US Prosecutor Sends Letter to Medical Journal, Alleging Bias
'The American College of Chest Physicians, publishers of the journal CHEST, can confirm that we received a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice, and its content was posted online without our knowledge,' a spokeswoman for the college told The Epoch Times in an email on April 21.
'Legal counsel is currently reviewing the DOJ request. Beyond our statement, we have no additional comment at this time.'
The missive, dated April 14, came from Edward Martin, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia.
Martin
He asked Dr. Peter Mazzone, editor-in-chief of CHEST, to answer five questions, including whether the journal accepts articles or essays of competing viewpoints.
Related Stories
4/9/2025
3/4/2025
'I am also interested to know if publishers, journals, and organizations with which you work are adjusting their method of acceptance of competing viewpoints,' Martin wrote. 'Are there new norms being developed and offered?'
He asked for a response by May 2.
Martin's office did not respond to a request for comment by publication time.
The American College of Chest Physicians
The college also said that the journal complies with ethical guidelines and that it respects the journal's editorial independence.
It's not clear if similar letters were sent to any other journals. A spokesperson for PLOS told The Epoch Times in an email that it has not received one. Other journals did not return inquiries.
Several free speech groups decried the letter, including the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
'The First Amendment couldn't be clearer: A publication's editorial decisions are none of the government's business. Newspaper, blog, medical journal—it doesn't matter. Back off,' the organization
'When a U.S. Attorney wields the power of his office to target medical journals over their content, he isn't doing his job, let alone upholding his constitutional oath. He's abusing his authority to try to chill protected speech.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Epoch Times
4 hours ago
- Epoch Times
Dustin Bass
Author Dustin Bass is the creator and host of the American Tales podcast, and co-founder of The Sons of History. He writes two weekly series for The Epoch Times: Profiles in History and This Week in History. He is also an author. LATEST LATEST The Great Depression, New Deals, and the Birth of Social Security In 'This Week in History,' the Great Depression ushered in a new political and social landscape, resulting in a historic piece of legislation. Aug 09, 2025 | Dustin Bass Henry Perky: The Shredded Wheat King In this installment of 'Profiles in History,' we meet a young lawyer and politician whose inquisitive mind revolutionized breakfast. Jul 29, 2025 | Dustin Bass Henry Perky: The Shredded Wheat King In this installment of 'Profiles in History,' we meet a young lawyer and politician whose inquisitive mind revolutionized breakfast. Jul 29, 2025 | Dustin Bass
Epoch Times
a day ago
- Epoch Times
Why the 747 Is Far and Away Still the Best Option for the New Air Force One
President Donald Trump arrives aboard Air Force One at Pittsburgh International Airport in Coraopolis, Penn., on Jan. 18, 2018. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Time capsule reveals McGuinness and Ahern's hopes for the future
The world - and Northern Ireland- was a very different place when Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness and Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Bertie Ahern placed letters inside a time capsule to mark the 50th anniversary of the Creggan estate. No internet, no smart phones and no peace, given the wooden box, held at Creggan Library, was padlocked shut on 23 January 1998 in Londonderry - less than three months before the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. Now, the time capsule has been opened as part of this year's Derry Feile, giving an insight into the ongoing peace process in which both men played major roles. In his letter, McGuinness, then Sinn Féin's chief negotiator in peace talks, wrote of his hopes for "peace for all the children of this island". In the letter dated 24 December 1997, McGuiness wrote that the early months of 1998 would be a "crucial period in Ireland's history", adding the "task ahead is an awesome one". On 10 April 1998, the Good Friday Agreement was signed. The deal brought an end to 30 years of conflict in Northern Ireland, known as the Troubles. Ahern became taoiseach (Irish prime minister) in June 1997. His letter to the people of Creggan also ponders the political climate of the time. "As I write this, Northern Ireland is at a cross-roads as we try to forge a peaceful future based on equality and respect," he wrote. Snapshot of community life Alongside artefacts from prominent politicians, the capsule provided local people with a way of capturing a snapshot of their community as it celebrated the anniversary. Countless sealed letters written by local school children and by people from Creggan, magazine clippings, maps, and school projects were also revealed. The capsule also contained newspapers from the time, including the Derry Journal and Irish News, videos of Creggan, and a recording of BBC Radio Foyle's Michael Bradley presenting a special programme to mark Creggan's milestone. It was opened on Friday at Creggan Library, its home for the last 25 years. Inside was also a letter written by Creggan resident Philomena McLaughlin. She worked with Creggan Parents and Toddlers and the local women's group. The letter, she told BBC News NI, was a late addition to the capsule, written and placed inside on the day the box was sealed shut. On Friday, she read again the words she penned a quarter of a century ago. In her letter she wrote of her pride in her community, her hopes and aspirations for her three children. She told BBC News NI it was "strange and emotional" to read her 1998 letter again. "We are in a better place now than what we were. It is not perfect but it is better, housing and employment are still issues, but we are no different here than anywhere else. "But our children are a lot safer on the streets. Creggan is only on the up as far as I can see," she said. The library's manager Glen Foley said it has been "a real privilege for Creggan Library to look after this community time capsule for more than 25 years". "There was great interest in the opening, and it was fascinating to finally uncover the items inside and take a moment to reflect on what life was like then – and how much has changed," he said. He added:'The contents will be on display in Creggan Library until 29 August, when we'll be adding a new chapter to the capsule as part of our Big Summer Read finale event, before resealing it until 2050.' Seaweed pizza and bugs - kids predict culinary delights of the future What is the Good Friday Agreement? Obituary: Martin McGuinness
