FBI Agent Transferred to Cleveland

— -- FBI Agent Transferred To Cleveland

C L E V E L A N D, June 7 —The supervisor at FBI headquarters accused by a bureau whistleblower of blocking the investigation into the onlyperson facing criminal charges in the Sept. 11 attacks is workingin Cleveland on a terrorism task force.

Agent Michael Maltbie was harshly criticized in a scathingletter sent to FBI Director Robert Mueller by Coleen Rowley, alawyer in the FBI’s Minneapolis office.

Rowley, who testified before Congress this week, said in herletter that several people at FBI headquarters thwarted heroffice’s investigation of Zacarias Moussaoui, who has been chargedas an accomplice in the hijackings that resulted in the deaths ofabout 3,000 people.

Although Maltbie was not identified by name in Rowley’s letter,U.S. sources speaking on condition of anonymity identified him asthe supervisory special agent she singled out for criticism.

Rowley said the agent “seemed to have been consistently, almostdeliberately thwarting the Minneapolis FBI agents’ efforts.”

Maltbie, reached at his home, had no comment, saying the matteris under review by FBI officials.

Robert Hawk, an FBI spokesman in Cleveland, would confirm onlythat Maltbie came to Cleveland from Washington, and referred allother questions to Washington.

It is not uncommon for agents to transfer from headquarters tofield offices, and Washington assignments are not considered plumjobs within the bureau. Agents typically work up to 1½ years atheadquarters, then request field promotions elsewhere.

Questions over Maltbie’s judgment are at the center of a debatein Washington about whether the Bush administration had collectedenough clues before Sept. 11 that might have allowed it to avertthe terror attacks if they had been more diligently pursued.

At Mueller’s request, the Justice Department’s Office ofInspector General is looking into whether Maltbie and others at FBIheadquarters mishandled the investigation into Moussaoui.

—The Associated Press

$1 Billion To Fund Public Health Programs In Bioterrorism Preparation

N E W Y O R K, June 7 —Bioterrorism preparedness plans submitted by 24states and two cities were approved by the federal government,allowing the release of millions of dollars in funding for publichealth programs.

The $1 billion in grants, which will eventually go to all 50states, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., was the largest one-timeinvestment ever in the nation’s public health systems. Recipientswere asked to issue progress reports on their plans by Oct. 1.

The first 20 percent of the state and local preparation moneywas awarded before the plans were submitted. Those whose plans wereapproved were being awarded the remaining 80 percent of theirfunds, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson saidThursday at a Manhattan hospital.

“We have rejected a couple, but overall, they were greatplans,” Thompson said.

In January, Thompson announced that more than $1 billion ingrants were available to state and local governments if theysubmitted preparation plans that won approval from his Office ofPublic Health Preparedness.

States were expected to spend the money on building labcapacity; linking more health departments to the national HealthAlert Network, which provides warnings about disease outbreaks;adding epidemiologists to state staffs; and developing educationand training programs for doctors, nurses, local public healthofficials and the public.

Receiving approval were 24 states plus New York City andChicago. Los Angeles and an additional 24 states are receiving somemoney, but their full amounts will only be awarded “followingfurther plan development,” according to HHS.

Washington, D.C., Montana and Utah are “receiving extensionsfor further work on their plans,” according to HHS.

Thompson announced the grants and presented checks to Gov.George Pataki and Mayor Michael Bloomberg, calling the state andcity “national leaders on the public health and emergencypreparedness front.”

New York City receives $20.9 million in grants for itsbioterrorism preparedness plans. It already received $5.2 millionin January when Thompson announced the grants. The state gets $27.1million on top of its initial $6.7 million.

—The Associated Press

Housing Grants For Lower Manhattan Approved

N E W Y O R K —The Bush administration has approved more than$305 million in housing grants to draw apartment-seekers to lowerManhattan and keep current residents in place, Housing and UrbanDevelopment Secretary Mel Martinez announced today.

State and federal officials said at a press conferenceoverlooking the World Trade Center site that the federal aid wouldhelp transform lower Manhattan into a vibrant blend of homes andbusinesses.

“This will be a successful, 24-hour a day community,” Gov.George Pataki said.

The money will be distributed through the city-state LowerManhattan Development Corp., which will begin acceptingapplications by late summer, officials said.

Eligible residents of Chinatown, Little Italy and parts of theLower East Side could receive $1,000 one-time subsidies, whilepeople who commit to two-year stays downtown could receive as much$12,000.

Households with at least one child are eligible for a $1,500family bonus.

—The Associated Press

FBI Agent Transferred To Cleveland

C L E V E L A N D, June 7 —The supervisor at FBI headquarters accused by a bureau whistleblower of blocking the investigation into the onlyperson facing criminal charges in the Sept. 11 attacks is workingin Cleveland on a terrorism task force.

Agent Michael Maltbie was harshly criticized in a scathingletter sent to FBI Director Robert Mueller by Coleen Rowley, alawyer in the FBI’s Minneapolis office.

Rowley, who testified before Congress this week, said in herletter that several people at FBI headquarters thwarted heroffice’s investigation of Zacarias Moussaoui, who has been chargedas an accomplice in the hijackings that resulted in the deaths ofabout 3,000 people.

Although Maltbie was not identified by name in Rowley’s letter,U.S. sources speaking on condition of anonymity identified him asthe supervisory special agent she singled out for criticism.

Rowley said the agent “seemed to have been consistently, almostdeliberately thwarting the Minneapolis FBI agents’ efforts.”

Maltbie, reached at his home, had no comment, saying the matteris under review by FBI officials.

Robert Hawk, an FBI spokesman in Cleveland, would confirm onlythat Maltbie came to Cleveland from Washington, and referred allother questions to Washington.

It is not uncommon for agents to transfer from headquarters tofield offices, and Washington assignments are not considered plumjobs within the bureau. Agents typically work up to 1½ years atheadquarters, then request field promotions elsewhere.

Questions over Maltbie’s judgment are at the center of a debatein Washington about whether the Bush administration had collectedenough clues before Sept. 11 that might have allowed it to avertthe terror attacks if they had been more diligently pursued.

At Mueller’s request, the Justice Department’s Office ofInspector General is looking into whether Maltbie and others at FBIheadquarters mishandled the investigation into Moussaoui.

—The Associated Press

$1 Billion To Fund Public Health Programs In Bioterrorism Preparation

N E W Y O R K, June 7 —Bioterrorism preparedness plans submitted by 24states and two cities were approved by the federal government,allowing the release of millions of dollars in funding for publichealth programs.

The $1 billion in grants, which will eventually go to all 50states, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., was the largest one-timeinvestment ever in the nation’s public health systems. Recipientswere asked to issue progress reports on their plans by Oct. 1.

The first 20 percent of the state and local preparation moneywas awarded before the plans were submitted. Those whose plans wereapproved were being awarded the remaining 80 percent of theirfunds, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson saidThursday at a Manhattan hospital.

“We have rejected a couple, but overall, they were greatplans,” Thompson said.

In January, Thompson announced that more than $1 billion ingrants were available to state and local governments if theysubmitted preparation plans that won approval from his Office ofPublic Health Preparedness.

States were expected to spend the money on building labcapacity; linking more health departments to the national HealthAlert Network, which provides warnings about disease outbreaks;adding epidemiologists to state staffs; and developing educationand training programs for doctors, nurses, local public healthofficials and the public.

Receiving approval were 24 states plus New York City andChicago. Los Angeles and an additional 24 states are receiving somemoney, but their full amounts will only be awarded “followingfurther plan development,” according to HHS.

Washington, D.C., Montana and Utah are “receiving extensionsfor further work on their plans,” according to HHS.

Thompson announced the grants and presented checks to Gov.George Pataki and Mayor Michael Bloomberg, calling the state andcity “national leaders on the public health and emergencypreparedness front.”

New York City receives $20.9 million in grants for itsbioterrorism preparedness plans. It already received $5.2 millionin January when Thompson announced the grants. The state gets $27.1million on top of its initial $6.7 million.

—The Associated Press

Housing Grants For Lower Manhattan Approved

N E W Y O R K —The Bush administration has approved more than$305 million in housing grants to draw apartment-seekers to lowerManhattan and keep current residents in place, Housing and UrbanDevelopment Secretary Mel Martinez announced today.

State and federal officials said at a press conferenceoverlooking the World Trade Center site that the federal aid wouldhelp transform lower Manhattan into a vibrant blend of homes andbusinesses.

“This will be a successful, 24-hour a day community,” Gov.George Pataki said.

The money will be distributed through the city-state LowerManhattan Development Corp., which will begin acceptingapplications by late summer, officials said.

Eligible residents of Chinatown, Little Italy and parts of theLower East Side could receive $1,000 one-time subsidies, whilepeople who commit to two-year stays downtown could receive as much$12,000.

Households with at least one child are eligible for a $1,500family bonus.

—The Associated Press