U.S. Lawmakers Demand FBI Briefing on Anthrax Case

Frustrated by the FBI’s refusal to brief them, 33 U.S. lawmakers on Monday wrote to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales requesting a “comprehensive briefing” on the status of the federal investigation into the 2001 anthrax mail attacks (see GSN, Oct. 26).

Led by Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), the lawmakers complained that it was “inappropriate” for the FBI to refuse to brief them.  The bureau has said that leaks from Congress have hampered its 5-year-old anthrax investigation, which has so far failed to charge anyone for sending the anthrax-laden letters that killed five people.

The letter, however, suggests that Congress might not have been the source of leaks to the media regarding the investigation. 

“It appears that the FBI may itself be responsible for the inappropriate disclosures of sensitive case information,” the letter says.

In any case, “Congress cannot be cut off from detailed information about the conduct of one of the largest investigations in FBI history,” the letter says.  “That information is vital in order to fulfill its constitutional responsibility to conduct oversight of the executive branch” (Congressional letter, Dec. 11).

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