Greenberg Calls for CDC Director Frieden's Resignation

Statement

The Washington Post reported Thursday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) allowed a health care worker who had treated Ebola patient Thomas Eric Duncan to board a commercial flight with a 99.5 degree fever. Later that day, CDC Director Thomas Frieden testified to Congress the agency did "not yet know exactly how these transmissions occurred."

Frieden's testimony underscores the Obama administration's failure to control this crisis, and it is increasingly clear the CDC needs new leadership. Therefore, I am calling on Director Frieden to resign and asking my opponent to do the same.

Frieden told the American people on September 30 that "we're stopping [Ebola] in its tracks." He boasted on October 2 that "essentially any hospital in the country can take care of Ebola." When that turned out false, and the first Ebola transmission in the U.S. occurred, Frieden blamed the nurse infected, saying "there was a breach in protocol."While the Obama administration is offering false reassurances and playing the blame game, the virus is at risk of spreading in our country.

I remain concerned for my family, my community, and the people of Connecticut. Earlier this week, I called for a temporary travel ban from the West African nations impacted by the Ebola outbreak. Others have also called for similar measures recently, with 27 Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. House calling for a travel ban. Unfortunately, my opponent has chosen the wrong track on a travel ban regarding the Ebola crisis. When she finally spoke out, she did so through a spokeswoman and criticized my concerns as "absurd," before laying blame on the "Tea Party." The people of the 5th District deserve better.

I urge Congresswoman Esty to treat the Ebola crisis with the same time and attention she has spent lying about my positions and distorting my views as the Hartford Courant pointed out last week. I urge her to join me in calling for new leadership at the CDC. The agency is in desperate need of a new direction, and only Director Frieden's resignation will set the CDC on the right course to manage this public health concern.

For Congresswoman Esty to ignore this crisis and hope that it will not get worse until after the November election is putting all of our families at tremendous risk. It is time for her to stop hiding behind campaign staff, blaming her favorite straw boogie men, and tell the residents of the 5th district where she stands on this issue.

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