Staff Reports
Another day, another alarming revelation about the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a federal agency that seems to have dedicated itself to serving headlines rather than the public good. According to a recent ruling by federal Judge Rudolph Contreras, the CDC has not only been less than transparent but has also engaged in potentially illegal email deletion practices for its lower-level employees. As if Americans weren’t already rather skeptical of the agency, this latest development gives them plenty of reasons to raise an eyebrow.
The ruling stemmed from a lawsuit launched by the conservative watchdog group America First Legal, which discovered that the CDC had been systematically deleting emails from lower-level employees after a mere 90 days of retention—talk about a recipe for disaster when it comes to accountability. Judge Contreras has issued an injunction ordering the CDC to stop this dubious practice and requires the National Archives to partner with the Justice Department in an attempt to recover the already deleted emails. This comes just as more folks are becoming aware of the agency’s, shall we say, selective memory.
Judge Rules CDC Has 'Likely' Been Violating Federal Law for Years After Conservative Group Sounds Alarm via @WestJournalism https://t.co/qq01ZhAAhd
— DEPLORABLE ULTRA MAGA Susan (@susanbnj) August 13, 2024
Readers might be a bit surprised to learn that while the agency seemed to be using a good bit of elbow grease to erase lower-level correspondence, it has been dutifully following protocols to keep senior-level emails. Isn’t that interesting? It’s almost like they’re hoping to sweep less flattering information under the rug while keeping any high-level shenanigans well-documented. However, the judge’s ruling made it clear that the bias is against the “vast majority” of employees who occupy lower-tier positions toiling away in obscurity.
America First Legal, as expected, laid out its grievances rather succinctly. The organization accused the Biden administration of participating in blatant record destruction—something that any member of the public or aspiring conspiracy theorist would twitch an eyebrow at. If there were ever a moment for conservatives to pull out their proverbial pitchforks, it would be now. The accusations of records manipulation are particularly rich when considering the CDC’s history—not the least of which centers on the agency’s pandemic response under the infamous Dr. Anthony Fauci, whose decisions left many scratching their heads.
It’s important to remember that this isn’t just about emails disappearing into the ether. The CDC has made other questionable decisions, too, like changing terminology that some would call politically correct—or just downright nonsensical. Take, for instance, the shift from “pregnant women” to “pregnant people.” Such moves have ensured a growing list of skeptics among conservatives eager to call out the agency’s prioritization of leftist agendas over straightforward public health messaging.
As responses from America First Legal’s social media posts started to roll in, it became evident that this was hitting home with a significant number of Americans. The consensus echoed a familiar sentiment: something underhanded is taking place within the ranks of the CDC. While it’s still unclear how long this email deletion fiasco has been in the works—whether it started with the Biden administration or somehow wriggled its way through the previous administration—one thing’s for sure: there’s no love lost for the agency amongst conservatives. With this ruling, the spiderweb of mistrust surrounding the CDC and its handling of public information may grow a little more tangled.
