WILLIAMSPORT — A man is suing the U.S. Department of Labor, citing an alleged Freedom of Information Act violation.
Stephen Bower filed a complaint on Nov. 9 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania against the U.S. Department of Labor, alleging the government agency failed to comply with FOIA.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on Oct. 6 he submitted a FOIA request seeking access to copies of all investigatory files relating to Darla Badger Topping v. U.S. Xpress, Steve Bower and Matt Ogonowski.
As a result of defendant's conduct, plaintiff was irreparably harmed and will continue to be irreparably harmed unless defendant is compelled to comply with FOIA, the suit says. The plaintiff holds the U.S. Department of Labor responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to produce the requested records and failed to notify plaintiff of the scope of any responsive records.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks an order for defendant to conduct searches for any and all records responsive to plaintiff’s FOIA request, and award of attorneys’ fees, litigation costs and such other just and proper relief. He is represented by Heather Steele of Fisher & Phillips LLP in Radnor and Anderson Scott of Fisher & Phillips LLP in Atlanta.
The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania Case No. is 4:18-cv-02180-MWB.