Judge Allows CIA to Fire Doctor Who Helped Enforce Military COVID Mandate
A federal judge has denied an emergency bid by Dr. Terry Adirim to halt her dismissal from the CIA, rejecting her claims that political activists orchestrated her firing in retaliation for her role in enforcing the military's COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
In a
Adirim, a former senior Defense Department official who served as the CIA's Director of Global Health Services, alleged in court filings that she became the target of a politically motivated campaign led by activist Ivan Raiklin. She claimed in her
Her lawsuit named the CIA, Raiklin, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and the conservative nonprofit America's Future, Inc., as defendants. It alleged due process violations, defamation, a contract breach, and a Privacy Act violation stemming from alleged leaks about her dismissal to Breitbart News.
In a 25-page opposition
'Plaintiff pinpoints the blame not on the CIA, but on a non-governmental actor, Ivan Raiklin, whom she accuses of orchestrating her termination through a scheme of defamation and political influence,' the attorneys wrote. 'Besides being farfetched—and untrue—Plaintiff's allegations do not actually amount to any viable claim against the Federal Defendants, let alone any claim that merits an injunction.'
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The Department of Justice acknowledged Adirim's name appeared on Raiklin's so-called 'Deep State Target List' but said this had no bearing on the CIA's decision. 'There is no reason other than the close timing of Ms. Loomer's White House visit and the CIA's communication of its termination decision to Plaintiff to suggest the two are linked,' the filing states.
The CIA maintained that Adirim wasn't terminated over politics but because of 'multiple complaints' from CIA staff about her 'inappropriate and harassing' conduct in the workplace.
According to a
The political and legal controversy surrounding the military's COVID-19 vaccination mandate intensified just days before the court's ruling. On May 7, the Pentagon issued sweeping new
Adirim, who had signed key policy documents enabling the Pentagon's mandate while serving as acting assistant secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, became a focal point in that broader political reckoning—even as the CIA maintained her dismissal was unrelated.
A soldier watches another soldier receive his COVID-19 vaccination from Army Preventative Medical Services in Fort Knox, Ky., on Sept. 9, 2021.In her complaint, Adirim contended that being fired just weeks before qualifying for federal retirement amounted to irreparable harm, that she had been defamed after decades of public service, and that her family had been endangered.
The CIA said that the decision was internal, lawful, and based on employee complaints rather than political pressure.
In response to the May 9 ruling, Adirim's attorney Kevin Carroll told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement, 'We respect the court's decision and look forward to litigating the underlying issues.'
The case remains active in federal court but without the injunction she had sought, Adirim's termination is now set to proceed as planned.
Raiklin, in a
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