The General Counsel has discretion to grant an employee permission to testify on matters relating to official information or produce official records and information, in response to a demand or request, with the general proviso that OSC's release of information is subject to the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a, and applicable privileges including but not limited to the attorney work product and deliberative process privileges. See especially §§ 1830.1(e)(2)(ii) and 1830.10(a) below. The General Counsel may also consider whether:

(a) The purposes of this part are met;

(b) Allowing such testimony or production of records would be necessary to prevent a miscarriage of justice; would assist or hinder OSC in performing its statutory duties; or would be in the best interest of OSC or the United States;

(c) The records or testimony can be obtained from other sources;

(d) The demand or request is unduly burdensome or otherwise inappropriate under the applicable rules of discovery or the rules of procedure governing the case or matter in which the demand or request arose;

(e) Release would violate a statute, Executive Order, or regulation; would reveal trade secrets, confidential, sensitive, or privileged information, or information that would otherwise be inappropriate for release; or would impede or interfere with an ongoing law enforcement investigation or proceeding, or compromise constitutional rights or national security interests;

(f) Allowing such testimony or production of records would result in OSC appearing to favor one litigant over another;

(g) A substantial government interest is implicated;

(h) The demand or request is within the authority of the party making it; and/or

(i) The demand or request is sufficiently specific to be answered.