Hatfill files complaint against Ashcroft

MSNBC ^ | 8/25 | MSNBC

[Mohammed El-Shahawi]

Hatfill files complaint against Ashcroft

NBC, MSNBC AND NEWS SERVICES Aug. 25 — Dr. Stephen Hatfill, who the FBI has named as a “person of interest” in the investigation into last fall’s anthrax attacks, has filed an ethics complaint against Attorney General John Ashcroft and others in the Justice Department for leaking information to the press and sullying his reputation.

Hatfill has said that payroll records at his employer, Science Applications International Corp., show that he was at his job in Virginia over the dates that the letters were mailed.

Two weeks ago, Hatfill first identified himself as a target in the investigation, and said that he “had nothing to do in any way, shape or form with the mailing of these anthrax letters.” He also said he “immediately” consented to a polygraph test that the examiner said he passed. Since then, surveillance by the FBI has increased and agents have followed him as closely as four feet away while driving in his car, Clawson said Sunday. Agents have also showed Hatfill’s photo to Princeton, N.J. residents in the area where anthrax spores were found on mailboxes.

The complaint against Ashcroft focuses on his handling of the case and the leaks to the media, Clawson said. For example, when the FBI arrived to search his apartment, the media was waiting, Hatfill said in his first media statement. “The FBI agents promised me that the search would be quiet, private and very low-key. It did not turn out that way,” said Hatfill.

[pepsionice]

Hatfield is counting on them not finding a private or public lab where he might have developed this anthrax episode. This lawsuit would normally make the government show its case or drop it entirely. But I think Hatfield misjudged Ashcroft...there are too many bits of evidence developed so far to just drop it.

[Mohammed El-Shahawi]

there are too many bits of evidence developed so far to just drop it.

Just what are all these "bits of evidence"?

[Fabozz]

"...agents have followed him as closely as four feet away while driving in his car..."

Well gosh, if the agents were driving in Hatfill's car, I would hope they were as close as four feet away from him. </disgusted sarcasm> Liberal bias in the media just bemuses me at this point, but I will not put up with illiterate editors. Surely MSNBC can find some Democrat capable of spotting a dangling particple?

[Brian Mosely]

Oh...I think they are just working off one source...

[DreamWeaver]

Somehow it doesn't make sense that Hatfill if really a guilty party would be filing a complaint against the DOJ or Ahscroft in particular. A guilty person would not want that much attention or further investigation into his actions etc.which this complaint will surely bring down on him. JMHO.

[Mohammed El-Shahawi]

Wow, with evidence like that, they've got a sure case!

[apochromat]

Fizzy.

[magellan]

But how does Barbara Hatch Rosenberg speculate that Kathy T. Nguyen, a 61 year old New York City hospital worker got exposed to anthrax?

[dighton]

"... agents have followed him as closely as four feet away while driving in his car ..."

[apochromat]

Yeah. Let's hear it from the the expulsive orifices.

[NukeMan]

Funny, and a good find. I admit it slipped by me, no doubt due to constant exposure to poor grammar/syntax/spelling/thought processes from the media.

[withteeth]

Holy cow. Hatfill and friends have taken over the airwaves again. Gonna stick the FBI right in the eye. I even like the hippy attorney. Can't wait to hear what he says.

Wouldn't this be bizarre if he is actually guilty?

[JPJ1]

Well, I quess the USA is now in the status of the old USSR! The FBI is no better than the KGB....And US citizens are now under the same rules as the soviet citizen......Wake up Folks...It is time for the citizens to take back the government via elections.....Throw the bums out and elect citizens that will represent citizens......

[vbmoneyspender]

I am watching the press conference and Hatfill is just killing the FBI. If half of what he is saying is true, then they are just acting malicious idiots.

[MamaLucci]

Somehow it doesn't make sense that Hatfill if really a guilty party would be filing a complaint against the DOJ or Ahscroft in particular. A guilty person would not want that much attention or further investigation into his actions etc.which this complaint will surely bring down on him. JMHO.

The Clinton's perfected this technique.
When you are guilty as hell, do the last thing that a guilty
person would normally do.
It works....you think Hatfill innocent just because of this action against the DoJ.
I haven't followed this story closely, and maybe he IS innocent, but this action
alone doesn't convince me.

[Consort]

Hatfill is on CNN right now. Whether he is guilty or innocent, this guy loves the limelight. Next, he'll be on the talk show circuit, then a book, then a TV special. Yes, a FistHatfull of dollars is in this man's future.

[WhiteGuy]

A preview of things to come?

[MadIvan]

I am watching the press conference and Hatfill is just killing the FBI. If half of what he is saying is true, then they are just acting malicious idiots.

I have this on Fox News here. I would not be surprised if it was true - incompetence, thy name is government.

Remember, we are conservatives because we want to roll back the frontiers of government incompetence, and feel that the left wingers are insane to try and make this incompetence more powerful.

Regards, Ivan

[SC Swamp Fox]

This guy didn't seek the limelight, he had the klieglights thrown on him by the keystone cops at FBI and their willing flunkies in the press.

IMHO, he just bitch-slapped them.