(Washington, DC) Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption and abuse, said today that it has filed a complaint for criminal investigation with the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia concerning the October 2001 anthrax contamination of the Brentwood Postal Facility. Two United States Postal Service (“USPS”) workers, Joseph Curseen, Jr. and Thomas Morris Jr., died from inhalation anthrax they contracted working with mail in the contaminated Brentwood facility. Judicial Watch represents hundreds of USPS workers and a USPS workers’ support group organized as “Brentwood Exposed,” concerning all matters related to the October 2001 anthrax attacks.

Judicial Watch forced the USPS to turnover documents by court order, after the USPS failed to comply with a Freedom of Information Act request. The documents contained stunning, new information in a diary or log written by a senior Brentwood postal official. The diary reveals that USPS and U.S. government officials knew on Thursday, October 18, 2001, that “mail was leaking” anthrax spores into the environment of the Brentwood facility, and that a second anthrax spore swab test confirmed that the swabs “tested hot.” Despite this knowledge, USPS and U.S. government officials kept the Brentwood facility open (in violation of their own written emergency regulations) for an additional four days, until Sunday, October 21, 2001 – when news broke of the deaths of Mr. Curseen and Mr. Morris from inhalation anthrax. Judicial Watch’s complaint to U.S. Attorney Howard seeks a full and immediate criminal investigation for reckless endangerment, manslaughter, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy, among other applicable charges.

Judicial Watch has also filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for violation of the Brentwood postal workers’ civil rights, in light of the radically disparate treatment the Brentwood workers, who are 97% African-American, received during and following the anthrax attacks. The predominantly white staffers in the offices of Senators Daschle and Leahy got timely care. In addition, The White House was put on Cipro as early as September 11, 2001, within hours of the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks.

To view the complaint click here.

To view the FOIA documents click here.