Ebola Watch: Judicial Watch Seeks Answers

First published at Judicial Watch’s Investigative Bulletin, October 17, 2014

As an Ebola-driven health-care crisis appears to mount across America, Judicial Watch is moving fast to get answers from Washington. We have filed Freedom of Information Act requests with the Defense Department and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to uncover medical and safety threats to our frontline health-care workers — and through them, to the public at large.

“This is no time for the administration to be playing its usual ‘hide the ball’ games with FOIA requests,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said today. “Administration foot-dragging on FOIA is well-documented. Given the threat to public health, we expect timely replies. If we don’t get them, we’re prepared to go to court to force release of critical information.”

Specifically, Judicial Watch is seeking immediate clarification of Defense Department plans for evacuation of U.S. personnel from Africa in the event of Ebola infection; OSHA plans for response to the current Ebola outbreak, and any expressions of concern by OSHA personnel concerning the virus.

We’re also seeking more information about the cryptic carrier, Phoenix Air, which has been responsible in some cases for transportation of Ebola victims. How safe is Phoenix Air? What, precisely, is its role with the U.S. government? Unsubstantiated online chatter puts Phoenix Air at the center of the U.S. intelligence community’s black ops. What seems undisputed is that Phoenix Air, in addition to its medical transport unit, has significant Defense Department contracts.