Congressman Bart Stupak does not have the courage of his convictions.
Here’s what he wrote to President-Elect Obama:
"I would encourage you not to appoint any current senior FDA employee as Commissioner or Interim Commissioner of the FDA … Current senior FDA employees are too close with the industries they regulate, creating a question of who they are working for."
He’s a bully – and a coward since he didn’t back up any of his accusations with even a scintilla of evidence – and didn’t name any names, yet he’s calling for a "complete change in the FDA's leadership."
Here’s some news for Mr. Stupak – there are precisely zero political appointees (“Schedule C” employees) in any of the FDA’s five centers (drugs, biologics, food, medical devices, and veterinary medicine). None. And all five center directors are career public health officials. And Mr. Stupak – the 11,000 career staff at the FDA know precisely who they work for – the American public.
It is an absolute abomination that Congressman Stupak should cast such squalid aspersions on the men and women of the FDA who work long hours under tremendous pressure with little recognition at government pay to help protect and advance the public health.
Is the Honorable Mr. Stupak accusing career FDA staffers of taking bribes? If so, let him say so. If not, let him apologize.
