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My friend put this together. It is worth examining. Here is a timeline for the anthrax attacks and the passing of the Patriot Act. http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/timeline.jsp?timeline=complete_911_timeline&theme=anthrax October 2, 2001 (B) The “anti-terrorism” Patriot Act is introduced in Congress, but is not well received by all. <[url="http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/timeline/2001/patriotact100201.html">Patriot Act 10/2/01] One day later, Senate Majority Leader and future anthrax target Tom Daschle (D) says he doubts the Senate will take up this bill in the one week timetable the administration wants. As head of the Senate, Daschle has great power to block or slow passage of the bill. Attorney General Ashcroft accuses Senate Democrats of dragging their feet. <[url="http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/timeline/2001/wpost100301b.html">Washington Post 10/3/01 (B)] On October 4, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman and future anthrax target Patrick Leahy (D) accuses the Bush administration of reneging on an agreement on the anti-terrorist bill. Leahy is in a key position to block or slow the bill. Some warn that “lawmakers are overlooking constitutional flaws in their rush to meet the administration's timetable.” Two days later, Ashcroft complains about “the rather slow pace …over his request for law enforcement powers… Hard feelings remain.” <[url="http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A2521-2001Oct3">Washington Post 10/4/01] The anthrax letters to Daschle and Leahy are sent out on October 9 and difficulties in passing the Act continue (see October 9, 2001). Could Daschle and Leahy have been targeted by some person or entity who wanted to see the Patriot Act pass? October 9, 2001
Senator Feingold (D) blocks an attempt to rush the USA Patriot Act to a vote with little debate and no opportunity for amendments. Feingold criticizes the bill as a threat to liberty. <[url="http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/timeline/2001/ap101001.html">AP, 10/10/01] One day earlier, in the story “Cracks in Bipartisanship Start to Show,” the Washington Post reports, “Congress has lost some of the shock-induced unity with which it first responded to the <9/11> attacks.” <[url="http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A23154-2001Oct7¬Found=true">Washington Post, 10/8/01] Also on October 9, identical anthrax letters are postmarked in Trenton, New Jersey, with lethal doses to Senators Daschle and Leahy. Inside both letters are the words: “Death to America, Death to Israel, Allah is Great” (see October 15, 2001). <[url="http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-1013anthraxchronology.story">South Florida Sun-Sentinel 12/01] October 10-11, 2001
The FBI allows the original batch of the Ames strain of anthrax to be destroyed, making tracing the anthrax type more difficult. Suspicions that the anthrax used in the letters was the Ames strain are confirmed on October 17. <[url="http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/timeline/2001/nyt110901.html">New York Times, 11/9/01, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 12/01] What possible excuse can the FBI have for allowing this destruction, especially when the Ames strain was already suspected? October 15, 2001
Senator Daschle's office opens the letter mailed October 9, containing a lethal dose of anthrax. Senator Leahy's similar letter is misrouted to Virginia on October 12, and isn't discovered until November 17. <[url="http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-1013anthraxchronology.story">South Florida Sun-Sentinel 12/8/01 October 16-17, 2001
28 congressional staffers test positive for anthrax. The Senate office buildings are shut down, followed by the House of Representatives. <[url="http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-1013anthraxchronology.story">South Florida Sun-Sentinel 12/8/01] October 24, 2001
The House of Representatives passes the final version of the Patriot Act and other previously unpopular Bush projects: Alaska oil drilling, $25 billion in tax cuts for corporations, taps into Social Security funds and cuts in education. <[url="http://www.cnn.com/2001/US/10/24/rec.attack.economy/">CNN 10/25/01] Republican Congressman Ron Paul states: “It's my understanding the bill wasn't printed before the vote—at least I couldn't get it. They played all kinds of games, kept the House in session all night, and it was a very complicated bill. Maybe a handful of staffers actually read it, but the bill definitely was not available to members before the vote.” It is later found that only two copies of the bill were made available in the hours before its passage, and most House members admit they voted for the Act without actually reading it first. <[url="http://www.insightmag.com/main.cfm?include=detail&storyid=143236">Insight 11/9/01] Two days later, the Senate passes the final version of the Patriot Act. Anthrax targets Senators Daschle and Leahy now support the bill. Bush signs it into law the same day (see October 26, 2001). <[url="http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/timeline/2001/foxnews102601.html">Fox News, 10/26/01] Were the anthrax attacks a deliberate plot to help pass the Patriot Act, and whip up public support?
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