Lawmakers Urge Biden To Withdraw CDC Director Nominee
President Joe Biden has reportedly decided who he is nominating to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but GOP lawmakers are not having it. Twenty-eight Republican lawmakers, consisting of 22 House members and 6 senators, have called on the president to reconsider his reported choice – Dr. Mandy Cohen.
Led by Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) and Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC), the lawmakers wrote a letter to express their strong reservations about Cohen’s fitness for the position, citing concerns about her track record during the COVID-19 pandemic while she served as the Secretary of the North Carolina Health Human Services.
While the Senate does not have a say in the appointment of the CDC director position, the lawmakers’ request adds pressure on Biden to reconsider his selection, whom The Post describes as “a telegenic authoritarian straight from liberal central casting.”
Mandy Cohen is Joe Biden's nominee to be the next CDC Director!
If you could imagine Dr. Fauci & Dr. Walensky in the same person , then you can imagine the nightmare that is Mandy Cohen!
Whatever happened to diversity? 😳 All your appointees are radical leftists & idiots! pic.twitter.com/WSqqyf0kG7
— Daniel F. Baranowski (@DFBHarvard) June 11, 2023
According to them, Cohen’s record is stained by instances where she “politicized science, disregarded civil liberties, and spread misinformation about the efficacy and necessity of COVID vaccinations and the necessity of masks.”
The Republicans argue that Cohen advocated for “unnecessary” and “unscientific” COVID restrictions on school children, including mandatory mask-wearing for all students and staff, regardless of vaccination status.
The letter highlights an incident where a North Carolina school district chose not to implement mask mandates based on scientific evidence. In response, Cohen threatened legal action against the district, prioritizing politics over the well-being of children, according to the Republicans.
The letter also challenges Cohen’s decision-making process during the pandemic, stating that she relied on actions taken by her colleagues in similar positions of power, rather than evaluating scientific evidence or considering the decisions of elected officials.
To drive their point home, Roy, Budd and the others pointed to the Massachusetts Secretary of Health and Human Services, who reportedly influenced Cohen’s decision to ease mask requirements.
The letter further touches on Dr. Cohen’s public support for face coverings, pointing out that scientific data suggest cloth masks have a limited impact on lowering COVID-19 transmission. The lawmakers question her reliance on such measures, despite evidence to the contrary.
Moreover, the lawmakers raised concerns about Dr. Cohen’s political affiliations and activities. Stating that she “has a history of engaging in partisan left-wing politics,” they note her support for “radical, left-wing policies,” including moves to ban semi-automatic rifles and classify climate change as a “public health crisis.”
They also highlight her participation in the “White Coat Rally” at the White House in support of the Affordable Care Act and her hosting of fundraisers for Democratic candidates in 2022.
Considering Dr. Cohen’s strong ties to the Democratic Party and her association with COVID-19 lockdowns, the lawmakers argue that it would be difficult for the American people to trust her as a nonpartisan leader of the CDC.
They urge President Biden to reverse his reported appointment of Dr. Cohen to ensure “objective decisions rooted in scientific data, and not in political expediency.”
Aside from Roy and Budd, the letter includes the signatures of Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX), Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC), Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) alongside other GOP lawmakers.
