The Department of the Interior (DOI) stated that it had no records of communications from Secretary Bernhardt concerning the Old Post Office Tower dated from December 2018 to the date the search was conducted.

American Oversight filed FOIA requests to learn more about the decision to keep the Old Post Office tower open during the government shutdown.

FOIA request to the Department of the Interior seeking communications of Acting Secretary Bernhardt or anyone acting on his behalf regarding the operations of the Old Post Office Tower during the partial government shutdown that commenced on December 22, 2018.