CDC pushes back against House coronavirus committee accusations of 'political meddling' by Trump campaign

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is pushing back against the House coronavirus crisis subcommittee's accusations of "political meddling" by the Trump administration related to the pandemic.

House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., on Thursday sent a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar and CDC Director Robert Redfield accusing Redfield of directing his subordinates to destroy evidence of political interference related to COVID-19 research by the Trump administration.

The committee's accusations center around an interview with Dr. Charlotte Kent, editor-in-chief of the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), regarding the Trump administration's alleged attempts to interfere with the publication of a scientific COVID-19 report for MMWR.

Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., walks to a closed Democratic Caucus meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

"The Subcommittee’s characterization of the conversation with Dr. Kent is irresponsible," the CDC said in a statement to Fox News. "We urge the Subcommittee to release the transcript in full which will show that during her testimony Dr. Kent repeatedly said there was no political interference in the MMWR process."

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The CDC added that a subcommittee member included in the interview referenced in Clyburn's letter "chose to violate basic common practices of attorney-client privilege that protect the interests of the Department but more importantly the witness" and accused the subcommittee of acting in bad faith.

Clyburn alleged in his letter that Kent said Redfield instructed employees to delete an Aug. 8 email from HHS senior advisor Dr. Paul Alexander.

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Kent went on to say that the CDC delayed the publication of one edition of the MMWR report in question showing how COVID-19 spread "widely" at a summer camp in Georgia for two days while Redfield testified during a July hearing before the subcommittee on school reopenings, according to Clyburn.

Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), speaks during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. (Photographer: Andrew Harnik/AP Photo/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"Regarding the email in question, I instructed CDC staff to ignore Dr. Alexander’s comments," Redfield said in a statement.  "As I testified before Congress, I  am fully committed to maintaining the independence of the MMWR, and I stand by that statement."

The subcommittee chairman stated in his letter that Redfield tried to "determine the scope of political interference with CDC’s scientific reports and other efforts to combat the pandemic, the impact of this interference on CDC’s mission, whether this interference is continuing, and the steps that Congress may need to take to stop it before more Americans die needlessly.” 

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“I am deeply concerned that the Trump [a]dministration’s political meddling with the nation’s coronavirus response has put American lives at greater risk, and that [a]dministration officials may have taken steps to conceal and destroy evidence of this dangerous conduct," Clyburn wrote. 

He continued: "It is critical that the Department end its stonewalling, preserve or recover all responsive documents, and provide the documents and witnesses that the Select Subcommittee needs to investigate this conduct and help protect American lives during this deadly pandemic."

He added that the subcommittee would issue subpoenas if HHS fails to comply and is demanding a transcribed interview with Redfield on Dec. 17.

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