FBI, Ashcroft Sued in Anthrax Probe (Steve Hatfill)

[lanlady]

Steven Hatfill Claims Law Enforcement Officials Violated His Privacy
By Carol D. Leonnig and Marilyn W. Thompson
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, August 26, 2003; 4:54 PM


Former army scientist Steven Hatfill sued Attorney General John Ashcroft and the FBI today in federal court claiming that the nation's top law enforcement officials have violated his privacy and ruined his chance of getting a job by insinuating publicly that he was behind the 2001 anthrax-laced mailings.

Hatfill's lawyers said in the 40-page lawsuit that Ashcroft and the FBI have conducted a "coordinated smear campaign" against Hatfill, starting when Ashcroft named Hatfill as a "person of interest" in the FBI's anthrax investigation and continuing for a year as Justice officials demanded that Hatfill be fired from a university job and leaked information to the press about searches of Hatfill's apartment and a pond nearby.

Their motive, Hatfill argues in his suit, is to give the false appearance of making progress in catching the people responsible for circulating weapons-grade anthrax through the postal system, which frightened the public and led to the deaths of five people.

.....
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A49149-2003Aug26.html

[shirlden]

1. I find it interesting at the end of this article

the reporter(s) found it necessary to mention that the judge who would be hearing the case is a Ray-gun Poppy Bush appointee. Is that their way of telling us this case is going no where?? Hopefully, the judge will allow it to progress. This would keep the anthrax snafu in the news. One more stake in the * reselection problem. Maybe he should think about raising some more money.

:evilgrin:

[lanlady]

2. We'll never get to the bottom of this case

Too many powerful people were up to something very, very bad. Good luck to Hatfill, I hope he has a great team of lawyers.

[teryang]

3. I don't see this suit going anywhere

For several reasons. Law enforcement investigations are priveleged and have quasi-immunity. The Federal government is immune from suits for intentional torts. Going up against a Republican federal judge is not exactly the forum you want to be in. Maybe he's talking about one of those $3000 privacy act fines.

He's either wealthy or has powerful backers to initiate suit in federal court. It is super expensive.

[realFedUp]

4. can we make it a class action suit?

please....

[Zhade]

5. Kickity-kick kick kick

This is important, because Hatfill needs to call attention to the fact that these idiots have nothing on him. They drained that pond - nothing.

I'm convinced he knows something, and is being watched to prevent him from spilling it.

[Cha]

6. Kick!

:kick: