Trump's HHS alters CDC documents for political reasons, official says
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Source: CNN
Trump-appointed communications officials at the US Department of Health and Human Services pushed to change language of weekly science reports released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention so as not to undermine President Donald Trump's political message, according to a federal health official.
Amid tension between the administration and the CDC, former Trump campaign official turned chief HHS spokesman Michael Caputo and his team had demanded to see reports out of the CDC before they are released, a senior administration official said. Officials within HHS had defended the demand, saying the CDC fell under the agency's umbrella and that all communications and public documents needed to be cleared at the top.
A federal official told CNN that in addition to reviewing reports, HHS political appointee Paul Alexander has regularly added his input -- often interpreted by CDC officials as political in nature -- to weekly scientific reports intended to track the ongoing coronavirus pandemic response. The development marks the latest example of political interference by administration appointees at the nation's health agencies.
The source said some federal health officials at the CDC believe the interference to be an effort to change communications by the CDC's scientists so as not to contradict the President. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Trump has repeatedly downplayed the significance of the virus, sometimes contradicting his own White House task force doctors
Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/trump-s-hhs-alters-cdc-documents-for-political-reasons-official-says/ar-BB18XWaS?li=BBnba9O&ocid=DELLDHP
Futile attempt. Too many have died. You can't polish that turd.
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