I think he's telling the truth about what he was told, but I also think he's lying out his ass about what he personally knew. C'mon, he's a lawyer, he's educated. Someone tells you antibiotic-resistant TB, you know you're freaking contagious and a hazard. Hey, he's got my sympathy there, but OK to travel? B.S. He knew, HE KNEW, it was not okay, no matter what he was told by some bureaucrats. He's a health menace and ought to be treated as such.
Posted by Brian Bell at June 1, 2007 08:26 AMSteve,
You overlooked the fact that his father-in-law is a "TB" research doctor at CDC. Hmmmm? Sooooo who made the tape? Did he ask his father-in-law was it ok to travel? At best, this is a PR nightmare for the CDC. At worst, millions of tax dollars diverted from research to payoff claims against the CDC.
One World,
Domino49
Posted by Domino49 at June 1, 2007 08:35 AMI'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt about what he was told regarding his threat to others as well. After all the best minds at the CDC are busy trying to eradicate the scourge of condoms from the face of the earth these days. Who has time to worry about things like TB?
As far as his decision to travel? Dumb ass.
But have we had any definitive word on whether he actually did pose a health threat?
Posted by snark at June 1, 2007 08:36 AMLet me get this out!!! Even if the warning was couched in terms of "We'd prefer that you din't travel" Look at his actions after they caught up with him in Europe.
He refused to be treated locally. He left the country where he received the notice not to travel. He plotted his return to America SO HE WOULD NOT BE PICKED UP ON A NO FLY LIST! He bamboozled some poor customs employee to let him cross the border into the US, despite the HOLD on him.
As a lawyer, let me tell you, I would love to put him on the stand with those actions. The Jury would hand the sumbitch!
Posted by goalkeeper at June 1, 2007 08:51 AMSusie Madrak over at Suburban Guerilla asks the question, exactly how did he get this in the first place? Apparently it's a very rare strain.
Maybe there are reasons for his actions that we won't know until more of the story comes out.
Posted by merciless at June 1, 2007 08:54 AMI'm sure he was told that he wasn't contagious, and maybe it's true he wasn't. I don't know enough about TB to tell for sure. And it should be a real security concern having a guy waved through boarding even though his name comes up on a watch list. No one's all that innocent here, it seems to me.
But come on, the guy had to have some kind of worry that he might be doing the wrong thing - why else would he tape the meeting where he was told he wasn't contagious? At least he backed down on the complaint about the CDC not giving him the money for a chartered flight - it seemed like an outrageous expectation to me. Because the CDC thinks he's dangerous, they're supposed to pay for his quarantine? Come on!
Posted by iamcoyote at June 1, 2007 08:56 AMthis fellow has knowingly committed a crime against humanity. what punishment for him and the ones that enabled him?
or will it be ignored due to amerca's lowered, lowest of expectations of our people and our civil servants.
frankly amerca is looking like the depositing ground for cretins, the mentally ill. perhaps it is because of our country's outward appearance that all the craziest of bastards from all over the world come here?
maybe this twit is dyslexic? or would that be cixelxyd?
Posted by oldtree at June 1, 2007 09:49 AMAs a regular Joe he would be considered reckless and stupid.
As a trial lawyer, understanding the law of negligence, he would be guilty of an intentional tort.
Posted by God Of War at June 1, 2007 10:07 AMmmmmmmm! Tort!
Posted by snark at June 1, 2007 10:48 AMI don't care what he thinks his doctors told him, TB is serious business and everyone knows that. He had no business getting on a plane and exposing others to his disease, but he was just a selfish prick. I don't even go to work when I have a cold because I don't want to make my co-workers ill, but this guy goes flouncing around Europe with TB? I have no sympathy for him and I truly hope he suffers from his illness.
Posted by ann at June 1, 2007 10:48 AMI dunno, snark, I'm more of a pie person myself. Mmmm, pie!
Posted by iamcoyote at June 1, 2007 10:55 AMPicture this, you're told you have a contagious, rare, difficult to treat, and potentially fatal illness. What's the next thing you're likely to do? Would it be to travel out of the country, get married in a foreign country, and go on a honeymoon with your new wife? Not very likely, especially if you gave a damn about the person you were marrying!! Not very likely when you are aware of the legal consequences of careless and reckless conduct!! Not very likely when you already have a daughter!! The guy is the personification of narcissism.
Posted by Neal at June 1, 2007 11:23 AMAnd, he's a matrimonial and personal injury lawyer!! What happens when you infect an unknowing spouse with a deadly disease? Could a divorce and peronal injury suit result? Idiot.
Posted by Neal at June 1, 2007 11:41 AMAmong the concerns of the World Health Organization, TB is the second largest killer of humans beings, next to HIV. To be diagnoised with a TB that is resistant to antibiotics makes the disease that more deadly. What I do not understand is why he wasn't quarantined immediately by the State Health Department, as in this case, by law, should have been reported.
Infection Control & Epidemiology usually require Home Isolation where a person is required to remain at home and cannot go out to public places because of a contagious illness that can be spread to other people. People on Home Isolation are not allowed to leave their home except for needed medical care. This means the person is not allowed to go out in public, have visitors, or use public transportation until cleared by a doctor or nurse from Public Health. I cannot imagine any professional doctor telling him that traveling was not a problem. Tuberculosis is a disease that must be treated for months, if not years.
A year ago, my Brother's family were exposed to a bacterial infection that brought in the Missouri Health Department. They were Home Isolated for two weeks, and my Mother, who was exposed, was required to take maga doses of antibiotics. The Health Department was very clear about what they should and should not do.
I haven't followed this case closely, but I thought I heard that they didn't tell him it was a rare form of TB until after he arrived in Europe. (Not that it's an excuse for what he did)
As to how he got the disease, I also heard that he was a graduate of the US Naval Academy and had traveled extensively as part of his studies/training.
Posted by Susan S at June 1, 2007 12:19 PMAlthough this is California Law, in researching I find that most states have similar laws. In reality, once diagnoised, the matter should have brought in the State Health Department.
LEGAL AUTHORITY
California Health and Safety Code, Chapter 415 Sections 121365-121369 gives the county health officer or designee the authority to issue any orders deemed necessary to protect the public health or the health of any other person. California Health and Safety Code, Section 120280 states that any person violating an order issued under the Section 121365-121369 is guilty of a misdemeanor. Violation of this order can result in an order to be confined for isolation or treatment to a health care or other treatment facility or to jail. California Code of Regulations, Title 17, Section 120130 states that persons with contagious TB must be under adequate medical supervision and observe instructions of the county health officer.
Sorry, didn't read article so I didn't know that the CDC was involved.
"He was told in no uncertain terms not to take a flight back," said Dr. Martin Cetron, director of the CDC's division of global migration and quarantine. Cetron said Wednesday that in conversations between health officials and Speaker before the flight, "they clearly told him not to travel," but "there were no legal orders in place preventing his travel, and no laws were broken."
Speaker, his new wife and her 8-year-old daughter were already in Europe when the CDC contacted him and told him to turn himself in immediately at a clinic there and not take another commercial flight. What did he do? He got on a flight, and at that moment became fully responsible for anyone who tests positive for TB.
Iamcoyote, his Father taped the conversation. His Father is also a lawyer.
Posted by Judith at June 1, 2007 01:01 PMI suspect that the doctor in this case may face some harsh penalties. His suppose statement was that he was covering his ass by saying that he shouldn't travel, instead of saying you can't travel is inexcusable. I would assume he is open for discipline by the AMA.
Posted by Judith at June 1, 2007 01:09 PMiamcoyote: "And it should be a real security concern having a guy waved through boarding even though his name comes up on a watch list."
This is inaccurate; he flew into Canada (who had not been advised of his no-fly status) SPECIFICALLY to get around the no-fly order. The security concern was at the US border, where he was waved through EVEN THOUGH a flag came up on the screen after his passport was swiped. (That agent is now on desk duty pending review, apparently.)
Posted by farmgirl at June 1, 2007 01:23 PMThanks, farmgirl, a small detail, but significant. I actually paused at that phrase as I was writing, but couldn't think of a good way to phrase it.
Judith, I didn't know the father-in-law was doing the taping. I totally need to read these things more closely... TGIF?
Posted by iamcoyote at June 1, 2007 01:28 PMI didn't know the father-in-law was doing the taping
Is he the same one who works for the CDC? Or is it his father?
Posted by Seven of Six at June 1, 2007 02:36 PM7 of 6, his Father, a lawyer, taped the session. His Father-in-law is a researcher, the way I understand it.
Posted by Judith at June 1, 2007 02:42 PMGosh, either way, they knew the guy was on dangerous ground. Instead of worrying about whether he'd get other people sick, he was legally, and premeditatively covering his ass. What a selfish dick!
Posted by iamcoyote at June 1, 2007 02:44 PMSpeaker said he, his doctors and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention all knew he had TB that was resistant to front-line drugs before he flew to Europe for his wedding and honeymoon last month. But he said he was advised then that he wasn't contagious or a danger to anyone.
Officials told him they would prefer he didn't fly, but no one ordered him not to, he said. Speaker said his father, also a lawyer, taped that meeting.
"My father said, "OK, now are you saying, you prefer him not to go on the trip because he's a risk to anybody, or are you simply saying that to cover yourself?' And they said, we have to tell you that to cover ourself, but he's not a risk."
Jeez, that's like me having measels but telling people I didn't know I was contagious. I want to know how he got TB, and who the keystone cops are.
http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/health-tuberculosis-scare-airplane/20070529152509990002?ncid=NWS00010000000001
Posted by Judith at June 1, 2007 02:54 PMremember SARS? (i guess it's been cured) back when it was in the news there were reports about the CDC rejuvenating old diseases to see how they mutate in hopes of creating vaccines.
this guys father-in-law worked for the CDC. he tapes a meeting of doctors before his son-in-law flies out of the country in order to give them a defense.
conspiracy? am i going crazy?
wm
Posted by way at June 1, 2007 03:00 PMWM, his Father, a lawyer, taped the conversation, not his Father-in-law.
Posted by Judith at June 1, 2007 03:49 PMHu's on first?
Posted by angel at June 1, 2007 07:24 PMSorry this guy gets no sympathy from me. He knew he had TB and it was contagious, yet he put people at risk purposely so he could have a good time.
Secondly, how Katrinaesque is this episode. Just imagine if he really was a terrorist with smallpox.
I can just hear the WH now, How could we have known, no one could have ever predicted.....
Posted by mlhm5 at June 1, 2007 07:24 PMSecondly, how Katrinaesque is this episode. Just imagine if he really was a terrorist with smallpox.
mlhm5, great point. That opens another can of worms.
Posted by Judith at June 1, 2007 09:49 PM