Anthrax Timeline, Two
[I’ve updated this timeline with dates from the DOJ documents.]
July 6, 2000: The last lot of BioPort’s anthrax vaccine fails potency tests; Ivins say the shit is about to hit the fan
August 12, 2000: Ivins says "last Saturday" (August 5) was "one of my worst days in months"
Spring 2001: Ivins taken off Special Immunization Program
September 7, 2001: Ivins put back on Special Immunization Program
September 14, 2001: Ivins works late for 2 hours 15 minutes
September 15, 2001: Ivins works late for 2 hours 15 minutes
September 16, 2001: Ivins works late for 2 hours 15 minutes
September 18, 2001: Less lethal "media" anthrax letters postmarked
September 26, 2001: Ivins emails, "I just heard tonight that Bin Laden terrorists for sure have anthrax and sarin gas" … "Osama Bin Laden has just decreed death to all Jews and Americans"
September 28: Ivins works late for 1 hour 42 minutes
September 29, 2001: Ivins works late for 1 hour 20 minutes
September 30, 2001: Ivins works late for 1 hour 18 minutes
October 1, 2001: Ivins works late for 20 minutes
October 2, 2001: Ayaad Asaad interviewed about claim he was a bioterrorist; Judy Miller’s Germs published; Ivins works late for 23 minutes
October 3, 2001: Ivins works late for 2 hours 59 minutes
October 4, 2001: Ivins works late for 3 hours 33 minutes
October 5, 2001: Ivins works late for 3 hours 42 minutes; Bob Stevens, photo editor of Sun newspaper, dies
Almost immediately after attacks: FBI works with Ft. Detrick scientists to identify anthrax
October 2001: Ames strain at Iowa State destroyed with consent of FBI
October 9, 2001: Ivins works late for 15 minutes; Daschle and Leahy letters postmarked
October 12, 2001: Judy Miller gets fake anthrax letter
October 14, 2001: Ivins works late for 1 hour 26 minutes; Guardian first suggests tie between anthrax and Iraq
October 15, 2001: Daschle letter opened; Bush presses FBI to look into Middle Eastern links to anthrax
October 16, 2001: Ivins’ coworker emails "Bruce has been an absolute manic basket case the last few days"
October 18, 2001: Nerve attack scare in White House situation room
October 18, 2001: John McCain links anthrax attack to Iraq and Phase II of war on terror
October 21, 2001: First of two DC postal workers dies of anthrax poisoning
October 22, 2001: Secret Service reports traces of anthrax on letter opening machine in White House
October 24, 2001: USA PATRIOT passes House
October 25, 2001: USA PATRIOT passes Senate
October 26, 2001: USA PATRIOT signed into law; ABC News cites well-placed sources (now explained to be then current and former scientists conducting analysis of the anthrax) with bentonite claim
October 29, 2001: General John Parker mis-reports that silica found in anthrax sample
December 2001: FBI investigators start questioning Ft. Detrick scientists
December 2001: Ivins improperly cleans worksite
December 5, 2001: Leahy letter opened at Ft. Detrick
December 12, 2001: Reports first tie anthrax to Dugway strain
February 2002: Ivins turns over samples but fails to follow protocol
April 10, 2002: Ivins turns over samples
May 2002: FBI tests mailboxes in Princeton, NJ
May 10, 2002: Ivins speaks to investigators about his efforts to clean worksite in December 2001
June 18, 2002: Barbara Hatch Rosenberg briefs Leahy and Daschle with her US scientist theory–naming Hatfill directly
June 25, 2002: FBI conducts consensual search of Hatfill’s apartment–tips off media
July 2002: MZM receives White House contract for "threat mail technology insertion"
Late July 2002: FBI Special Agent Bob Roth ignores Hatfill’s lawyer’s offer for consensual interview
August 1, 2002: FBI conducts second search–media again tipped off; DOJ gets Hatfill fired from new job at LSU
August 6, 2002: Ashcroft names Hatfill person of interest
August 11, 2002: FBI leak of contents of Hatfill novel to ABC news pre-empting Hatfill public statement; FBI canvasses Princeton residents to see if they had seen Hatfill in Princton
August 12, 2002: Newsweek reports on use of bloodhounds
August 13, 2002: Hatfill files formal complaint with DOJ
October 5, 2002: Richard Lambert assumes Inspector in Charge role in investigation
November 2002: Robert Mueller incorrectly announces FBI trying to reverse engineer strain
January 9, 2003: Officials at counter-terrorism conference tell ABC Hatfill most likely suspect
March 14, 2003: Ivins recives honor for getting anthrax vaccine back into production
April 11, 2003: OPR says investigation into leaks reveals no leakers
May 5, 2003: Supervisory Special Agent Van Harp (previously in charge of investigation) retires
May 11, 2003: WaPo reports that FBI draining pond in search of clues on Hatfill
August 26, 2003: Hatfill sues DOJ
November 21, 2003: DOJ moves to stay suit
December 12, 2003: FBI finds additional samples of Ivins’ samples
January 5, 2004: DOJ moves to dismiss suit
April 7, 2004: Ivins submits new samples to FBI; FBI seals flasks with evidence tape
May 2004: Roscoe Howard, later named as source for several journalists, resigns as US Attorney
June 17, 2004: The seized Ivins samples submitted to Navy Medical Research Center
October 21, 2004: Judge Walton grants Hatfill discovery on press reports, not investigative files
February 22, 2005: DOJ demands that Hatfill have identity of leakers to pursue privacy case
Contrary to plaintiff’s assertion, because his claim for damages requires him to establish that any disclosure of information protected by the Privacy Act was “intentional or willful,” he cannot prevail without establishing the identity of the individual who made any such disclosure and the circumstances surrounding the disclosure.
February 23, 2005: Hatfill moves to question Van Harp (who admits contacts with many of the journalists who reported on Hatfill)
March 31, 2005: Ivins confronted with the fact his samples didn’t match
June 22, 2005: DOJ opposes Hatfill deposition of Virginia Patrick, wife of Bill Patrick
November 19, 2005: Ivins writes email naming two colleagues as potential anthrax culprits
April 21, 2006: Jean Duley caught drunk driving
July 17, 2006: Hatfill files motion to compel, including material from depositions and Congressional contacts
August 2006: Douglas Beecher publishes article stating that FBI misunderstood nature of anthrax used in attack
October 13, 2006: Jean Duley pleads guilty to DUI
October 24, 2006: Grassley writes letter following up on reassignment of Lambert to Knoxville; Lisi and Montooth would have replaced Lambert
May 7, 2007: Ivins claimed he was aware that his anthrax matched that used in the attack within three months of the attack; he claims he was told by three colleagues who had tested the anthrax used in the attacks
July 18, 2007: forensic psychiatrist profiles Ivins
August 13, 2007: Judge Walton orders some reporters to reveal their sources
November 1, 2007: Ivins’ house searched
December 23, 2007: Duley caught driving with no headlights, DUI
March 2008: FBI Agents confront Ivins and his wife, accusing him of killing people
March 7, 2008: Judge Walton holds Toni Locy in contempt
March 19, 2008: Ivins found unconscious in his home
March 28, 2008: Fox News reports four suspects in case
April 10, 2008: Duley’s DUI and driving with no headlights not prosecuted
April 24, 2008: Duley pleads guilty to DUI
May 26, 2008: Ivins finishes four weeks of rehab
June 27, 2008: DOJ settles with Hatfill
July 9, 2008: Duley alleges Ivins makes threats; Ivins interviewed in presence of attorney; Pat Leahy asks Mukasey about anthrax case (12:20 PM)
July 10, 2008: Ivins attends bubonic plague vaccine meeting, then barred from Ft. Detrick and taken for psychiatric evaluation
July 24, 2008: Duley signs complaint against Ivins
July 29, 2008: Ivins dies of apparent suicide