Democrats widen probe into Trump COVID response and alleged suppression of 'hit ...

House Democrats are expanding their investigation into Trump's Health Department after accusing the former president's administration of 'meddling' with CDC data during the COVID pandemic - including efforts to alter an apolitical CDC report that were allegedly hidden by then-CDC head Robert Redfield.  

According to documents released Monday, Democrats on the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis are looking to interview three former Trump officials and eight current or former public health officials they allege were part of Trump's 'failed response efforts.' 

Among the allegations is one official's account that Redfield 'ordered staff to destroy evidence of political interference,' lawmakers claim.

The committee members accused Trump officials of engaging 'in a persistent pattern of political interference in the nation’s pandemic response—overruling and bullying our nation’s scientists and making decisions that allowed the virus to spread more rapidly in an attempt to advance former President Trump’s electoral prospects.'

The subcommittee, led by Rep. James Clyburn, claims it is aware of 88 instances of the Trump administration interfering with the US pandemic response, including several instances where Trump-era officials sought to alter the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports (MMWR).

MMWR reports offer regular public updates on scientists' findings.

One email from August 2020 obtained by the Democrats shows former HHS adviser Paul Alexander demanding an 'immediate stop' to the apolitical reports, calling them 'hit pieces on the administration.' 

Alexander went on to outline conditions in which the reports can be released, which include giving him leave to alter the information within to ensure it is 'fair and balanced.'

The email was sent to lawmakers by Dr. Charlotte Kent, editor-in-chief of the MMWR report, who told them she was instructed to delete the email by Redfield.