By Hand Delivery

October 29, 2001 URGENT

The Honorable Tom Ridge

Director of the Office of Homeland Security

The White House

1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20500

Re: Government Misinformation Concerning Environmental Testing for Anthrax of Private Facilities

Dear Director Ridge:

We believe that you should be alerted to an alarming gap and misinformation we have uncovered in the government’s response to the recent terrorist incidents involving anthrax. Judicial Watch, a public interest law firm which investigates and prosecutes government corruption, is in the group of thousands of business that face possible anthrax exposure, receiving mail in bulk from both the Brentwood postal facility and the L Street, SW postal facility, both of which have admittedly been contaminated by anthrax. Following the prudent advice of local D.C. health authorities, staff in our office have obtained antibiotics at D.C. General Hospital. As a further precaution, health officials on Friday said that “between 2,000-4,000 mailrooms at businesses throughout the city will be tested for anthrax.” See “Another D.C. Post Office Tests Positive for Anthrax,” The Associated Press, Friday, October 26, 20001. This was also reported in The Washington Post this past weekend:

As many as 4,000 downstream facilities -- ranging from huge mail recipients such as universities to small companies with one person who sorts all the mail -- were covered, officials said yesterday. Later, government officials will arrange for testing to be done at all such locations, but workers in those places should not wait for that to happen before starting antibiotic therapy, officials said.

See “Anthrax Scare Closes High Court; Treatment Urged for Thousands,” The Washington Post, Saturday, October 27, 2001.

Yet when my staff contacted federal and local D.C. health authorities this morning to arrange for environmental testing, we were told that private mailrooms with possible anthrax exposure would be tested only if someone in the private facility becomes infected with anthrax, tests positive for anthrax exposure, or where there is physical evidence of possible anthrax contamination (unusual powder, suspicious letters, etc.). Only after much cajoling was Judicial Watch able to get on a list of sites to be tested, though no promises were made as to when the testing would take place.

This confusing policy is both at odds with public statements by health officials and contrary to sound public health policy. Obviously, to wait for an infection before testing susceptible sites is, as the cliche goes, like shutting the door after the horse is out the barn. As troubling, this new stance is at odds with assurances of environmental testing given by government officials to thousands of local D.C. residents concerned about possible deadly anthrax exposure. And it once again raises of the prospect of a double standard for anthrax treatment by the government, as all government facilities “downstream” from Brentwood evidently are being tested, while private facilities are left to fend for themselves or plead for testing.

We are obviously concerned for the health and well-being of our employees, but as public interest group, we must also stand up on behalf of the American people against this latest example, at a minimum, of gross negligence by the government in responding the anthrax attacks. Accordingly, we ask that you immediately direct the CDC and other appropriate agencies to begin to arrange environmental testing for anthrax of all entities, public and private, which receive mail in bulk from either the Brentwood or the L Street postal

facilities.

Judicial Watch has been in contact with Congressman Bob Barr, of the House

Government Reform Committee, who also has concerns about this. Judicial Watch will ask the

Chairman of the House Government Reform Committee, Dan Burton, to investigate this issue as well.

Director Ridge, we wish you all the best as you perform your duties on behalf of the American people in these trying times. Statements made by government officials during this crisis must translate into deeds. Anything less and the result is “spin” that misinforms the public,

breeds distrust, and can lead to injury and death. Already, three individuals have died, and many others are infected with anthrax. We trust you will take the appropriate action to protect the health and lives of those citizens potentially subject to anthrax exposure in the

Washington, DC region.

Thank you for your immediate attention to this urgent matter.

Sincerely yours,

JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.

Larry Klayman Thomas Fitton

Chairman and General Counsel President

cc: The Honorable Bob Barr

The Honorable Dan Burton

The Honorable Tommy Thompson