Andrew Speaker's apology falls flat

Speaker tried his case before the American public except it was only one-sided and at the end of the day we effectively only heard from him and his family. Yes, it is quite compelling from his side only. However, keep in mind that his and his father’s craft as a personal injury lawyers clearly tried to use their own facts and his father’s edited taping to make us think that he did not potentially endanged others. Bottom line, he exercised really bad judgment to carry out his personal agenda. So, who pays for all his medical expenses and the flights from the CDC? Is it the same US taxpayers who also financed his first 2 years of college at the Naval Academy before he dropped out? Who will pay for the medical attention required by those exposed to him?

Speaker is a personal-injury lawyer who presumably has made lots of money from sueing others for doing precisely what he himself did: put others in danger for disregarding their interests in favor of his own seffish actions. Furthermore, he clearly went to great lengths to avoid being prevented from travelling abroad & returning to the US.

As someone who recently travelled to Europe, I would personally stand in line for sueing the jerk for gross negligence in possibly exposing thousands of other travellers to his potentially lethal illness. He may recover, as he has tons of money & youth on his side. What about the elderly individuals traveling on the same planes without recourse to expensive Denver hospitals? How much this will cost to even get the tests done to see if they develop this form of untreatable TB?

As far as the CDC actions, they really do not have legal authority to stop someone like this person. Check out the HIV history. In the US, individual rights come first. And when one knows that the individual is dealing with a LAWYER, caution comes first. I am sure that the CDC was being beaten over the head with threats of lawsuits from the beginning if they tried to stop him from travelling.

Re: Have you had your TB test lately? Yes: but it takes a while for results & may come back false-negative if the disease is too early or too advanced.

As far as the poor person would go with no medical care. Having dealt mostly with trying to get medical care for poor/elderly people in the US all I can say is FAT CHANCE. Most of it comes from ERs with no follow-up. Health Depts. are overwhelmed & have no funds to provide the very expensive long-term care that is needed even for treatable TB cases. TB testing is available, but not treatment.

And it is only going to get worse in the future.

he wasnt told not to travel before he left for his wedding. but once there he was definitely contacted and told not to travel, and to turn himself in to authorities. that was the warning he ignored, and is conveniently forgetting to mention when he cries on national television saying that he was never told not to fly. dumb prick, i hope it puts him in the grave. he flew into my city with his damn disease knowing full well what it was and what danger he posed to those around him. he's a coward and a waste of skin. i doubt it'll ever happen, but it would be SO satisfying to see him get sued by at least a few passengers who inadvertently flew with this a$$hole. These poor people now need to get regularly tested for TB for (apparently) 5-10 YEARS. (just to be safe) Sue him. Sue his a$$ into the ground. Which is exactly where I hope his TB puts him.

About this guy:

My best friend put it best: "People are selfish and stupid."

I pray no one contracts this disease from him.

This man should be held untill he has tested negative for the disease for at least six months. He has demonstrated that he lacks the judgement to control himself. His actions could easily have resulted in a pandemic that could kill millions. Yes, tuberculosis can be easily treated by doctors, but not everyone will have access to a doctor or the treatment.