A House panel has requested phone records between CDC Director Rochelle Walensky and teachers’ union leader Randi Weingarten to investigate potential political interference.
The House Coronavirus Pandemic Subcommittee, led by Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH), has corresponded with Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), regarding her interactions with Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers.
Dr. Walensky Transition from Current Position
The subcommittee sent a formal letter to Dr. Walensky on Wednesday, in response to her testimony on June 13, during which she acknowledged communication with Weingarten.
The letter, written in a formal tone, expresses the subcommittee’s intention to preserve records of these communications, including both official and personal phone conversations, particularly in light of Dr. Walensky’s impending departure from her position on Friday.
The subcommittee has previously made two requests for additional documents and communications from the CDC. However, the letter criticizes the Department of Health and Human Services for consistently impeding the congressional process by providing only documents that were already publicly available through a Freedom of Information Act request.
Read more: Social Security Payments: Who Will Receive $1800 On June 28th?
Teachers’ Unions’ Influence on CDC Guidance
Michael Chamberlain, director of the government watchdog organization Protect the Public’s Trust, conveyed concerns about the detrimental impact of school closures on students and highlighted the unnecessary delays caused by the CDC and teachers’ unions in reopening schools.
Chamberlain also emphasized the influence exerted by teachers’ unions on the final CDC guidance, as evidenced by records obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests. He further pointed out potential ethical violations involving coordination between a former employee of the NEA National Education Association and union officials during the development of the reopening guidance.
Given the acknowledgment of conversations between Randi Weingarten and Dr. Walensky, Chamberlain insisted that American citizens, especially parents whose children have suffered as a result of school closures, have the right to know the extent and details of those conversations.
In response, Rep. Wenstrup has set a deadline of July 12 for the CDC to provide the requested communication records. Additionally, the subcommittee has requested transcribed interviews with three CDC employees Drs. Christopher Jones, Henry Walke, and Greta Massetti may possess supplementary information about potential political interference within the agency.
In light of Dr. Walensky’s imminent departure, President Joe Biden has selected Mandy Cohen, the former secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, as her successor.
Read more: Social Security And Medicare Threats Worry American Retirees
