Hatfill Subpoenas News Organizations

Former U.S. Army biologist Steven Hatfill subpoenaed a number of news organizations Friday in an attempt to learn more about the government sources who linked him to the FBI’s investigation into the 2001 anthrax attacks, according to the Los Angeles Times (see GSN, Nov. 30).

Hatfill is suing the Justice Department and the FBI, accusing the agencies of damaging his reputation by labeling him a person of interest in the anthrax investigation. While the judge overseeing Hatfill’s lawsuit has refused to allow his attorneys to question Justice and FBI employees, he has approved a plan for the questioning of journalists who reported on the anthrax case, the Times reported.

Among those who received subpoenas Friday were the Associated Press and the Washington Post. Those who were subpoenaed do not plan to cooperate, the Times reported.

“News organizations are supposed to gather news, as opposed to spending their time performing research and testifying in court on behalf of various parties with axes to grind,” Dave Tomlin, the assistant general counsel for AP, said in a report published by the wire service (Richard Schmitt, Los Angeles Times, Dec. 18).

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