WASHINGTON, June 27, 2008
U.S. To Settle Scientist Anthrax Suit
Justice Department Agrees To Pay $5.8M To Named "Person Of Interest" In Deadly 2001 Attacks
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Play CBS Video Video Anthrax Case Remains Open The mystery behind the Washington D.C. anthrax attacks remains unsolved and the government has settled millions on a one-time suspect. Bob Orr reports on a case with no imminent arrests in sight.
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Dr. Steven J. Hatfill in 2002 press conference. (AP)
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Interactive Anthrax Follow the search for the anthrax attacker, learn about the bacteria's use as a bio-weapon and find out how you can get infected and what it does to your body.
Less than a year after the mailings that killed five people and sickened 17 others, Attorney General John Ashcroft pointed an accusing finger at former Army scientist Steven Hatfill.
But, he was never arrested, never charged. Now the government is forced to pay, Orr reports.
Friday, the Justice Department agreed to pay $5.8 million to settle a lawsuit with Hatfill, who was named as a person of interest in the 2001 anthrax attacks.
Hatfill claimed the Justice Department violated his privacy rights by speaking with reporters about the case.
Settlement documents were filed in federal court Friday. Both sides have agreed to the deal, according to the documents, and as soon as they are signed, the case will be dismissed.
The deal requires the Justice Department to pay $2.825 million dollars up front and buy Hatfill a $3 million annuity that will pay him $150,000 each year for 20 years.
"The United States does not admit to any violation of the Privacy Act and continues to deny all liability in connection with Dr. Hatfill's claims," Justice Department spokesman Brian Roehrkasse said in response to the settlement.
Court documents filed Friday say the two sides have reach an agreement that will lead to the case being dismissed. Hatfill's lawyer did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
Five people were killed and 17 sickened by anthrax that was mailed to lawmakers on Capitol Hill and members of the news media in New York and Florida just weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
After the attacks, Attorney General John Ashcroft called Hatfill "a person of interest" in the investigation and stories by various reporters followed. Hatfill had worked at the Army's infectious diseases laboratory from 1997 to 1999. The anthrax attacks remain unsolved.
The settlement likely also means that former USA Today reporter Toni Locy will no longer face up to $5,000-a-day in fines in the case. A federal judge ordered her to identify the officials who discussed Hatfill. When she said she couldn't remember, the judge ordered her to identify all her sources on the anthrax case.
She challenged that order, but a federal appeals court has yet to rule in the case. Because Hatfill's lawsuit is being settled, Locy's case will probably be dismissed as moot.
Locy, a former reporter with The Associated Press and other news organizations, now teaches journalism at West Virginia University.
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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- Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rumsfeld and Ashcroft aren''t very smart at covering their tracks. They should all be in prison in my opinion for obvious reasons. Look at what Hitler did to the people of Germany. You can see they read his playbook.
- Reply to this comment
- The answer to the Anthrax mystery lies with Bush, Cheney and the CIA strategists who wanted to drum up support for the invasion and regime change of five countries. Putting the American people in fear of terrorism for their dirty game on the world stage was a disgusting choice. Using a genetically fingerprinted US Army military grade Anthrax was not very smart. They never thought anyone would research the materials genetic fingerprint. Money, power, greed for gain, they all need to be indicted for crimes against humanity in the World Court where justice will be served for all.
- Reply to this comment
- Everyone here seems to miss the point that the anthrax letters and copies of the Patriot Act went out at the same time. You''re a member of congress, and there''s a pile of mail in your office that may kill you, and in the middle of the pile of mail is a thick envelope containing the Patriot Act. Hmm. Might as well just vote for it instead of risking a quick, horrible death.
- Reply to this comment
- Posted by IOWEIGN at 12:24 PM
Yet, we know of innocent people (a Canadian citizen) who was abducted and tortured, yet even when they realized he was innocent, held incomunicado for months. Has he been paid millions of dollars in compensation? No. This man, virtually no one, is getting a very nice package at taxpayer expense, from a government that can do no wrong. How nice. Maybe he was just a diversionary for the time being, regardless they are taking care of him very nicely.
Posted by rudy654 at 08:54 PM : Jun 28, 2008
He is one of over 200 cases that have gone to court as a result of the Boosh Administration. I read somewhere the settlements from these Boosh et al "errors" is approaching $100 million... - Reply to this comment
- Posted by IOWEIGN at 12:24 PM
Yet, we know of innocent people (a Canadian citizen) who was abducted and tortured, yet even when they realized he was innocent, held incomunicado for months. Has he been paid millions of dollars in compensation? No. This man, virtually no one, is getting a very nice package at taxpayer expense, from a government that can do no wrong. How nice. Maybe he was just a diversionary for the time being, regardless they are taking care of him very nicely. - Reply to this comment
- Posted by DemsUnity at 12:20 PM
Evangelical freak conservatives and Islamic terrorists: God help us if they ever unite. God help us if they ever realize they are exactly the same. - Reply to this comment
- just curious, and slightly off the point. Sinc ewhen does the government PURCHASE a $3million dollar annuity that pays $150,000 a year for 20 years. Doesn''t that mean that the government is purchasing a financial instrument providing 0%interest over 20 years? And even if the report is incorrect, why are we, the taxpayers, purchasing instruments to pay off 20 year "loans" (a sort of reverse mortgage) when the yearly budget is in the trillions of dollars? Couldn''t the justice department simply BUDGET $150,000 a year for the next 20 years, thus saving the taxpayers the profit some investment firm will make off this deal?
- Reply to this comment
- The answer to the Anthrax mystery lies with Bush, Cheney and the CIA strategists who wanted to drum up support for the invasion and regime change of five countries. Putting the American people in fear of terrorism for their dirty game on the world stage was a disgusting choice. Using a genetically fingerprinted US Army military grade Anthrax was not very smart. They never thought anyone would research the materials genetic fingerprint. Money, power, greed for gain, they all need to be indicted for crimes against humanity in the World Court where justice will be served for all.
- Reply to this comment
- In an interview published by the French, dedefensa.org journalist Amy Goodman''s interview with General Wesley Clark. Clark stated he viewed a defense department memo that described how the U.S. was going to take out seven countries in five years...."starting with Iraq,then Syria and Lebanon, then Libya,then Somalia and Sudan, and back to Iran."
On September 14,2002 Rep. James McDermott at a Capitol Hill Briefing said that politics and oil, not fear that Iraq will use WMD are driving factors behind the presidents call for regime change. McDermott said there was an organized effort to squelch such discussions. "The political operatives in the white house have been very careful to spin it away from oil. Anytime anybody sees a connection they spin it the other way". - Reply to this comment
- Steven Hatfill is guilty as sin, and he knows it.
Posted by Extremophil at 10:15 AM : Jun 28, 2008
He had the knowledge, skills and ability but no motive, no equipment and DOJ had no proof.
The Boosh Administration''s incompetence continues... - Reply to this comment
Funny how PNAC just closed up shop this month - the damage is done...
I am certain 9/11 and the anthrax deaths were planned by a few select NeoCons and our lackluster president had SOMETHING to do with it all. We will just have to wait until one of them sings...- Reply to this comment
- The answer to the Anthrax mystery lies with Bush, Cheney and the CIA strategists who wanted to drum up support for the invasion and regime change of five countries. Putting the American people in fear of terrorism----
Posted by samsel3 at 06:43 AM : Jun 28, 2008
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samsel3;
It is hardly coincidental that The Iraq invasion was planned long before 9/11.
It is hardly coincidental that no attempt to stop the hijacked planes from striking the second tower or the pentagon was ordered/allowed, even though it was obvious to all what their intent was after the first tower was struck.
It is hardly coincidental that the anthrax filled letters was sent ONLY to congressional democrats and NOT to any republican.
This served several purposes. It spread fear among the public (including democrats in congress).
It also insured that if any congressmen were actually killed by the anthrax the republican majority would remain.
And probably most important, it took a lot of attention away from the suspicious tower collapses.
It is hardly coincidental that Bin Laden (Al Qaeda) was immediately blamed for the hijacker attacks and that military forces, including troops, ships, jets, etcetera, were deployed to Afghanistan in preparation for the long planned Iraq invasion. Bin Laden was conveniently allowed to escape and has not only remained free, all U.S. attempts to capture him were ceased.
That is too many coincidences, even for a conspiracy theory. - Reply to this comment
- Steven Hatfill is guilty as sin, and he knows it.
- Reply to this comment
- The answer to the Anthrax mystery lies with Bush, Cheney and the CIA strategists who wanted to drum up support for the invasion and regime change of five countries. Putting the American people in fear of terrorism for their dirty game on the world stage was a disgusting choice. Using a genetically fingerprinted US Army military grade Anthrax was not very smart. They never thought anyone would research the materials genetic fingerprint. Money, power, greed for gain, they all need to be indicted for crimes against humanity in the World Court where justice will be served for all.
- Reply to this comment
- Ashcroft, THE WORST ATTORNEY GENERAL IN US HISTORY
Rumsfeld, THE WORST SECRETARY OF DEFENSE IN US HISTORY
George Bush, THE WORST PRESIDENT IN US HISTORY
D.Cheny, THE WORST VP IN US HISTORY
Seems like this administration is taking the prize for being the worst administration in US history. - Reply to this comment
- Funny how Bush just ignored this whole Anthrax follow-up.
Must have been a fellow Right Winger who "just disappeared"....
This is one conspiracy I believe - if it was anyone with brown skin Bush would have plastered the person''''s face all over the media...
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Posted by jw218389 at 10:48 PM
Also funny how Bush et al were taking cipricol unbeknownst to everyone else in advance of this attack. - Reply to this comment
- What I found interesting was that when news of the letters broke, I was instantly reminded of the kkk leaflets they used to throw from car windows, in the late 60s and early 70s, advocating just such a strategy, with just such a bioweapon.
I also found it somewhat funny that this knowledge was so widespread that even the Australian PM said that America should investigate these neo nazi, right wing extremists for answers as to who was the culprit.
It was also noticed that right after the Australian PM said this, we heard no more about any attempts at investigation. - Reply to this comment
- "How I destroyed the greatest superpower on Earth", by George W. Bush. It''d be a good book.
Step one. Attack your own people.
Step two. Attack a random sovereign country.
Step three. Leave the borders unguarded.
Step four. Borrow trillions of dollars from communist China.
Step five. Move to Dubai. - Reply to this comment
- Question to CBSnews: what is the grand total in paid off lawsuits to date? The last reported story I saw on that was when it exceeded 200 cases and 80 million dollars! Could you do a story updating this information?!
Posted by stn_sage
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It''''s now 201 cases and $85.8m
Posted by cdfoxtrot at 11:26 PM : Jun 27, 2008
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My response: Not quite! It was over a year to a year and one-half since I saw the reported figure! Since then,I know they settled a case with the lawyer in Seattle whose office they ransacked and destroyed in true Nazi fashion, while publically defaming him. Plus, there have been many others as well.
It''s got to be well over 300 cases and 150-200 million dollars at least---and I''m probably low!
If CBS or some other media source would do a story about this, we''d know how much money this White House wasted falsely accusing people of crimes! - Reply to this comment
- The US government sent out the antrhax letters at the same time the Patriot Act was mailed to members of congress for their approval. Oops! Now I''m a "person of interest".
- Reply to this comment
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