Former Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) Director Susan Monarez will probably be within the highlight Wednesday at a high-profile Senate listening to, as Sen. Invoice Cassidy (R-La.) seems to attempt to drive a wedge between Well being Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and President Trump.
Cassidy has proven rising frustration with Kennedy and the chaos he’s inflicting throughout the federal well being division. Wednesday’s listening to will highlight a few of Kennedy’s most high-profile critics inside the public well being system.
Monarez is ready to testify in Cassidy’s Well being Committee alongside Deborah Houry, the CDC’s former chief medical officer who resigned in protest after Monarez was fired.
In a matter of weeks earlier this 12 months, Monarez was endorsed by Kennedy, confirmed by the GOP-controlled Senate, after which subsequently ousted, she says, as a result of she wouldn’t associate with Kennedy’s vaccine agenda.
In keeping with testimony obtained by The Hill, Monarez will say she was fired for “holding the line on scientific integrity” and refusing to bow below stress from Kennedy to preapprove suggestions by the company’s impartial vaccine advisory committee Kennedy stocked with vaccine skeptics.
Wednesday’s listening to marks the newest high-stakes second for Cassidy, a physician-turned-politician from deep-red Louisiana.
Cassidy agonized about supporting Kennedy’s affirmation resulting from his file of anti-vaccine views, however in the end solid the deciding vote for the nomination to advance out of committee after receiving assurances about vaccine coverage.
The 2-term senator has been on politically shaky floor since he voted to convict President Trump in his impeachment trial over the Jan. 6 riot. Trump has up to now remained impartial in Cassidy’s reelection marketing campaign, however the senator’s determination to name Monarez to testify about her departure may rankle the president.
GOP senators deferred to Cassidy’s experience and prerogative as committee chair, although some questioned whether or not such a listening to was vital.
“I’m not the biggest fan of retrospective hearings. I’m not sure how much we’ll learn,” Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) instructed The Hill. “[Monarez] is a political appointee. She serves at the pleasure of the president. My understanding is president asked her to resign. She said no. He fired her.”
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who has tangled with Cassidy over vaccines in previous hearings, stated he thought Monarez’s declare about being requested to rubber-stamp anti-vaccine suggestions was “made up.”
“I think that she didn’t go to the position with good faith. She did not go to the position willing to support the science,” Paul stated. “I think it was right of her to leave the administration, and frankly, I’m glad she’s gone.”
Till lately, Cassidy has proceeded cautiously. He has referred to as for oversight with out instantly criticizing Kennedy.
In February, he praised Kennedy for a tepid endorsement of the measles vaccine amid an outbreak in West Texas.
When Kennedy fired all 17 members of the CDC’s vaccine panel, Cassidy responded on social media however didn’t brazenly query Kennedy.
“Of course, now the fear is that the ACIP will be filled up with people who know nothing about vaccines except suspicion,” he wrote on the time.
However when Kennedy testified earlier than the Senate Finance Committee following his ouster of Monarez, Cassidy grilled the secretary on his vaccine skepticism, arguing his actions flew within the face of considered one of Trump’s largest achievements.
“Effectively, we’re denying people vaccines,” Cassidy instructed Kennedy in a contentious change.
“You’re wrong,” Kennedy shot again.
It was the strongest pushback and most contentious public change between the 2 since Kennedy’s time period started.
Through the listening to and repeatedly after, Cassidy has referred to as for Trump to obtain a Nobel Peace Prize for work growing Operation Warp Pace for the COVID-19 vaccines.
Cassidy repeated that decision in an op-ed revealed within the conservative Nationwide Evaluation journal Tuesday with Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), the second-ranked Republican within the Senate and a fellow former doctor.
“Operation Warp Speed was more than a medical achievement. It was a triumph of American greatness and leadership. It was the type of success that reminds us why the President of the United States is the leader of the free world,” the senators wrote. “The Nobel Peace Prize has been given for much less. The next one should go to President Trump.”
In one other nod to Trump, Cassidy framed Wednesday’s listening to with Monarez as “delivering President Trump’s mission to restore radical transparency” on the CDC.
Final week, Cassidy urged Kennedy to affix him in endorsing a childhood vaccine for whooping cough.
“I want to work together to stop pertussis. Your strong public support for this vaccine will save lives,” Cassidy wrote in an open letter, citing Trump’s latest feedback supporting vaccines.
“They just pure and simple work. They’re not controversial at all,” Trump said in the Oval Office on Sept. 5. “And I think those vaccines should be used, otherwise some people are going to catch it and they endanger other people. And when you don’t have controversy at all, I think people should take it.”
