A federal district judge is allowing the CIA to fire the agency’s director of the Center for Global Health Services Dr. Terry Adirim.
Adirim filed a lawsuit against the CIA on May 2 after she was fired by the agency and accused of denying her due process and also caving to criticism over her role in mandating COVID-19 vaccines for military service members. Despite Adirim’s attempt to block her removal, U.S. District Judge Michael Nachmanoff ruled that the former director’s case lacked sufficient evidence to prevent her termination, according to Politico.
In 2021, Adirim served as acting assistant secretary of health affairs and played a role in the Department of Defense’s rollout of mandatory COVID-19 vaccines.
“We’re honest and up-front in acknowledging the department is confronting many of the same challenges that the rest of America is in maximizing vaccine acceptance. We’re using every tool possible to increase vaccination, and we’ll continue to do so from the secretary to the most junior leader,” Adirim said during a 2021 press conference.
The former director was reportedly removed from the CIA on April 4, with reports of her termination beginning to circulate on April 8 after being reposted online by former U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency employee Ivan Raiklin, according to The New York Times.
The lawsuit — filed against the CIA, agency Director John Ratcliffe, Raiklin, and America’s Future Inc. — claims she was fired two days after activist Laura Loomer allegedly visited the White House to speak with President Donald Trump. Loomer allegedly had a list of national security officials who should be dismissed.
According to the lawsuit, Raiklin was singled out by the former director over social media posts that labeled her the “architect” of the Pentagon’s “Jab Genocide.” Adirim’s lawsuit claims Raiklin asked Loomer to include her on a list of officials to remove and requests further evidence be obtained through litigation.
In addition to the lawsuit, Adirim’s attorney, Kevin Carroll, said Donald Trump Jr.’s post on X about her removal effectively served as the agency’s public endorsement that she acted illegally or unethically, according to Politico.
However, Nachmanoff ruled Friday that Carroll’s argument regarding Trump Jr.’s post lacked sufficient evidence to show the CIA was defaming Adirim, the outlet reported.
Raiklin has denied having any communication with Loomer in the months before Adirim’s firing, Politico said.
While the former director signed a renewable five-year contract with the agency in December, the CIA allegedly told her upon her dismissal that the contract included a clause allowing termination with 30 days’ notice for “any reason,” The New York Times reported.
Nachmanoff also lifted the administrative stay he issued last week that temporarily paused Adirim’s firing until the hearing, according to Politico.
(Featured Image Media Credit: Screen Capture/CNN)
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