Government Oversight Chairs Issue Statements on CDC Document Shredding Scandal

AUGUSTA — After nine months of investigation, senior officials at the Maine Centers for Disease Control directly confirmed, under subpoena, that they were ordered to destroy documents related to funding for local community health organizations.

Debra A. Wigand, the CDC’s director of public health, and Andrew Finch, senior program manager for Healthy Maine Partnerships, testified that Christine Zukas, deputy CDC director, had asked Finch to destroy the documents. Zukas testified that Health and Human Services Commissioner Mary Mayhew was aware that some scoring documents would not be retained for record keeping.  Whistleblower Sharon Leahy-Lind testified that CDC Director, Dr. Sheila Pinette, told her the funding criteria for local communities were changed for “political” reasons to put Bangor at the front of the line.

Statements from the Co- Chairs

“We upheld the principles of open government today,” said Chuck Kruger of Thomaston.  “We refused to cave in to demands for a closed session, and what we learned is disturbing: the penchant for secrecy comes right from the top.”

“There is an alarming lack of accountability for public funds meant to keep our communities healthy,” said Senator Emily Cain of Orono. “The CDC changed the rules to change the outcome. Worse, we have an even greater concern that there is a systemic disregard for transparency.”

The committee will next meet Friday March 28 at 9:00 a.m.

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