 of 13

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
__________________________________________
)
CITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBILITY AND )
ETHICS IN WASHINGTON, et al., )
)
Plaintiffs, )
)
v. ) Civil Action No.: 08-1548 (CKK)
)
THE HONORABLE RICHARD B. CHENEY, )
VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES )
OF AMERICA, et al., )
)
Defendants. )
__________________________________________)

DEFENDANTS’ NOTICE OF FILING

Pursuant to the Court’s Order Establishing Procedures for Electronic Filing For

Cases Assigned to Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly [5] ¶ 3, defendants hereby submit a

“table of cases and other authority cited therein” for their Motion to Dismiss, or in the

Alternative, for Summary Judgment [39, 40] (Dec. 8, 2008) and their Reply in Support of

Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss, and Opposition to Plaintiffs’ Cross-Motion for Summary

Judgment [43, 44] (Dec. 31, 2008).

Respectfully submitted this 5th day of January, 2009.

GREGORY G. KATSAS
Assistant Attorney General

JOHN R. TYLER
Assistant Branch Director

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/s/ Helen H. Hong

HELEN H. HONG (CA SBN 235635)
Trial Attorney
U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Division
P.O. Box 883, 20 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20044
Telephone: (202) 514-5838
Fax: (202) 616-8460
helen.hong@usdoj.gov
Counsel for Defendants

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DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO DISMISS OR, IN THE ALTERNATIVE, FOR

SUMMARY JUDGMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1

BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................ 4

I. The Presidential Records Act of 1978 ................................................................................ 4

II. The Office of the Vice President and Compliance with the Presidential Records Act... 6

III. Plaintiffs’ Amended Complaint ...................................................................................... 7

ARGUMENT.................................................................................................................................. 8

I. The PRA Does Not Provide A Judicially-Enforceable Right to Pursue Private Actions in
Federal Court .................................................................................................................... 10

II. The Administrative Procedure Act Does Not Provide For Judicial Review of Plaintiffs’
Claims ........................................................................................................................... 15

A. The Office of the Vice President and Vice President Are Not “Agencies” Within the
Meaning of the APA ..................................................................................................... 16

B. The PRA Precludes Judicial Review ............................................................................ 18

C. Even if the Vice President and the OVP Were Construed as Agencies under the APA,
PRA Compliance would be Committed to their Discretion by Law ............................ 23

III. Plaintiffs’ Lack of Standing Requires that their Claims be Dismissed......................... 25

A. Plaintiffs Lack Imminent Injury.................................................................................... 27

B. Plaintiffs Lack Any Injury-in-Fact................................................................................ 29

C. Plaintiffs’ Injuries are not Fairly Traceable to Any Alleged Actions by NARA, the
Archivist or “EOP” or Redressable By Seeking Relief Against Them ........................ 36

D. Plaintiffs Lack Prudential Standing to Pursue their APA Claims................................. 37

IV. Summary Judgment Should Be Granted On Behalf of the Defendants On Any Claims
That Survive the Motion to Dismiss ................................................................................. 38

CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................. 40

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TABLE OF AUTHORITIES

CASES

Alexander v. Sandoval,
532 U.S. 275 (2001)...........................................................................................................11

Allen v. Wright,
468 U.S. 737 (1984).....................................................................................................25, 36

Am. Fed. of Gov't Employees,

321 F.3d at 143 ..................................................................................................................38

Am. Historical Ass'n v. Nat'l Archives & Records Admin.,

310 F. Supp. 2d 216 (D.D.C. 2004) .......................................................................27, 28, 29

Am. Historical Ass'n v. Nat'l Archives & Records Admin,

Civ. No. 01-2447, 2007 WL 2822027 (D.D.C. Oct. 1, 2007) ...........................................28

Armstrong v. Bush,
1 F.3d 1274 (D.C. Cir. 1993) ..................................................................................... passim

Armstrong v. Bush,
90 F.3d 553 (D.C. Cir. 1996) .........................................................................................2, 22

Armstrong v. Bush,
139 F.R.D. 547 (D.D.C. 1991).....................................................................................20, 21

Armstrong v. Bush,
721 F. Supp. 343 (D.D.C. 1989), rev'd in part on other grounds, 924 F.2d 282
(D.C. Cir. 1991) .............................................................................................................2, 11

Armstrong v. Bush,
924 F.2d 282 (D.C. Cir. 1991) ................................................................................... passim

Banks v. Lappin,
539 F. Supp. 2d 228 (D.D.C. 2008) ...................................................................................16

Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly,

127 S. Ct. 1955 (2007)...................................................................................................9, 10

Bennett v. Spear,
520 U.S. 154 (1997)...........................................................................................................38

Blancett v. United States Bureau of Land Mgmt.,

No. 04-2152, 2006 WL 696050 (D.D.C. March 20, 2006)..................................................9

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Block v. Community Nutrition Inst.,

467 U.S. 340 (1984)...........................................................................................................24

C&E Serv., Inc. v. District of Columbia Water & Sewer Auth.,

310 F.3d 197 (D.C. Cir. 2002) ...........................................................................................13

Cannon v. Univ. of Chicago,

441 U.S. 677 (1979)...........................................................................................................11

Cappadora v. Celebrezze,
356 F.2d 1 (2d Cir. 1966) ..................................................................................................24

Benavides v. United States Marshal Service,

Civ. No. 07-1732, 2008 WL 1869014 (D.D.C. Apr. 28, 2008) ................................. passim

Webster v. Doe,
486 U.S. 592 (1988).....................................................................................................15, 24

In re Cheney,
406 F. 3d 723 (D.C. Cir. 2005) ..........................................................................................14

City of Los Angeles v. Lyons,

461 U.S. 95 (1983).............................................................................................................27

Clarke v. Sec. Indus. Ass'n,

479 U.S. 388 (1987)...........................................................................................................37

Clements v. Gonzales,
496 F. Supp. 2d 70 (D.D.C. 2007) .....................................................................................13

College Sports Council v. Gov't Accountability Office,

421 F. Supp. 2d 59 (D.D.C. 2006) .....................................................................................13

Council on American Islamic Relations v. Ballenger,

444 F.3d 659 (D.C. Cir. 2006) ...........................................................................................23

DaimlerChrysler Corp. v. Cuno,

547 U.S. 332 (2006).................................................................................................9, 26, 36

Fed. for Am. Immigration Reform, Inc. v. Reno,

93 F.3d 897 (D.C. Cir. 1996) .............................................................................................38

Franklin v. Massachusetts,
505 U.S. 788 (1992)...........................................................................................................16

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Free Enterprise Fund,

2007 WL 891675 ...............................................................................................................37

Hammond v. Comptroller of the Currency,

878 F. Supp. 1438 (D. Kan. 1995).....................................................................................24

Heckler v. Chaney,
470 U.S. 821 (1985).....................................................................................................23, 24

Herbert v. Nat'l Acad. of Sci.,

974 F.2d 192 (D.C. Cir. 1992) .............................................................................................9

High Country Citizens Alliance v. Clarke,

454 F.3d 1177 (10th Cir. 2006) .........................................................................................23

Kissinger v. Reporters Comm. for Freedom of the Press,

445 U.S. 136 (1980).....................................................................................................11, 12

Kowal v. MCI Commun. Corp.,

16 F.3d 1271 (D.C. Cir. 1994) .............................................................................................9

Lujan v. Defenders of Wildlife,

504 U.S. 555 (1992).........................................................................................17, 26, 29, 36

Meyer v. Bush,
981 F.2d 1288 (D.C. Cir. 1993) .........................................................................................16

Nat'l Federal of Fed. Employees v. United States,

905 F.2d 400 (D.C. Cir. 1990) ...........................................................................................24

Nat'l Treas. Employees Union v. United States,

101 F.3d 1423 (D.C. Cir. 1996) .........................................................................................26

Nat'l Wrestling Coaches Ass'n v. Dep't of Educ.,

366 F.3d 930 (D.C. Cir. 2004) .....................................................................................17, 36

PDK Labs, Inc. v. Reno,

134 F. Supp. 2d 24 (D.D.C. 2001) .....................................................................................14

Poe v. Ullman,
367 U.S. 497 (1961)...........................................................................................................25

Schilling v. Rogers,
363 U.S. 666 (1960)...........................................................................................................13

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EEOC v. St. Francis Xavier Parochial Sch.,

117 F.3d 621 (D.C. Cir. 1997) .............................................................................................9

Sierra Club v. Environ. Protection Ag.,

292 F. 3d 895 (D.C. Cir. 2002) ......................................................................................3, 35

Sierra Club v. Mainella,

459 F. Supp. 2d 76 (D.D.C. 2006) .....................................................................................10

Simon v. Eastern Kentucky Welfare Rights Organization,

426 U.S. 26 (1976).........................................................................................................3, 27

Steel Co. v. Citizens for a Better Environ.,

523 U.S. 83 (1998)...........................................................................................13, 26, 29, 36

Stoneridge Inv. Partners, L.L.C. v. Scientific-Atlanta,

128 S. Ct. 761 (2008).........................................................................................................11

Superlease Rent-A-Car, Inc. v. Budget Rent-A-Car, Inc.,

Civ. No. 89-0300, 1989 WL 39393 (D.D.C. Apr. 13, 1989) .............................................14

Swan v. Clinton,
100 F.3d 973 (D.C. Cir. 1996) ...........................................................................................14

Tozzi v. EPA,
148 F. Supp. 2d 35 (D.D.C. 2001) .....................................................................................23

United Transp. Union v. I.C.C.,

891 F.2d 908 (D.C. Cir.1998) ............................................................................................27

Valley Forge Christian College v. Americans United for Separation of Church & State,
454 U.S. 464 (1982)...........................................................................................................25

Vermont Agency of Natural Res. v. United States ex rel. Stevens,

529 U.S. 765 (2000).....................................................................................................17, 37

Warth v. Seldin,
422 U.S. 490 (1975).....................................................................................................25, 26

Whitmore v. Arkansas,
495 U.S. 149 (1990)...........................................................................................................27

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STATUTES

S. Rep. No. 752, 79th Cong., 1st Sess., 26 (1945).........................................................................24

3 U.S.C. § 106 ...............................................................................................................................33

5 U.S.C. § 551(1) ...........................................................................................................................16

5 U.S.C. § 552(f)(1) .......................................................................................................................16

5 U.S.C. §§ 701(a)(1).....................................................................................................2, 15, 18, 24

5 U.S.C. § 701............................................................................................................................1, 23

5 U.S.C. § 702 .........................................................................................................................16, 23

5 U.S.C. § 706........................................................................................................................ passim

28 U.S.C. § 1361............................................................................................................................14

28 U.S.C. § 1361..............................................................................................................................8

28 U.S.C. §§ 2201-2202 ............................................................................................................8, 13

44 U.S.C. §§ 2201-2207 ........................................................................................................ passim

U.S. Const. art. I, § 3, cl. 4.............................................................................................................33

U.S. Const. art. II, § 1, cl. 1 ...........................................................................................................33

U.S. Const. art. III..........................................................................................................................33

MISCELLANEOUS

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1) ......................................................................8, 10, 13, 23

Rule 12(b)(6) ........................................................................................................................ passim

Rule 12(b)(1) ......................................................................................................................9, 23, 25

Rule 8(a)(2) .................................................................................................................................10

Rule 56(c) ..................................................................................................................................10

18 U.S. Op. Off. Legal Counsel 10, 1 (1994) ................................................................................33

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DEFENDANTS’ REPLY IN SUPPORT OF THEIR MOTION TO DISMISS AND

OPPOSITION TO PLAINTIFFS’ CROSS MOTION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1

ARGUMENT.................................................................................................................................. 4

I. The PRA Does Not Provide A Judicially-Enforceable Right to Pursue Private Actions in
Federal Court Seeking Review of an Incumbent Vice President’s Compliance With the
PRA, Depriving this Court of Subject Matter Jurisdiction Over Claims One and Two......... 4

A.The PRA Does Not Contain A Judicially Enforceable Right To Seek Review of an
Incumbent Vice President’s Compliance With the PRA .................................................... 4

B. Armstrong I, Armstrong II and Armstrong III Confirm the Absence of a Judicially

Enforceable Right To Seek Review of an Incumbent Vice President’s Compliance With
the PRA............................................................................................................................... 9

C. Plaintiffs’ Declaratory and Mandamus Claims Against the Vice President, the OVP and
EOP Must Be Dismissed................................................................................................... 15

II.Claims Three and Four Must Be Dismissed For Lack Of Subject Matter Jurisdiction ........ 21

III.Plaintiffs’ Lack of Standing Requires that their Claims be Dismissed................................ 24

A. Plaintiffs Lack Imminent Injury.................................................................................... 24

B. Plaintiffs Lack Any Injury-in-Fact................................................................................ 26

C. Plaintiffs’ Injuries From The Vice President’s Alleged Noncompliance with the PRA
are not Fairly Traceable to Any Alleged Actions by NARA, the Archivist or “EOP” or
Redressable By Seeking Relief Against Them ............................................................. 34

IV. Summary Judgment Should Be Granted On Behalf of the Defendants On Any Claims
That Survive the Motion to Dismiss ................................................................................. 36

CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................. 39

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TABLE OF AUTHORITIES

CASES

Alexander v. Sandoval,
532 U.S. 275 (2001).......................................................................................................5, 14

Am. Friends Serv. Comm. v. Webster,

720 F.2d 29 (D.C. Cir. 1983) ...........................................................................................7, 8

American Historical Association v. Peterson,

876 F. Supp. at 1315 ........................................................................................12, 13, 14, 22

Anderson v. Liberty Lobby,

477 U.S. 242 (1986).................................................................................................4, 31, 36

Armstrong v. Bush,
1 F.3d 1274 (D.C. Cir. 1993) ...............................................................................2, 9, 10, 15

Armstrong v. Bush,
90 F. 3d 553 (D.C. Cir. 1996) ........................................................................................4, 14

Armstrong v. Bush,
721 F. Supp. 343 (D.D.C. 1989), rev'd in part on other grounds, 924 F.2d 282
(D.C. Cir. 1991) .......................................................................................................6, 11, 19

Armstrong v. Bush,
924 F.2d 282 (D.C. Cir. 1991) ................................................................................... passim

Bell v. Hood,
327 U.S. 678 (1946)...........................................................................................................18

CREW v. Department of Homeland Security,

Civ. No. 06-0883 (D.D.C. Dec. 17, 2007) .........................................................................25

Cannon v. Univ. of Chicago,

441 U.S. 677 (1979).............................................................................................................5

In re Cheney,
406 F. 3d 723 (D.C. Cir. 2005) ..........................................................................................20

DaimlerChrysler Corp. v. Cuno,

547 U.S. 332 (2006)...............................................................................................24, 25, 26

Debartolo v. Healthsouth Corp.,

Civ. No. 06-2542, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 80288 (N.D.Ill. Oct. 17, 2006).......................15

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Dong v. Chertoff,
513 F. Supp. 2d 1158 (N.D. Cal. 2007) .............................................................................18

FDIC v. Bender,
127 F.3d 58 (D.C. Cir. 1997) .............................................................................................27

Franchise Tax Bd. v. Constr. Laborers Vacation Trust,

463 U.S. 1 (1983)...............................................................................................................16

Gen. Maritime Mgmt., LLC, v. St. Shipping & Transport, Inc.,

Civ. No. 04-4050, 2004 WL 1320893 (S.D.N.Y. June 10, 2004) ...............................15, 17

Gibraltar P.R., Inc. v. Otoki Gp., Inc.,

104 F.3d 616 (4th Cir. 1997) .............................................................................................16

Gonzaga Univ. v. Doe,

536 U.S. 273 (2002).........................................................................................................5, 6

Hopkins v. Women's Div., General Bd. of Global Ministries,

238 F. Supp. 2d 174 (D.D.C. 2002) ...................................................................................27

Jackson v. Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner,

101 F.3d 145 (1996).....................................................................................................31, 37

Johnson v. Milwaukee County,

Civ. No. 04-242, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6892 (E.D.Wis. Feb.1, 2006) ...........................15

Kissinger v. Reporters Committee for Freedom of Press ............................................................2, 6

Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc. v. Thompson,

478 U.S. 804 (1986)...........................................................................................................17

Mid-Atlantic Soaring Ass'n v. FAA,

Civ. No. 05-2110, 2006 WL 1892412 (D. Md. June 29, 2006).........................................15

Nat'l Treasury Employees' Union v. Campbell,

654 F.2d 784 (D.C. Cir. 1981) .............................................................................................5

Nat'l Treasury Employees Union v. Nixon,

492 U.S. 587 (D.C. Cir. 1974) .................................................................................2, 20, 21

Nat'l Wrestling Coaches Ass'n v. Dep't of Educ.,

366 F.3d 930 (D.C. Cir. 2004) ...........................................................................................35

Nova Health Sys. v. Gandy,

416 F.3d 1149 (10th Cir. 2005) .........................................................................................35

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PDK Labs, Inc. v. Reno,

134 F. Supp. 2d 24 (D.D.C. 2001) .....................................................................................20

Renal Phys. Ass'n v. U.S. Dep't of Health and Human Servs.,

489 F.2d 1267 (D.C. Cir. 2007) .........................................................................................35

Rooney v. Sec'y of Army,

293 F. Supp. 2d 111 (D.D.C. 2003) ...................................................................................17

Rubin v. City of Santa Monica,

308 F.3d 1008 (9th Cir. 2002) ...........................................................................................36

Schilling v. Rogers,
363 U.S. 666 (1960)...........................................................................................................15

Sierra Club v. Environ. Protection Ag.,

292 F.3d 895 (D.C. Cir. 2002) ...........................................................................................26

Simon v. E. Ky. Welfare Rights Org.,

426 U.S. 26 (1976).............................................................................................................35

Steel Co. v. Citizens for a Better Environ.,

523 U.S. 83 (1998).............................................................................................................18

Transamerica Mortgage Advisors, Inc. v. Lewis,

444 U.S. 11 (1979)...............................................................................................................6

Universities Research Ass'n, Inc. v. Coutu,

450 U.S. 754 (1981).............................................................................................................5

Valley Forge Christian College v. Americans United for Separation of Church & State,
454 U.S. 464 (1982)...........................................................................................................10

Villasenor v. Am. Signature, Inc.,

Civ. No. 06-5493, 2007 WL 2025739 (N.D. Ill. July 9, 2007)..........................................15

Walker v. Federal Land Bank of St. Louis,

726 F. Supp. 211 (C.D.Ill.1989) ........................................................................................15

Williams v. Nat'l School of Health Tech ., Inc.,

836 F. Supp. 273 (E.D.Pa.1993) ........................................................................................15

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Wilton v. Seven Falls Co.,

515 U.S. 277 (1995)...........................................................................................................17

STATUTES

19 C.F.R. § 4.7(b) ..........................................................................................................................17

36 C.F.R. § 1270.14(d) ..................................................................................................................22

36 C.F.R. §§ 1270.20-1270.22.......................................................................................................22

5 U.S.C. § 701..................................................................................................................................1

28 U.S.C. § 1331............................................................................................................................17

28 U.S.C. § 1361............................................................................................................................18

28 U.S.C. § 2201(a) .......................................................................................................................17

44 U.S.C. § 2201(2) .........................................................................................................4, 6, 31, 36

44 U.S.C. § 2203............................................................................................................7, 10, 20, 21

44 U.S.C. § 2206........................................................................................................................7, 21

44 U.S.C. § 3301..............................................................................................................................8

44 U.S.C. § 3314..............................................................................................................................8

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