Investigative journalists Lance Williams and Mark Fainaru-Wada used the phrase in their 2006 book '' Game of Shadows '' to characterize an ambiguous response by retired major league baseball star Mark McGwire during a congressional hearing on steroids in baseball : Statements made in 2008 by the US biodefence researcher Bruce Edward Ivins have been characterised by the FBI as " non-denial denials " . Ivins was the chief suspect in the investigation into the 2001 anthrax attacks on US media outlets and senators . In 2008 , he was involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital , where he allegedly made the following statements to a witness
2001 anthrax attacks
2001 anthrax attacks
Non-denial denial