Remember Anthrax?

It has been over 7 years since a letter containing highly refined anthrax was opened in the office of the US Senate majority leader, Democrat Tom Daschle. The spores were weaponized, meaning they were created by an advanced bio-weapons program. Few such programs have ever existed on this planet. There was huge public anxiousness due to the attack, and answers were demanded. Under the direction of the Bush Administration, John Ashcroft and the highly politicized Justice Department went after Dr. Stephen Hatfill and offered him up to the public as the big “person of interest”. Since then, they gave up the investigation, did not charge Dr. Hatfill due to his innocence, and quietly hoped the public would forget the attempt on the life of the highest ranking Democrat in the US government, which also resulted in the deaths of 5 innocent people.

Now that the 2008 presidential election is near, the Bush Administration is seeking closure on this issue. Not in the sense of finding out who was behind this biological attack, but closure in the sense of making sure Dr. Hatfill does not speak out. They are giving him $2,800,000 in hush-money up front, plus $150,000/year for the next 20 years.

One would think that a better approach would have been to continue the investigation until the perpetrator(s) was caught. In the political wisdom of the Bush Administration, however, they sought this outcome instead. What do they know that they aren’t saying?