A United States federal court has dismissed a bid by Aaron Greenspan to obtain evidence from President Bola Tinubu and DCI Group in an ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit involving US federal agencies. The US District Court for the District of Columbia delivered the ruling on October 30, 2026. Greenspan's proposed discovery concerned alleged cyberattacks on his website, but the court found no sufficient connection to the FOIA dispute involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The court also rejected a request by Karl Von Batten, who is not a party to the case, to submit an amicus curiae brief. Additionally, the judge denied Greenspan's request for judicial notice and his motion for summary judgment. Attorney Christopher W. Carmichael said the ruling prevented Greenspan from using the FOIA proceedings to pursue matters outside the legal issues before the court.
According to Carmichael, the court made it clear that the Freedom of Information Act case cannot serve as a platform for seeking evidence unrelated to the legal questions under consideration. This decision aligns with the court's role in ensuring that FOIA lawsuits remain focused on the specific issues at hand.
Another attorney, Oluwole Afolabi, confirmed that the court rejected Greenspan's motion for summary judgment and declined the request to admit an amicus curiae brief. The rejection of these requests suggests that the court is maintaining a strict approach to the case, only considering arguments directly relevant to the FOIA dispute.
Despite the latest ruling, the underlying FOIA lawsuit involving the FBI and DEA remains pending before the court. This means that while Greenspan's bid for evidence from Tinubu and DCI Group has been dismissed, the core case against the US federal agencies will continue.
The case has garnered significant attention due to the involvement of high-profile parties, including President Bola Tinubu. The outcome of the lawsuit could have implications for how FOIA requests are handled, particularly in cases involving high-profile individuals or sensitive information.
The court's decision reflects a careful approach to managing the scope of FOIA cases and ensuring that they remain focused on the relevant legal issues. As the case continues, it will be important to monitor any further developments and their potential impact on the use of FOIA in the United States.
Key points
- The US District Court for the District of Columbia dismissed Aaron Greenspan's bid to obtain evidence from President Bola Tinubu and DCI Group.
- The court rejected Greenspan's proposed discovery due to a lack of connection to the FOIA dispute involving the FBI and DEA.
- The underlying FOIA lawsuit involving the FBI and DEA remains pending before the court.
