Truth Is An Absolute Defense To Libel

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I keep thinking that I am done writing about the WPI and will get back to writing about my real life, but the noise from Reno continues to be deafening. Like everyone else, I was waiting to see what happens with the FBI investigation, when I got an email from Annette Whittemore. Publishing personal email is distasteful, but after serious consideration, I’ve decided that said email was written by a CEO of a non-profit, still begging my readers for donations. Their final communication, included below, is from Carli West Kinne, Annette Whittemore’s niece, who works for the WPI as an attorney. This blog is my answer.

My response to Mrs. Whittemore and Ms. West Kinne is that everything I’ve said in my blogs is my opinion, based on my own first hand experience, and true, to the best of my knowledge. Much of it is documented in the public domain. I would be happy to share it all, except that full disclosure would require violations of confidences from sick patients. I have asked only questions that a legitimate nonprofit should be ready and able to answer.

In addition, there is no malice in my blogging, malice being a legal term. I believe in my heart that it is in the best interest of my readers to hear what I have to say. I am aware that the NIH is answering patient inquiries that the WPI is innocent until they send in evidence of their own guilt:). In the meantime, Dr. Mikovits is guilty until proven innocent, has no lab or financial cushion. In fact, she doesn’t even have health insurance and can’t qualify for unemployment because she was fired, even though it was arguably without cause. The “Wings of Hope” flew away with my hope when they took away Dr. Mikovits’ access to her lab.

I would like to make it perfectly clear, that I will continue to publish my opinions here, irrespective of any intimidation. If sued or subpoenaed I will write about that too. It is best to stand up to bullies. It is also best to speak out about a wrong that you see, even if your toes are right up to the edge of the quicksand. Especially if your reason for not speaking out is because of possible retaliation.

The First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States protects my right to speak freely. I am entitled to discuss and invite discourse on topics of any concern to me and to my readers. I will not apologize and I will not be silenced. If contacted again, my next call will be to the ACLU.

What I didn’t say in my response to Mrs. Whittemore, included below, was how much I would have loved to be able to write nice things. Even after I was fired, I held out hope that would be the case. I held that hope longer than I should have. The enormity of the lost chance is hard to take in. Instead of anything hopeful or uplifting, here is my latest “conversation” with the WPI, now complete with a lawyer letter.

The first email from Annette Whittemore, dated February 20.

Subject: Civil discourse

Jamie and Heidi,

I have seen what you have written about me. It is very painful and ugly.   Obviously you think it is ok to libel me and try to hurt my reputation and that of this institute.  You should know that there are innocent people who come to work every day to try to help this institute and help patients like you.  They are hurt by your words.  Our researchers work six and seven days a week for you.  They are hurting because of you.  You should know what your actions are doing to innocent people, like my family members, all because you have decided you know something about me or think that I have done something wrong.  I would like to know what you think I’ve done or said so that we can clear the air once and for all.

I don’t believe in writing mean and ugly things about other people.  I would like to settle this in a civil manner.  We can start wherever you’d like.  If I can’t answer your concern, I can find someone in our organization who can.  If you’d prefer we can email individually.  Please let me know.

Thanks,
Annette

Here is my response of February  22.

Annette,

If you want to work things out with me, there are a few things that need to happen first. Otherwise I will continue to believe that the WPI is a black hole that you use for your own purposes, to benefit your family and friends, without regard for the patients to whom the institute professes to be dedicated.

1. Drop both the criminal and civil suits against Judy. Give her a reasonable severance package so she can get back on her feet. Apologize for your hideous public display of legal bullying.

2. Step down as CEO in favor of someone competent, someone with a prayer of retaining real talent.

3. Appoint a real Board of Directors, who are not your friends, but rather people with something to contribute other than pleasing you.

4. Account for the money and return what wasn’t used for research. I assume that the actual sum is likely larger than what I know about, which is at least $8 million: grant money already received, fundraisers, donations, contest money, UNR money? ear-marked for SPECT scanner and other medical equipment (I heard the figure $5 million on more than one occasion, a million for the scanner), $150K/month for almost a year from a private investor (yes, I do remember that you told me who it was, as well as the terms and, no, I didn’t name them publicly, though I don’t know why I am being kind to you). For all that money, I see one paper about cytokines that still stands, and Judy wrote it.

5. Return the small donations, from people who could ill afford them, that were earmarked for research or specific things for which they were not used.

Your newsletter was disgusting. It is time for you to justify your existence with more than propaganda. Why should anyone trust you? It is not possible to accomplish anything in the field without a reputation for integrity. If you cannot reclaim yours, it is better for the patient community if the WPI closes its doors. Why throw good money after bad?

Sincerely,
Jamie

P.S. Thank you for firing me.

I received this the day before yesterday, with an attachment, the letter from Carli Kinne.

Subject: harmful and damaging misinformation

Dear Jamie,

You are completely misinformed and your continued online communications full of false and misleading information are damaging to my reputation and to that of this non-profit institute.  Please stop now and apologize for the personal harm that you have caused me and this institute.

Annette

February, 24, 2011

Dear Deck-off Jones,

It has come to my attention that you are sharing incorrect information on your blog and encouraging others to write the National Institutes of Health (NIH) regarding Whittemore Peterson Institute’s NIH grant.  While your most recent blog is full of erroneous and harmful information, I am only interested in correcting the record related to WPI’s grants.  WPI is in full compliance with the NIH Grants Policy Statement, including but not limited to, all cost principles and reporting requirements.  As I am sure you are aware, claims against Annette Whittemore and/or WPI in a civil complaint are mere allegations that must be proven in court.  There is no “evidence in the public domain that the CEO of the WPI is a liar and fraud,” as stated in your blog.  There is also no evidence that WPI has misused grant funds, which you continue to allege in your blogs.  Furthermore, the NIH grant will continue under the guidance of a qualified principal investigator (PI).  There was no “pull involved” in order to change the PI, and to guess at such action taking place in your blog is damaging to all parties involved.  In addition, Dr. Lombardi does not have a financial conflict of interest as you continue to allege in connection with his relationship with VIP Dx, a company that is no longer in business.  As for the Department of Defense (DOD) grant, the DOD was pleased to approve Dr. Lombardi as the PI.  Please stop sharing false information and discontinue encouraging others to use this false information in correspondence to the NIH or any other granting agency such as the DOD.  These actions interfere with WPI’s business and harm WPI’s reputation.

Carli West-Kinne
Vice President and Legal Counsel
Whittemore Peterson Institute

 

To suppress free speech is a double wrong. It violates the rights of the hearer as well as those of the speaker. ~Frederick Douglass

 

IMEA petition at Change.org: INVESTIGATE POSSIBLE WPI/UNR MISUSE OF TAXPAYER FUNDS

 

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56 thoughts on “Truth Is An Absolute Defense To Libel”

  1. I wish this was a closed chapter in your life, for the sake of your health. Thank you for your honesty. Without your voice, the CFS community would be blind to the truth. I hate what has happened to Judy Mikovits. She is a brilliant researcher who deserves to be treated like the professional woman she is. I regret ever sending a donation to WPI.

  2. After seeing your title——————————-Truth Is An Absolute Defense To Libel——————-
    I had to chuckle because that is a good one. And so true ….but I am facing legal action by doctors who treated us like dirt and then when I blogged about the incidences exactly as they occurred, I was sued. Now mind you , I have everything they said on tape and they are still denying it . We are fighting in superior court for 3 years now. Yikes! They are idiotic if they think I won’t disclose it all on the tapes. I have nothing to lose. Problem is sometimes they “the ones who initiate the lawsuits have money to burn and friends in high places. Justice often goes to the highest bidder-sad but true. Other than that, I like what you have to say and am proud of what you do. Judy was treated like dirt and deserves better. Keep up the good work!

    • @ Lisa,

      I haven’t found much justice in the justice system in my personal life either. The supporting evidence in this case is mostly in the public domain. However we all know that anyone can sue anyone, if they want to spend money. If that happens, I would hope that anyone who donated money to the WPI, would object to the institute spending its money that way. How much money do you think they have spent making sure that Dr. Mikovits can’t work? Or even speak?

      Warmly,
      Jamie

  4. Ginny said:

    “I wish this was a closed chapter in your life, for the sake of your health.”

    Obviously, Jamie is choosing to keep it open. I certainly don’t agree with everything the WPI has done, but please stop pretending that Jamie is a victim here.

      • You’re totally missing the point. Jamie is CHOOSING to CONTINUE this tiresome (and on her part, bitchy and unbelievably childish) back and forth with the Whittemores. She could stop at any time, but instead clearly wants the to play the role of the martyr.

        The Saint (and I suppose some would call her a “victim” as well) is already taken by Judy Mikovits.

        Jamie: Do you actually think you’d get any sort of respectful reply to your nasty and insulting reply to Ms. Whittemore? Your list of demands was…embarrassing.

        Paula: I’m surprised you’re still following this discredited line of research. You’re so much smarter than that.

        • I’m not missing the point at all. Annette instigated this exchange as far as I can see.
          There was nothing embarrassing in Jamies email to Annette. I felt everything she asked for was what any reasonable person would expect from a alleged professional institute.
          They did not even have the decency to return the small donations made by people who could ill afford it but were living the dream Annette was promising.
          No instead they continued living THEIR dream life, spending our money on their lavish lifestyle.
          They have shown themselves to be of very low morals, without scruples and are in fact the kind of scum I would hate to call my friends, which you obviously have no scruples being yourself.
          One has to wonder why you continue to follow Jamie’s blog when you find it so offensive to your friends.

          • Scarlet, please.

            You don’t know me, and don’t know who my friends are, so please stop jumping to insane conclusions.

            As I said below, I’m a patient. I’m just extremely frustrated that anyone is still wasting their energy (and draining it) discussing ANYTHING that has to do with XMRV/etc.

            How is that helping you heal? How is this bitterness and CLINGING TO THE PAST helping ANYONE?

            With that said, I’m outta here. Good luck with your recoveries.

        • Hello Kelly,
          I guess I have at least the intelligence of Dr. Ian Lipkin, right? He still thinks there may be a few real murine retroviruses that have infected humans. You know I can give IQ tests, since I am an educator by career back when I could still work every day. I’m no genius. I always describe myself as just a sixth grade teacher who can sense when something makes sense. To me, a new retrovirus infecting the human population makes sense. I wish it didn’t. We need to wait and see what Mikovits and Lipkin come up with. Nothing is off the table yet. Go back and read “Osler’s Web” and look what the CDC did to Dr. DeFreitas in 1991, and she was no dumb broad either. What was she seeing?

          • Hi Paula,

            Thanks for your kind reply. Good points about Lipkin — you’re right, we’ll have to see how that comes out. (I have a funny feeling however that if it doesn’t pan out as some hope it will, then we’ll hear cries of a coverup, a conspiracy, again.)

            It’s interesting that you bring up Osler’s Web. While it certainly had many merits, I guess I’m one of a very few in the patient population who felt it’s main failing was the presumption that ME/CFS was caused by an retrovirus like HIV. That’s a lot to presume, with pretty much nothing to back it up.

            The Defreitas situation was indeed very sad, but it’s my understanding that even she couldn’t find her own ‘findings’ when the samples were blinded.

            What I keep coming back to is, if there is a retroviral connection, then how do we explain the documented cases of people who have actually recovered? Sure, they’re rare, at least according to the CDC, but people have recovered, even those who were bedridden (remember they old days on CFS-Experimental?).

            Of course every time recovery is mentioned, the “well they must not have had “real” ME/CFS” chorus pops in.

            Anyway, good to hear from you, and again, good points Paula.

  5. Just so everyone knows, all citizens are within their rights to contact the NIH, NIAID, CDC, or any other government agency regarding how taxpayer money is spent. Many of them are already required to provide this information as part of the transparency act. You can also feel free to contact your congressional representatives too. Government agencies work for you. Anyone can ask for an investigation. That’s why there are compliance, integrity, and ethics divisions either within or overseeing these agencies. They also work for you.

  6. Dr. Jamie, we so appreciate everything you have done for our community. Thank you for your courage, compassion and integrity in the face of bullying.

  7. Hmm, you’d think they’d have other things to worry about besides your blog, Jamie, what with suing Dr M, countersuing the Seenos, being sued by them, and trying to rescue a stillborn clinic and an amputee research facility. Not to mention, erm, actually creating solutions for people with NeuroImmune disease.

    I truly hope they *can* turn things around, put their mistakes behind them, put their resources and influence to work to further our chances of finding treatment. Somehow, focusing on you doesn’t seem like a top priority in achieving that goal,
    but then again firing Judy didn’t seem like one either–so maybe I’m missing something ; )

  8. Our Dear Jamie,

    Your blog is Evolution in action. The 99% are shoulder to shoulder with you all the way HOME.

    WPI’s ‘attorney’ addressed you with NO title, and you are a beloved Dr /MD. And didn’t even hyphenate your surname properly !

    At least you don’t have to go on Reno TV with the bewildered fellow who repeatedly interviewed Mikovits and Annette.

    Annette is beyond-late for this date with destiny. The timing of her belated appearance now may be related to your new website , which showcases some increasingly brilliant comments.

    Annette should study mobster-wives—when caught redhanded at their craft, they certainly don’t give others the credit .

    (You have written little about Annette personally, considering. Her note reveals a juvenile emotional IQ , which has now maimed millions as CEO of WPI)

    The Feds blackmailed Harvey .
    1. Feds fear the genius of Mikovits may expose them.
    2. Feds threaten to expose Harvey’s crimes
    3. Harvey agrees to sack Mikovits in hopes of continued smooth sailing on the sewers of Federal corruption. (The Federal trail from Reno to California in the framing of Mikovits is all public record, even included in certain newspaper articles by resiliant journalists.)
    4. The Feds double cross Harvey and expose him anyway.

    Later.

    • Robert said: “Her note reveals a juvenile emotional IQ.”

      And how would you describe Jamie’s reply?

  9. But Robert there’s one problem with you theory. Why did they just give them the federal money?

    • With Mikovits gone, and now that the Feds are making sure no true research will be done at WPI, it is safe for the Feds to give them the funds.

  10. Thank you Jamie,
    another informative blog. I have total admiration for your bravery.
    I was shocked at the title as it is very nearly the same title Andrea used in a nasty intimidating email to me, I guess she is her Mothers daughter…….but hold on then again.

  11. Your courage and your honest are breathtaking, Dr. Deckoff-Jones. You have cut through all the nonsense from Annette Whittemore and distilled the essence of truth for us. It is clear that Mrs. Whittemore cares only for herself and her own family. What about all of us who suffer from M.E.? We have sent our donations to this Institute thinking those donations were funding Dr. Mikovits’ research when they were not. Now we are berated for asking what was done with our tax money sent to WPI/UNR and our donations. If Mrs. Whittemore is not hiding something, why does she not just tell us what she did with the money? Postponing this accounting only serves to intensify our desire to know because it implies that something is being hidden.

    It is time for WPI/UNR to account, and if Mrs. Whittemore wants to preserve any semblance of respect for her among M.E. patients, she needs to immediately explain an she needs to give a thorough explanation. Nothing else will suffice.

    PETITION TO INVESTIGATE POSSIBLE WPI/UNR MISUSE OF TAXPAYER FUNDS
    http://www.change.org/petitions/investigate-possible-wpiunr-misuse-of-taxpayer-funds

    • The way forward is very clear ….. to me at least. The WPI should publish detailed accounts of all their income (anonymised) and expenditures over the past 3 years on their website and thus lay themselves open to public scrutiny. Given the alleged breach of trust, they owe this to those who gave so generously in order to fund Dr.Mikovits’ work, particularly those who could least afford it. However, I’m pretty confident that they won’t do it………. I wonder why ? Go on Annette, I dare you.

  12. Dear We-st Kinne,

    “These actions interfere with WPI’s business and harm WPI’s reputation.”

    The WPI’s business was interfered with when Dr Mikovits was terminated for “insolence”.
    The WPI’s reputation had begun to be tarnished before that. Asking patients to raise the money to bring in “talent” for their fundraiser (which is especially galling if even 1% of what the Seeno’s allege is true), announcing Dr Donnica Moore as being on board and never to hear from her, Dr Deckoff-Jones being fired and the translational medicine we were promised not materializing (what is currently occupying space at WPI is not any patient’s idea or understanding of translational medicine), the flagrant whitewashing on Nevada Newsmakers, patients sending donations notated specifically for Dr Mikovits research which she apparently never received and on and on.
    Then her email to Heidi and Jamie shows her as nothing but a completely out of touch, clueless, immature, Peter Principle Princess.
    I would opine that the dramatic decline in patient donations since the firing of Dr Mikovits speaks directly to who is responsible for whatever the reputation is of the WPI. Annette Whittemore blaming anyone but herself for the state of the WPI is rather like the fox blaming the farmer for having a henhouse.

    (And seriously, you’re saying this with a straight face?! “As for the Department of Defense (DOD) grant, the DOD was pleased to approve Dr. Lombardi as the PI.” Something tells me a paper pushing bureaucrat rubber stamped it.)

    • The WPI’s reputation was tarnished when they hired Dr. Mikovits, someone who publicly admitted after the infamous Science paper was published, that she knew nothing about ME/CFS, and set about assuming that there is/was a single cause for the disease.

      No wonder Dr. Peterson left.

      • Kellen without the 2009 paper from judy where would WPI be now ? They wouldnt have recieved any money from chase or vivant for starters . My guess is there would have been no grand institute at the univerity of reno , they would have remained unheard of to the vast majority and they would probably have still been getting sued by the seenos .So I hardly think the WPI’s reputation was tarnished when they hired Dr. Mikovits . Thanks to the 2009 paper WPI got a chance to play in the big league unfortunatley they wernt ready to play in the big league and mistakes became their downfall . WPI need to take a big look at themselves before they blame everyone and anyone else for whats happened and trying to sue the arse of anyone who has dared to cross their path is not the answer .

        • Polly,
          you know I thought I recognised that tone, of course it’s our friend Kellen. Not very imaginative if I may say Kellen, but then that has never been the forte of the WPI has it. So Annette has her little spy right here to report back all.
          Please tell her MOST patients are fully on the side of Drs Deckoff and Mikovits, she is playing such a silly childish game here in a bid to squeeze more money out of innocent people.
          Please be so kind as to tell her if she does end up wearing an orange jumpsuit along with Daddy Whittemore, there will be celebrations all over the world.
          I think your company lawyer needs spelling and punctuation lessons too.
          Thank you Hermes for saving us the trouble of emailing Annette ourselves.

          • LOL! Who in the hell is “Kellen”?

            For your information, I’m a woman, the name is Kelly, and I’ve been sick for 16 years now, can only leave the house maybe once a week.

            “MOST patients” are “fully” on the side of Mikovits and Jamie?

            Please provide some proof of that claim.

            sigh…

      • Are you freaking kidding me Kelly (Kellen?)?? She admitted to not knowing about ME/CFS going into the research. Annette taught her about the disease as well as Peterson. I have talked to her extensively about the science and the disease. She knows. In fact, she is the only researcher to really have seen the seriously bedridden patients with the disease. She has also said many times that a retrovirus in conjunction with environmental and genetic factors is most likely at play. She understands the complicated nature better than any other researcher out there right now.

        Whatever gruesome picture they have tried to paint for you regarding Judy is completely false. I think even you know that in your deepest conscience. Stop being their pawn and think for yourself. None of what they say adds up.

        • Well Kellen,
          you have just reminded me of a couple of petitions supporting Dr.Mikovits which were doing the rounds before Daddy Whittemore ordered “call your dogs off”. The dogs (us patients) became silent to try and help Dr.Mikovits.
          I think it is now time to get those petitions doing the rounds again and let you see the patient support I speak about.
          I thought/hoped you were out of here.
          Give it up, they really are not worth it unless your being very very well paid.

      • I support both Judy M and Jamie DJ.

        The WPI were just a rip off, that humiliated all those that strong armed their families to donate, time and money.

        The WPI’s screw-ups and power-mongering has left psychiatrist gleefully rubbing their hands together, all over the UK, as they now tout, with great fervour CBT & GET as the only treatment for people with ME cfs.

        Yes the Whittemore’s have most definitely harmed UK patients.

        Dr Judy M, gave them strength and hope.

        The WPI is an embarrassment at best now……

        as is anything associated with the Whittemore name.

  13. It is very, very expensive to defend oneself against the civil and criminal suits brought against Dr. Mikovits by the WPI. As a child I was taught in the Pledge of Allegiance to say “…….with liberty and justice for all”, that should have been “…..with liberty and justice for SALE.”. A fund has been set up by patients who support Dr. Mikovits. If you would like to help with the legal bills incurred by Dr. Mikovits and if you are comfortably able to do so, please donate to the Judy Mikovits Legal Fund. Here’s how: http://tinyurl.com/MikovitsLegalFund
    See also http://www.facebook.com/pages/Justice-for-Judy-Mikovits-Legal-Fund/213326632079072

    If you prefer to mail a check, please make the check payable to Judy Mikovits Legal Fund and mail it to: 2031 Jamestown Way, Oxnard, CA 93035 Please do not donate if doing so would use funds which are necessary for your own needs.

  14. 'Patients' seen by Drs never examined and credit is being ruined because they haven't paid the bills they sponsored. wish they would have called ..we nevr wouls have made the drive there. we were so ill for weeks after. what can the patient do to get just on said:

    Thousands of dollars ruinihg my credit. I am too sick to work, was chosen to be sponsored with examinations, tests, treatments and travel expenses. Now being contacted by creditirs and homes so bad credit won’t help to get a home. Have gotten more I’ll and disabled since, where is the promise and now where is the justice. Someone please help…did they want our blood and then just to allow us to die after? Hopes dashed….again. any advice appreciated. Feeling so weak and near death.

    • Eternal thanks . Hope Jamie keeps your post front and center before the whole world , forever and ever , amen.

      A testament that creating disease is the bottom line .

      But they overshot , and now its overkill.

      ME/CFS is more business than they need.

      Reality is what Robert states. Likely he doesn’t watch tv or know the program . I certainly never watch tv.

  15. This whole thing (both sides) is just so embarrassing and saddening for the patient community, or at least for this member of the patient community (I am tired of other patients claiming to speak for me). Obviously, there is a huge rift in perceptions of what happened at the WPI over the past year or so, but throwing mud back and forth is very ugly and just makes us all look so crazy. Is this going to be the public face of our disease? God help us.

    • Very well said Agatha.

      I’m sorry if my posts above may come off as blunt or whatever. It’s just very frustrating to see that Jamie is still playing along with this circus, and basically pandering to very ill patients who may be led to think that the WPI will actually return their donations or the study will get pulled from the them. Things just don’t work that way. It’s time to move on.

      There are lots of forums online, lots of people actually improving using various protocols. But you won’t hear that here.

      • Kelly,
        I see you have been sick 16 years. I also got sick in 1995. I have a diagnosis of Lyme disease, mycoplasma incognitus, Epstein Barr, c. pneumonia and m. pneumonia – all of these reactivate. I have done very well on antibiotics but never fully recover and gradually relapse. I have had the veins leading out of my brain ballooned because they were stenosed. I use oxygen as prescribed by Dr. Deckoff-Jones. I take ImmunoPro and garlic. Both Dr. D-J and I have tried the Marshall Protocol for several months but did not find it helpful in our cases. Others I know have, not all. I do not test positive for XMRV, but am waiting to see if there is some PMRV which I may be infected with. I have had vaccines in order to travel. I also had the polio vaccine as a child that has caused illness years later in some people. I respect Dr. Deckoff-Jones and certainly Dr. Mikovits as an expert scientist in AIDS research.

        How are you doing and what have you done to try and get an accurate diagnosis and treatment for your case? Life is too short to waste our time attacking each other’s intelligence.

  16. Hi Jamie all I can say is stick to your guns . Ill take a person who speaks their mind anyday over people who hide behind legal jargon .

    I am trying to comment on the following article but the social plugin doesnt seem to be working I hope you dont mind me posting here but I think its relevant .

    http://www.rgj.com/comments/article/20120228/NEWS/120228030/Whittemore-Peterson-Institute-seek-millions-damages-from-fired-researcher

    and this is the comment I would like to put on the article which ive tried many times and failed so I would appreciate if it could be posted here ……….

    The only reason that the whittemores are not recieving donations is the appalling way they have treated patients since all this blew up in sept . This has nothing to do with Judy that donations have stopped . Ask anyone in the ME community why they have stopped donating and I bet they al say the same .Many people have infact tried to get their donations back as they feel they were not used for the purpose intended . Very sick patients donated a lot of money much coming from the UK and Europe as all they wanted was to further the research and hopefully get some treatment out of it . Now patients are distraught , angry and feel like they have been sold up the river by the whittemores . I urge the whittemores to drop this case against Judy who has only ever tried to help patients . This case is causing huge distress and damage to the ME community who merely want the science to continue and a stab at normal life again before its too late . So my message to the Whittemores stop blaming Judy for the sudden stop in donations Judy has nothing to do with that . Patients can think for themselves , would you continue to donate money when it was highly unlikely you would ever see any benefit from it ? Only a fool would .

    • I agree Polly,
      that is the ONLY reason donations dried up to the WPI. They gave us hope, which went out of the door with Dr. Mikovits. We not only stopped donating, but many asked for the donations made to be returned. Small money to the Whittemore’s but big money to those struggling to manage. We were of course refused. Then Annette has the audacity to claim that Jamie’s blog is painful to her.
      Believe me Annette you have no idea what real pain is if you find Jamie’s blog painful. Many of us could give you a lesson in real pain.

  19. Theres no reply button under this reply to me from Kelly ?
    Kelly
    on February 29, 2012 at 7:33 am said:
    LOL! Who in the hell is “Kellen”?

    For your information, I’m a woman, the name is Kelly, and I’ve been sick for 16 years now, can only leave the house maybe once a week.

    “MOST patients” are “fully” on the side of Mikovits and Jamie?

    Please provide some proof of that claim.

    sigh…

    So ill reply here . My apologies if you are not Kellen but it was an easy mistake to make due to me being ill with this illness and getting sicker . I read your name as Kellen not Kelly probably due to the fact you write like her , your aggresive tone is like her and the fact you are sounding like a WPI puppet is just like her . Easy mistake to make . Im also suprised if you have been following this like you appear to have been that you have no idea who Kellen is . Most bizarre .

    Whilst you are entitled to your opinions I will say this . If you had witnessed some of the nasty emails that I have to members of the ME community coming from people connected with WPI such as Kellen I do not think you would be quite so supportive of them . These are emails to very sick patients who had fully supported WPI and had raised thousands in dollars for them . You obviously are totally unaware of the bigger story to all this perhaps you should be taking a closer look . I myself raised thousands of dollars for WPI .and now I feel I ripped folk off in the process . The difference between me and WPI however is the fact that I have personally apologised to every single person that I got to donate . If I had the money to reimberse people out of my own money I would as I feel had I not supported WPI like I did and encouraged people to donate for my birthdays and christmas’s and other times throughout the year these people would not be feeling as hurt and out of pocket as they are right now .I know hundreds of people in the ME community not one of those people is still donating to WPI . That in my book says a lot . WPI cannot expect people especially from outside the US to carry on donating when the money they donated was supposed to be going towards specific studies . People in the UK will no longer benefit from this infact some people who are homebound and were promised a place on the study have now been told they wont and that their blood will not be taken . Another person has had their blood and personal details lost . WPI need to take a close look at themselves can they honestly say hand on heart that they are not responsible in any shape or form for whats happened ? No I dont think so .

  20. Be careful Dr. Jones. Yes, truth is an absolute defense to libel and slander; however, opinion does not equal truth. If they can prove that what you have written harmed them financially and convince the judge that you have no evidence to back your statements, they could win a libel suit against you. The burden of proof is on them; however, free speech does not always trump libelous statements that cannot be proven as truth.

  21. I wanted to add one more thing. It seems that their letters to you are “setting you up” for a libel suit. They have warned you that what you have written is “damaging to their reputation and business.” and they are waiting for you to write more of these so called libelous statements. I would bet that their lawyers set up these letters. Once again, be careful.

    PS I am not making any statement that I disagree with you. For the most part I do agree. I worked as a Paralegal before I became ill. These letters are the first step to a libel suit.

  22. I didn’t know the non profit I’d supported had a lawyer as VP. Crikey this has gone waaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy too far. Transparency is what we all want Annette. An audit and an explanation.

  23. As a longtime patient, I think the simplest way to end this ugly affair would be if the WPI dropped all charges against Dr. Mikovits and any suggestions of a libel suit against any seriously ill patients who blog.

    Nothing can undo the disaster but I think the above could end the ugliness and let everyone move on. If the WPI still has a contribution to make to CFS research and treatment then go on and just do it, prove it.

    Regardless of the folks at the WPI think, a large part of the patient community has been severely alienated. Nothing will undo that other than their making positive contributions. And the ending of this legal morass with Dr. Mikovits. Let her move on, let us all move on.

    • I agree if WPI ever hope to gain patient support again they need to drop the lawsuits. It is because of Judy Mikovits that there ever was patient support/donations. WPI is causing much distress on the patient population with their actions. No other scientists will ever want to work there. Not with the possibility of being fired, thrown in jail or risk the threat of having their career and reputation destroyed, just for spite. Or is the motivation just to pay back debts they’ve created themselves? I guess time will tell. Yet if they stop this false persecution against the person that helped their daughter regain her health, the patient population may also have a change of heart. As it sits everyone loses and hopefully someone there has a conscience.

  24. It’s very simple. For this nightmare to end all that Annette has to do is drop the lawsuit crap and focus on something positive to actually help patients.
    I can only assume that until she does this she is putting her own personal issues ahead of what the patients want and need. Shame on her.

    • Well said, farnsworth. It really is that simple. If Annette Whittemore wants to resurrect her reputation and her Whittemore Peterson Institute, she needs to drop the legal actions against Dr. Mikovits and stop harassing patients. I am puzzled by exactly what Mrs. Whittemore is hoping to gain from this persecution. Surely she is aware that she is damaging her own reputation and that of her Institute. In what way will Mrs. Whittemore benefit from persecuting Dr. Mikovits and M.E. patients, including Dr. Deckoff-Jones?

  25. Robert said:
    “The Feds blackmailed Harvey .
    1. Feds fear the genius of Mikovits may expose them.
    2. Feds threaten to expose Harvey’s crimes
    3. Harvey agrees to sack Mikovits in hopes of continued smooth sailing on the sewers of Federal corruption. (The Federal trail from Reno to California in the framing of Mikovits is all public record, even included in certain newspaper articles by resiliant journalists.)
    4. The Feds double cross Harvey and expose him anyway.”

    If you understand “No. 1 – Feds fear the genius of Mikovits may expose them.”, you can see the rational for all of this. WPI is not really attempting to regain patient support, so appealing to that issue won’t work. They are struggling to do their part of the bargain of getting rid of Dr. M permanently or effectively paralyzing her. Blaming her for the lack of patient support, and donations, is part of the strategy to demonize her, raise the stakes and silence critics.

    If they do their part well enough, they will be found innocent of all or most federal charges. Until then, the heat is on. And of course, the federal grant money would go to them. That is the carrot, as opposed to the stick they are being beaten with in court. They play ball and they get grant money. I notice that they are now researching how genetics contributes to “cfs” – just the line CDC and the Feds want: no microbes here, just weak genes in the patients.

      • Yes let’s not forget the “Let’s all Vote for the CAA”. And the deal was sealed. Hope everyone is excited about the CBT/EBT and Lyrica treatment that’s in store if they visit. Well I’ve tried them all but I think I would like whatever the well one is having instead. Then maybe I can run around Hawaii too.

  26. The WPI people are angry that their goose did not lay the golden egg. Problems occurred; the research did not pan out the way they wanted, to bring them fame and fortune — donations, grants, acclaim — and maybe a treatment for CFIDS.
    So they took out aforementioned anger on the goose, i.e., Dr. Mikovits, and are still doing so. A revengeful bunch, I must say.
    Where is the concern for people with CFIDS? That is a rhetorical question.

  27. Sadly, it is time for ME/CFS to rebrand itself. Our research continues to be mired in self-defeat. In contrast, you have Kathy Giusti and Karen Andrews at the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF). Since 1998, the dynamic twins have raised over $120 million for research, 90% of which actually impacts the research itself. They have helped expidite the drug development process and have witnessed an increase in life expectancy for those suffering with multiple myeloma. The doctors actually collaborate with one another and have a tissue bank that they can draw from. Imagine the novelty of collective work. We have this researcher focussed on this specific cytokine, and this one focussed on viral activity, and another looking at gene alterations…and few looking at the whole picture. Maybe its not “one disease” but a family of diseases? I don’t know. Perhaps a little post-modern medicine is called for? I believe ME/CFS has a signature(s) though. It leaves some hints as to its identity through its actions/transactions/interactions in the bodies of patients. If we cannot find or agree on a common etiology, perhaps it is time we start attempting to treat patients in a different manner. We need to be reprogramming the biochemistry away from known deficits. This can be done right now to various degrees. We may not have a silver bullet (so to speak) but that doesn’t mean we should stop shooting. If anyone out there writes software, we need a self-learning algorithm to help us hash through the mirky and disparate research, aggregate the data, look for trends that we may be missing, and compare it to existing treatment paradigms (not entirely limited to ME/CFS). With this software, we can then simulate possibilities/combinations/novel concepts at rates that far exceed our current model. At minimum, this would suggest individualized treatments that positively correlate with the patient’s specific issues. We might even do well to incorporate experts in other fields to help us conceptualize the disease in ways that might open up new ways of understanding it. All I am talking about is creativity. Keep the scientific method but allow different voices in the room. Our problem has never been that there are too many voices but too few…and most of them separated from one another. The left hand never knowing what the right hand is doing.

  28. Thank you for speaking truth. It is so troubling how WPI continues to lie without any regard for all the lives they are destroying – It is people like you and Dr. Mikovits who will always be loved and honored. Still, I am deeply saddened what WPI continues to do to Dr. Mikovits- I care for her deeply, all my love to Dr. Mikovits and you-Carol

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