1. United States
2. Maine
3. Letter

I am writing to express my deep alarm regarding the political interference currently corrupting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Under the direction of Dr. Erica Schwartz, the CDC broke from decades of established protocol by refusing to include two measles-associated deaths reported by the Pennsylvania Department of Health in its official national tally.  This decision directly followed public pressure from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who falsely claimed the deaths in Lancaster County—where an outbreak has reached over 460 cases—were "fabricated" or politically manipulated. Historically, the CDC accepts official epidemiological determinations from state public health authorities without delay. Deviating from standard practice to align public health data with political narratives directly undermines the integrity of our national disease monitoring systems.  The public relies on the CDC for unvarnished, science-based facts, especially during active outbreaks. By altering public dashboards to appease political leadership, the CDC leadership has compromised the agency’s core mission and damaged public trust when transparent information is needed most. I urge you to exercise your congressional oversight powers to investigate this political interference and demand the immediate removal of CDC Director Erica Schwartz. We need leadership at the CDC that prioritizes scientific truth and public safety above political expediency.