NEW: Dr. Rick Bright, the ousted BARDA chief who had led vaccine development for Covid-19, revealed his whistleblower complaint today.
He says Trump admin demanded NY and NJ be "flooded" with hydroxychloroquine as an unproven "panacea."
Doc: kmblegal.com/sites/default/…
He says Trump admin demanded NY and NJ be "flooded" with hydroxychloroquine as an unproven "panacea."
Doc: kmblegal.com/sites/default/…
Joining a telephone press conference now announcing this complaint:
Bright himself is on the call, as are his attorneys Debra Katz and Lisa Banks.
Nick Schwellenbach, a senior investigator at the Project On Government Oversight, is also on the call.
Bright himself is on the call, as are his attorneys Debra Katz and Lisa Banks.
Nick Schwellenbach, a senior investigator at the Project On Government Oversight, is also on the call.
"Dr. Bright's removal from BARDA was retaliation, pure and simple," Katz says.
Lisa Banks delivers her opening remarks now:
She says that Bright's immediate supervisor, Dr. Robert Kadlec, pressured him to award contracts based on cronyism.
She says that Bright's immediate supervisor, Dr. Robert Kadlec, pressured him to award contracts based on cronyism.
Banks detailing one of those alleged cronyism awards:
In one example pre-dating the pandemic, Bright says Kadlec wanted him to award contracts to a CEO who was "friends with Jared Kushner" and "had Hollywood connections."
From the complaint.
In one example pre-dating the pandemic, Bright says Kadlec wanted him to award contracts to a CEO who was "friends with Jared Kushner" and "had Hollywood connections."
From the complaint.
Examples of Bright's advice on the pandemic the Trump admin allegedly ignored:
* That U.S. needs 3.5 BILLION masks, but stockpile only has 100 million.
* A syringe shortage
"We do not have needles and syringes to administer any sort of vaccine at this point," Katz said.
* That U.S. needs 3.5 BILLION masks, but stockpile only has 100 million.
* A syringe shortage
"We do not have needles and syringes to administer any sort of vaccine at this point," Katz said.
For Bright, Katz says, the Trump admin's constant pushing of hydroxychloroquine was the "straw that broke the camel's back."
Katz says that Bright's legal team is urging the Special Counsel to issue an immediate stay putting him back to the head of BARDA.
So he can he can "insist that science prevail and not cronyism."
Bright's up next.
So he can he can "insist that science prevail and not cronyism."
Bright's up next.
Bright begins by thanking the doctors and scientists.
"It has been a true honor to lead one of the most dedicated teams of scientists at BARDA."
"Time after time, I was pressured to ignore or dismiss expert or scientific recommendations" and let politics and cronyism prevail.
"It has been a true honor to lead one of the most dedicated teams of scientists at BARDA."
"Time after time, I was pressured to ignore or dismiss expert or scientific recommendations" and let politics and cronyism prevail.
Bright: "I could not in good conscience… allow political ambition and timelines to override scientific judgement."
"We are in an extraordinarily difficult global crisis and the worst may still be ahead of us," he adds.
"We are in an extraordinarily difficult global crisis and the worst may still be ahead of us," he adds.
Bright: "We cannot afford to silence and dismiss scientists in our country and sever our ties with scientists around the world."
"It is inappropriate to place dedicated scientists in crosshairs."
"It is inappropriate to place dedicated scientists in crosshairs."
After Bright raised urgent concerns about funding and readiness for the pandemic at a Jan. 23 meeting with Sec. Azar and other HHS senior leadership, the ex-BARDA head was told he set off "quite a shit storm," according to his complaint.
Patching the broken thread here
“Dr. Bright opposed the broad use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine as lacking scientific merit, even though the administration promoted it as a panacea and demanded that New York and New Jersey be ‘flooded’ with these drugs."
Story update: courthousenews.com/fired-head-of-…
Story update: courthousenews.com/fired-head-of-…
