Scientist in Anthrax Probe Fired
By Christopher Newton
Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, September 4, 2002; 2:07 PM

WASHINGTON -- Dr. Steven J. Hatfill's firing from Louisiana State University came after the Justice Department told the school it could not use him on projects funded by grants from the agency, which has called Hatfill a "person of interest" in the anthrax attacks.

LSU spokesman Gene Sands said Hatfill's supervisor, Steven Guillot, received an e-mail Aug. 1 directing him to "cease and desist" from using Hatfill on Justice Department-funded projects. The next day, Hatfill was placed on administrative leave as director of LSU's National Center for Biomedical Research and Training. The center receives most of its money from the Justice Department.

Sands said Guillot did not alert senior administration officials to the e-mail until Tuesday, when Hatfill was fired by the university. Sands said the decision to fire Hatfill was made before senior school officials learned about the e-mail.
LSU Chancellor Mark A. Emmert made no mention of the e-mail in a statement Tuesday announcing Hatfill's firing.
"The university is making no judgment as to Dr. Hatfill's guilt or innocence regarding the FBI investigation," Emmert said.
"Our ultimate concerns are the ability of the university to fulfill its role and mission as a land-grant university," he said. "In considering all of these objectives, I have concluded that it is clearly in the best interest of LSU to terminate this relationship."

Department officials declined comment on the e-mail, though a law enforcement official confirmed it was sent.

DUE PROCESS OF LAW
If you graduated from high school you may remember having heard that phrase before. You probably remember hearing it in civics or history class. If you passed you probably remember that it has something to do with the Bill of Rights and if you did well in class you probably remember that it came from the Fifth Amendment. If you got an A and did not cheat you may even recall that no citizen can lose his life, liberty or property without having first been afforded due process of law.

A PERSON OF INTEREST?
That is what the Justice Department says Stephen Hatfill is. Not a suspect, they say. He is certainly not a defendant - that would require a charge. What do we know about Stephen Hatfill?

Well, according to the news reports he is a person who used to work at Fort Dietrich. He did not work with anthrax. He is the kind of person that exaggerates and embroiders his life to make him seem what he wants to be rather than what he is. He is that kind of person that one gets away from quickly at cocktail parties. He is a "Cooper" from the Expedia ad. He certainly is not the poster child for liberal causes.

He has passed lie detector tests. His apartment and that of his girl friend has been searched at least twice. The Department of Justice has gone over and over his life with a fine tooth comb and can't find evidence to link him to the Anthrax Murders. So he is just a Person of Interest.

We have come a long way since Senator Joseph "Tail Gunner Joe" McCarthy (R-Wisc.) used to send Roy Cohn and David Schein to root out commies, make lists and ruin lives. It has been nearly 50 years since Mr. Welch asked, "Have you no shame?"

We are better and more efficient and now we do it with e-mail. Due Process is hidden along with The Spirit of Justice behind the famous Blue Drape.

Have you no shame, Mister Ashcroft? At long last, Sir, Have you no shame?