Caputo apologizes to HHS staff for making false accusations [View all]

Source: Politico

Top HHS spokesman Michael Caputo called an emergency staff meeting on Tuesday to apologize for leveling a series of false accusations on Facebook Live over the weekend, according to three people with knowledge of the meeting.

Caputo told staffers that his remarks — which included unfounded allegations the Centers for Disease Control was harboring a “resistance unit” — reflected poorly on HHS’ communications office. He also blamed his recent behavior on a combination of physical health issues and the toll of fielding death threats against his family.

Caputo also said he is scheduled to meet with Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar later Tuesday, the people with knowledge of the meeting said.

The session left some staffers with the impression that Caputo would soon step aside as the department’s assistant secretary for public affairs, the three people with knowledge of the meeting said, though they cautioned that his fate remained in flux. During the meeting, Caputo made allusions to the fact that HHS had functioned for a long time in the past without a permanent top communications official.


Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/15/michael-caputo-apology-hhs-staff-415206