Ex-Kansas health chief says he was ‘Fauci’d’ out of his job

Ex-Kansas health chief says he was 'Fauci'd' out of his job | AP News TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Dr. Lee Norman, who led Kansas through the coronavirus pandemic until his abrupt departure last month, has said in an interview that he was “Fauci'd” out by COVID-19 politics. Democratic Gov. AP NEWS

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Dr. Lee Norman, who led Kansas through the coronavirus pandemic until his abrupt departure last month, has said in an interview that he was “Fauci’d” out by COVID-19 politics.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly announced on Nov. 19 that Norman had stepped down as both top administrator at the state Department of Health and Environment and state health officer. He had been the health department’s top administrator since Kelly took office in January 2019. He was replaced quickly by Janet Stanek, a longtime hospital administrator from Topeka.

But in an interview with Kansas News Service published Tuesday, Norman said he resigned because he was asked to. He cited constant friction between the governor and the Republican-led legislature.

“The shameful treatment in the Trump administration of public health leaders, I think, set the stage for having the same thing happen at the state level,” Norman said, citing frequent criticism from the right of Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert. ...