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.

[vbmoneyspender]

One of the big problems I see here is the liberal bias of the media. They are supposed to act as watchdogs for agencies like the FBI, instead they more often act like cheerleaders, particularly when they perceive that the people the FBI are going after are, horrors, right-wingers.

[angkor]

It is truly amazing that the FBI cannot keep its yap shut, or desist from leaking, in an investigation of this magnitude.

But the last decade has proven that FBI management has become very very foolish.

[jonascord]

Remember back in the 60's, when Joey Columbo, head of the Profaci Family, one of the Five Families, started staging rallies protesting the bias implicit in investigating Italian-Americans as members of the Mafia? He was even on Dick Cavett.

Then, right in the middle of a rally, in 1971, in Columbus Circle, a black man, acting as a photographer, walked up to Joey and put 4 bullets into Joey's head. As the cops had the black man, one Jerome Johnson, a small time thief, on the ground, cuffing him, some unknown guy put a bullet into Johnson's head, killing him, and getting away. Columbo lived as a vegetable for another few years, dying in 1978.

Is Hatfill innocent? Probably. Is the FBI screwing it up AGAIN? Likely. Does the Liberal Media care? Not by the hairs on your chinny-chin-chin!

[MadIvan]

One of the big problems I see here is the liberal bias of the media.

One reason why I'm watching Fox. I'd rather watch it for news than the BBC.

They are supposed to act as watchdogs for agencies like the FBI, instead they more often act like cheerleaders, particularly when they perceive that the people the FBI are going after are, horrors, right-wingers.

Indeed. I noticed he choked on quoting the motto of the ACLU.

Regards, Ivan

[vbmoneyspender]

Yeah that was funny. I almost choked too.

[freddy]

It is time for the citizens to take back the government via elections.... Surly you are joking..."vis elections"..Ha, ha ha...
For one thing there is NO ONE to vote for that is NOT a crook..!!!
And there never will be...!!!

[freddy]

It is time for the citizens to take back the government via elections....

Surly you are joking..."via elections"..Ha, ha ha...
For one thing there is NO ONE to vote for that is NOT a crook..!!!
And there never will be...!!!

[eddie willers]

I watched Richard Jewell and said, "He didn't do it."
I just watched Hatfill.
He didn't do it.

Why the Feds are (again!) insisting on finding a white American to scapegoat is beyond me.

I hope Ashcroft is just following bad advice from holdovers and is not a party to this nonsense.

[piasa]

Hatfill said the Kristof tales about the lie detector tests were mythical; he has never taken three lie detector tests in the time in question. He said he took one earlier this year and according to the people who administered it, he passed.

He, like me, also wan'ts to know where the bionic bloodhounds, as he called them, came from.

[DreamWeaver]

Is Hatfill innocent? Probably. Is the FBI screwing it up AGAIN? Likely. Does the Liberal Media care? Not by the hairs on your chinny-chin-chin!

I'm in total agreement with you.

[brydic1]

The FBI is w/o a doubt the most incompetent bureaucracy in the US Government and that is saying a lot. This bumbling bit of incompetents refused to search the this house in Oregon where only a matter of yards away from the home of the missing girls knowing that the house was inhabited by a known criminal who had been reported for abuse by his wife and others on many occasions. The inhabitant was the son of a murderer who had buried his victims under concrete. It seems that the FBI refuses to consider the obvious. John Ashcroft get rid of the FBI leadership and turn it over to people that can solve crimes.

[DreamWeaver]

I haven't followed this story closely, and maybe he IS innocent, but this action alone doesn't convince me.

I am not basing my opinion of innocent on this action alone. I have been following this story and I'm taking a lot into consideration to base my opinion on.

IMO the man is innocent........

[Reactionary]

There aren't any "bits of evidence," of course. The FBI doesn't have any physical evidence at all.

[brydic1]

There needs to be a thorough house cleaning though out the FBI and the Dept of Justice. It is becoming obvious that J. Ashcroft is in over his head. I am sorry to say this as he was my governor and I supported him. But this situation with the 2 young girls in Oregon and now the abusive treatment of Hatfill calls for Ashcrofts removal as well as the higher ups in the FBI

[Peach]

I think you have it exactly right - Hatfield is probably innocent, the FBI has screwed up again and the liberal media does not care. If they would only do half the work Freepers have done, they would find that the reasons why the FBI suspects Hatfield are bogus.

[Consort]

Doesn't law enforcement, as opposed to a judge and jury, have to operate under the assumption of guilt based on credible evidence? Or, do they have to question every man, women, or child, for every crime?

[MamaLucci]

Thank you both for responding.
If Hatfill is indeed innocent and the FBI has "Richard Jewelled" him,
then more power to Mr. Hatfill in his efforts against the DOJ, the FBI,
AND Mr Ashcroft, if he was a party to it.

[FreePaul]

As we found out during the last administration the attorney general is above the law. I don't know what it will take to stop the stampede toward a police state in this country. Bush certainly isn't doing anything to stop it.

[tsomer]

"...This lawsuit would normally make the government show its case or drop it entirely..."

Maybe Hatfield's got something on the government, ie: "you show yours, and I'll show mine." Isn't that essentially how Wen Ho Lee beat Reno's indictment?

[LaGrone]

I watched the Hatfill Press conference in its entirety. He makes a very compelling case for the Richard Jewell treatment he is receiving. If any of his examples are true, it is certainly damning to the FBI and Ashcroft. I have thought the FBI crossed the line after Waco, Ruby Ridge and Richard Jewell.

This is frightening stuff; the gestapo. Hatfill may be unemployable now, but he will be rich if he can prove half of what he said. However, if people remember his face and a good portion think he is guilty, how much good could the money do?