Senate HELP Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Bernie Sanders formed an unlikely partnership to blast the turmoil rocking the CDC. (Getty Images)
Monarez was abruptly fired from her position by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), less than a month after being confirmed by the Senate. Her removal, which her lawyers rejected, appeared to stem from disagreements over vaccines with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, a vaccine skeptic.
Cassidy was the deciding vote during Kennedy’s confirmation hearing earlier this year.
Monarez has since refused to leave the post, with her lawyers arguing that she had neither resigned nor been fired, and had not received notification from the president of her removal.
CDC DIRECTOR SUSAN MONAREZ REFUSES TO BE FIRED AS OTHER OFFICIALS CALL IT QUITS
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. (Joe Maher/Getty Images)
Cassidy argued Thursday that there were "serious allegations made about the meeting agenda, membership, and lack of scientific process being followed for the now announced September [Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices] meeting."
"These decisions directly impact children’s health and the meeting should not occur until significant oversight has been conducted," Cassidy said. "If the meeting proceeds, any recommendations made should be rejected as lacking legitimacy given the seriousness of the allegations and the current turmoil in CDC leadership."
Daskalakis posted his reason for resigning on X, where he charged that he was "unable to serve in an environment that treats CDC as a tool to generate policies and materials that do not reflect scientific reality and are designed to hurt rather than to improve the public’s health."
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Meanwhile, Sanders demanded a congressional investigation be opened into the Trump administration’s decision to fire Monarez.
"We need leaders at the CDC and HHS who are committed to improving public health and have the courage to stand up for science, not officials who have a history of spreading bogus conspiracy theories and disinformation," Sanders said Thursday.
HHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment for this story.
Alex Miller is a writer for Fox News Digital covering the U.S. Senate.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/bipartisan-fury-cdc-senators-demand-probe-reject-vaccine-guidance-illegitimate