Government allegedly yields to far-right pressures, leading to the termination of CIA's leading physician and her subsequent lawsuit against the administration.
Going After the Spy Agents' Top Doc!
The ex-top physician of the CIA is taking the agency to court over her boot, accusing them of discriminating against her, and allegedly caving to far-right wingnuts who targeted her for criticism.
Known as Dr. Terry Adirim, this former bigwig ran the CIA's Center for Global Health Services, having previously served as the Defense Department's assistant secretary of health affairs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Within days of landing her new job last year at the CIA, notorious far-right commentator Ivan Raiklin slammed Adirim, claiming she was allegedly the mastermind behind the Defense Department's vaccine mandate, requiring soldiers to take the COVID-19 jab.
According to the lawsuit, Adirim's hiring with the CIA hadn't been publicly announced yet, and someone inside the government leaked the information to Raiklin.
Raiklin, a former Green Beret and self-proclaimed "secretary of retribution," has been anti-vax, branding the COVID-19 vaccine a "DNA-mutilation injection." He's been hostile towards Pentagon officials thought to be involved in the vaccine mandate.
Raiklin shares links with Michael Flynn, who worked as President Donald Trump's national security advisor at the outset of Trump's first term.
The CIA has yet to respond to our request for comment.
Background:
Before being terminated, Adirim was given an email from the CIA's chief operating officer expressing enthusiasm about investing in her career, per the lawsuit.
The dismissal came just two days after Lara Loomer, another far-right conspiracy theorist, lobbied at the White House, urging the removal of several top security officials for disloyalty, according to the lawsuit.
Loomer later took credit for the sudden dismissal of the chief of the National Security Agency, four-star Air Force Gen. Timothy Haugh, as well as the agency's civilian deputy.
"We're taking the CIA to court to prevent Dr. Adirim's dismissal and claim compensation for the violation of her privacy, her due process rights, and her employment contract," said Adirim's attorney, Kevin Carroll, in a statement.
Carroll plans to uncover through discovery that Raiklin collaborated with Loomer to secure Adirim's axing.
- The lawsuit filed by Dr. Terry Adirim, the former top physician of the CIA, alleges that her dismissal was a result of discrimination and collusion by far-right individuals, including Ivan Raiklin.
- According to the lawsuit, the CIA's chief operating officer had previously expressed enthusiasm about funding and supporting Adirim's career before her unexpected dismissal.
- Ivan Raiklin, a self-proclaimed "secretary of retribution," has been on the forefront of opposing vaccine mandates, including the one implemented by the Defense Department, of which Adirim was previously a part.
- Lara Loomer, another far-right conspiracy theorist, lobbied at the White House several days before Adirim's dismissal, urging the removal of top security officials for disloyalty, according to the lawsuit.
- Raiklin and Loomer are suspected of collaborating to secure Adirim's dismissal, a claim that Adirim's attorney, Kevin Carroll, plans to investigate during the discovery phase of the court case.
- The health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise communities have been polarized by the COVID-19 vaccine debate, with anti-vax voices like Raiklin causing controversy and stirring fear around the topic.
- The politics surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and the vaccine mandate have been a major focus in general news and crime-and-justice reporting, as individuals and organizations try to navigate the complex web of science, health, and political influence.
