American Oversight Launches Investigation Into Politically Motivated Ousting of CDC Director Susan Monarez
We requested agency-held records related to the CDC director’s attempted ousting, ahead of her testimony before the Senate on Wednesday.
As former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Susan Monarez prepares to testify tomorrow before the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee on her abrupt dismissal by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., American Oversight announced today that it is launching an investigation into Monarez’s ouster — filing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests seeking records about the circumstances of her removal.
The announcement comes during a critical week for U.S. vaccine policy with the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) — controversially remade by Kennedy earlier this year — set to meet on Thursday and Friday to vote on recommendations for COVID, measles, and hepatitis B vaccines.
“Secretary Kennedy’s removal of Dr. Monarez just weeks into her tenure as CDC director suggests that political considerations — rather than independent science-based decisions — are driving our public health leadership,” said our Executive Director Chioma Chukwu. “The public has a right to know to what extent decisions about vaccine policy and CDC leadership are corrupted by political interference, pseudoscience crusades, or efforts to silence dissent from career experts. For many, including vulnerable populations such as children and seniors, these decisions are a matter of life and death.”
Our FOIA requests to HHS and the CDC seek records of communications among Kennedy, senior HHS officials, and Monarez in the days surrounding her removal; meeting materials, agendas, or notes from August 25, when Kennedy and his top aides pressed Monarez to resign; dissent memoranda or complaints submitted by HHS officials related to Kennedy’s actions; and communications with Congress and the White House referencing Monarez’s removal, vaccine policy, or other senior CDC resignations.
Monarez’s testimony comes after multiple senior CDC officials resigned in protest over her removal. Kennedy’s sweeping overhaul of vaccine advisory committees has alarmed medical groups and prompted states to prepare their own immunization schedules. His actions have also drawn bipartisan scrutiny, with senators from both parties raising sharp questions about his leadership and decision-making. ACIP’s upcoming votes could have far-reaching consequences for vaccine access, particularly for children and low-income families.