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Two Claims by Former Army Scientist Named in Anthrax Investigation Dismissed from Federal Lawsuit
Two claims that former Army scientist Steven Hatfill made against the U.S. Justice Department after being identified as a “person of interest” in the 2001 anthrax attacks were dismissed Friday by a federal judge, the Washington Post reported (see GSN, July 29). However, the decision allows room for Hatfill to hold officials accountable for statements made about him, according to the Post. Hatfill, in a lawsuit against the Justice Department, the FBI, former Attorney General John Ashcroft and others, said false information leaked to the press damaged his reputation and chances of finding a job. Ashcroft, former FBI official Van Harp and Justice Department employees Timothy Beres and Daryl Darnell had asked the court to reject three claims holding them individually responsible. U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton dismissed two claims. However, he affirmed the third, which asks the court to declare that Ashcroft and the other officials hurt Hatfill’s chances to finding employment. This claim does not seek financial compensation, but would bar officials from future violations, the Post reported. Walton did not rule on a fourth claim, in which Hatfill sought money from the federal government on allegations that it violated the Privacy Act. One of Hatfill’s lawyers said that his client’s lawsuit focuses on privacy violation allegations. “Thanks to Judge Walton's ruling, Dr. Hatfill can now proceed not only against the government itself, but against individual government officials whose actions deprived him of his constitutional rights,” said attorney Mark Grannis (Carol Leonnig, Washington Post, Sept. 17).
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