U.S. Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) continued his efforts to determine whether potential political interference by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) impacted post-COVID-19 school reopening guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
As chairman of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, Rep. Wenstrup again seeks information from CDC Director Rochelle Walensky regarding the CDC’s Feb. 12, 2022, COVID-19 school reopening guidance, entitled “Operation Strategy for K-12 Schools through Phased Prevention.”
On March 28, Walensky failed to respond to the Select Subcommittee’s request for documents related to possible political interference. Then, when the subcommittee followed up with a similar request on June 1, the CDC director produced only documents primarily consisting of those previously made public via the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), according to Rep. Wenstrup’s June 28 letter sent to Walensky.
“The Department of Health and Human Services is continuing its pattern of obstructing Congress by apparently only producing documents already made publicly available via the FOIA. As a reminder, FOIA does not apply to Congress,” Rep. Wenstrup wrote. “The department’s obstruction will not be tolerated. The American people deserve transparency.”
The congressman’s most recent request is for Walensky to produce all official and personal cell phone records between her and AFT President Randi Weingarten related to AFT’s potential political interference with the CDC’s school reopening guidance.
“The Select Subcommittee will continue to investigate and follow the facts with the goal of developing effective legislation regarding CDC organizational structure and, if necessary, changes to the process of agency guidance drafting, editing, or publication process,” wrote Rep. Wenstrup.
According to his letter, Walensky on June 13 testified to communicating with Weingarten via cell phone and agreed to cooperate with document requests made by the Select Subcommittee. Considering that testimony and her impending departure from the CDC, Rep. Wenstrup has prioritized preserving her phone records and reiterated his March 28 and June 1 requests for additional documents and communications.
The Select Subcommittee also wants transcribed interviews with three CDC employees who may have supplementary knowledge about potential political interference at the agency, he wrote.
The congressman wants the documents to be produced as soon as possible but no later than July 12.