A White House official confirmed on Thursday that the White House has withdrawn the nomination of former Florida Rep. Dave Weldon to become director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
When asked why Weldon was not nominated, an administration official responded that “it was obvious he didn’t have the votes in Senate.”
Weldon was scheduled to appear Thursday before the Senate’s Health Committee for his confirmation hearing. The news that his nomination had been withdrawn came less than one hour before the hearing began.
The committee expected him to be questioned about his record of criticisms against vaccines, and the agency that he had been nominated to head. Weldon, a former Republican congressman and physician, is now a member of the Senate.
Weldon stated in a CBS News statement that Health and Human Services Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. HTML0 was “very angry” about the withdrawal of his nomination. Weldon claimed that he received a phone call from the White House twelve hours before the scheduled meeting, telling him the nomination was being withdrawn.
Weldon stated that Bobby Kennedy was a man of great character who is truly passionate about improving health in the United States. “President Trump made a wise choice by naming him Secretary of HHS.” Hopefully, they can find someone to head the CDC that can get through the confirmation process. They need to find someone who can overcome pharma.
Weldon claimed that Maine Senator Susan Collins told Kennedy in a meeting she had reservations regarding his nomination. He also said the Republican senator’s staff was “very hostile” during their conversation.
Weldon Collins said Collins’ staff accused him repeatedly of being anti-vaccines, “even though I reminded that I actually gave hundreds of vaccines each year in my medical office.”
He stated that he had raised concerns over childhood vaccine safety in Congress over 20 years ago and that “for some strange reason Collins staff couldn’t move on from that.”
Weldon said that Louisiana Republican Senator Dr. Bill Cassidy had said he too was anti-vaccine, and once asked to withdraw his nomination.
Senators have been asking the CDC a lot of questions in recent weeks about its plans to reopen studies on whether vaccines cause autism. They also asked about a meeting that was abruptly canceled by CDC’s outside immunization advisors and has not yet been rescheduled.
The Washington Democrat was “deeply upset” to hear Dr. Weldon make debunked vaccine claims after a meeting last month with Sen. Patty Murray.
Murray stated in a Thursday statement that a vaccine skeptic, who has spent years spreading lies regarding safe and proven vaccines, should not have been considered to head the agency that is charged with protecting the public’s health.
Kennedy, whose department oversees the CDC, has a history of criticizing vaccines. Kennedy, whose Department oversees the CDC has a long history of criticisms of vaccines.
Axios was the first to report that Weldon is being removed from consideration by the White House.
Weldon was the first CDC Director nominee to be confirmed by the Senate, following a change made by Congress. The previous picks for the Atlanta-based agency’s head were able take up their positions immediately.
