WASHINGTON — The Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic held a hearing titled “Oversight of CDC Policies and Decisions During the COVID-19 Pandemic” to examine the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) response to the pandemic and delve into their numerous ineffectual public policy decisions. Select Subcommittee members pointed out CDC Director Walensky’s inconsistent COVID-19 guidance that led to public confusion and distrust in America’s health authorities that still remain today. Notably, Director Walensky directly contradicted the Biden White House’s false assertation that she spoke in her “personal” capacity with respect to comments she made supportive of schools reopening in February of 2021. Members also pushed Director Walensky to explain the CDC’s role in censoring dissenting opinions on social media, monitoring vaccine adverse events reporting systems, and providing misleading political guidance in lieu of scientific guidance to Americans. The Select Subcommittee will continue to demand transparency and accountability from the CDC following the departure of Director Walensky and continue to work to ensure all document and interview requests are fulfilled.

Key Takeaways

CDC Director Walensky confirmed that the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) promoted prolonged school closures that harmed America’s children.

When America faced a public health crisis and turned to the CDC for help and guidance, the CDC provided misguided, unscientific, confusing, and at times blatantly false answers.

AFT President Randi Weingarten had a direct line to CDC Director Rochelle Walensky’s personal and professional cellphones — raising further questions about potential political influence at the CDC.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky testified that she spoke in her capacity as CDC Director during a White House briefing in February 2021. The Biden White House’s claim that her statements were made in her “personal” capacity when discussing school reopenings and vaccinations for teachers was false. 

Public health officials and organizations — including the CDC — must be held accountable for their failures and false statements during the pandemic in order to earn back the trust of Americans.

The CDC needs structural reform to address current information and infrastructure issues, lack of transparency within the agency, and processes surrounding guidance publication.

Member Highlights

Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic Chairman Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) asked Director Walensky to confirm AFT’s uncommon influence over the CDC’s COVID-19 school reopening guidance.

Chairman Wenstrup: “Did the American Federation of Teachers provide suggested edits to the CDC’s February 2021 school opening guidance, including a trigger to automatically close schools that, if implemented, would have kept more schools closed and kids out of the classroom?”

Director Walensky: “The AFT was interested in having closure triggers. That is my understanding, yes.”

Chairman Wenstrup: “So your answer is yes?”

Director Walensky: “Yes.”

Chairman Wenstrup also pointed out concerning behavior by the Biden White House that raises further questions about political interference in science-based guidance.

Chairman Wenstrup: “On February 3, 2021, you stated ‘there is increasing data to suggest that schools can safely reopen and that safe reopening does not suggest that teachers need to be vaccinated. Vaccinations of teachers is not a prerequisite for safely reopening schools.’ The same day the White House stated that you were speaking in your ‘personal capacity.’ So, again, just yes or no, were you speaking in your personal capacity when you made that statement?”

Director Walensky: “Whenever I have been speaking to Congress, to the media, at press conferences during my tenure at CDC, I have been speaking in my professional capacity.”

….

Chairman Wenstrup: “Why do you think the White House contradicted you then or tried to change it from professional to personal?”

Director Walensky: “That is something I can’t speculate to. I think you’ll have to ask them.”

Original source can be found here.