3 d. ago CDC officials who quit in protest lead call to ‘get politics out of public health’

Staffers gather in Atlanta to applaud senior leaders who resigned after CDC chief Susan Monarez was firedWho’s who in the CDC crisis?Senior CDC vaccine research and public health leaders who resigned in protest told hundreds of supporters across the street from the campus on Thursday that the Trump administration needs to “get politics out of public health”.The agency is reeling from the firing of the CDC chief, Susan Monarez, but Monarez, who was confirmed as CDC chief just a month ago, has refused to be removed. Three senior leaders – Debra Houry, Demetre Daskalakis and Daniel Jernigan – resigned shortly after in protest, citing the alleged spread of misinformation under the Trump administration and political interference in their work. The staffers cheered and applauded them at the event on Thursday. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Bernie Sanders condemns ousting of CDC chief Susan Monarez as ‘outrageous’ – US politics live

Vermont senator weighs in after Monarez issues statement refusing to step down, plunging public health agency into chaosA notable feature of Cook’s lawsuit against the president, her lawyers have listed Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell and the rest of the board as defendants.They underscore that while the president has the right to remove a governor of the board “for cause”, Donald Trump only cited a referral letter from Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which alleges that Cook made false statements on a mortgage agreement.The claims made in Director Pulte’s referral letter are unsubstantiated allegations that about conduct that predates her [Cook’s] Senate confirmation, and Governor Cook has never been given an opportunity to address them. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Fired CDC chief Susan Monarez refuses to step down, defying White House

Susan Monarez says only Trump can remove her as four other senior CDC leaders quit over political interferenceUS politics live – latest updatesA standoff over the firing of the Susan Monarez, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has deepened, with Monarez’s lawyers claiming she will not depart unless Donald Trump himself removes her.Monarez, an infectious disease specialist who was confirmed as CDC chief just a month ago, was fired on Wednesday, according to a statement from the Department of Health and Human Services, which gave no reason for the departure. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago CDC chief Susan Monarez refuses to resign amid ‘targeted’ ousting – US politics live

Monarez issues statement saying she had ‘neither resigned nor received notification’ of her termination from the White House, plunging public health agency into chaosSenator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, an Independent, who serves as the ranking member on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) committee, said that Robert F. Kennedy’s attempt to fire Susan Monarez was “outrageous”.“The Sen. HELP Committee must hold a hearing with Kennedy & the CDC Director as soon as possible. Vaccines save lives. Period,” Sanders added. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago CDC erupts in chaos after ousted chief Susan Monarez refuses to resign

Lawyers for Monarez say she was ‘targeted’ for ‘protecting the public’ by not endorsing ‘unscientific’ ordersThe US’s top public health agency was plunged into chaos on Wednesday after the Trump administration moved to oust its leader Susan Monarez, appointed less than a month ago, as her lawyers said she would not resign and that she was being “targeted” for her pro-science stance.Monarez, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), was ousted on Wednesday evening, according to a statement from Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that offered no explanation its decision. Continue reading...

Events

4 d. ago Ousted CDC director targeted for ‘protecting the public over serving a political agenda’ lawyer claims

Susan Monarez was weeks into her job as CDC director when the Health and Human Services Department announced her removal

Politics