TN Doctors Request Independent Investigation Of Lee’s Handling Of Pandemic

Photo: Tennessee Governor Bill Lee

Photo Credit: Gov. Bill Lee / Facebook

Published July 15, 2021

The Tennessee Conservative [By Jason Vaughn] –

A group of doctors in Tennessee is asking for the Justice Department to perform an independent investigation into the way Governor Bill Lee handled the COVID-19 pandemic after the firing of the Tennessee Department of Health’s Medical Director over vaccines.

Protect My Care is a group of doctors who have been critical of Governor Lee’s decisions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. They have most recently accused him of “reckless misconduct and abuse of his office”, saying that he has made calls that go against the recommendations of health officials. 

The group also claims that Lee has added to the “avoidable spread of COVID-19.”

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One of the group’s members, Dr. Jason Martin, a critical care physician in Nashville commented on Lee’s “misconduct.”

“Bill Lee’s misconduct, suppressing vital, life-saving public health guidance and now the political firing of a state health employee for doing her job, endangers Tennesseans’ lives, threatens our state’s recovery and will result in more avoidable hospitalizations and deaths and he must be investigated and held accountable,” Martin said.

The group’s letter to the Justice Department asks for an investigation by an independent counsel.

“This extremist partisan attack on public health and safety must be investigated,” the letter reads.

This request comes on the heels of the firing of Dr. Michelle Fiscus, the top vaccine advisor for the Tennessee Department of Health. Fiscus was fired after legislators were incensed over a memo sent by Fiscus to physicians with information about the Mature Minor Doctrine, Tennessee case law that give doctors permission to treat certain minors without consent from parents.

“It’s very disconcerting to see the memo, the letter from Dr. Fiscus stating that Tennessee law allows the department of health to give vaccinations to children 14 years of age,” said Senator Janice Bowling of Tullahoma in a June committee meeting.

Legislators threatened to do away with the TDOH completely after this, and the department agreed to no longer hold any vaccinations on school property or advertise any vaccine events solely for children.

Critics claim lawmakers are politicizing the pandemic and that Fiscus was fired simply to appease legislators.

Hendrell Remus, the chair of Tennessee’s Democratic party, also asked for Fiscus to be reinstated to her position.

“It is a reminder of the fringe ideology that has consumed the Republican party and its elected representative,” Remus said.

About the Author:

Jason Vaughn, Media Coordinator for The Tennessee Conservative 

Jason previously worked for a legacy publishing company based in Crossville, TN in a variety of roles through his career.  Most recently, he served as Deputy Directory for their flagship publication. Prior, he was a freelance journalist writing articles that appeared in the Herald Citizen, the Crossville Chronicle and The Oracle among others.  He graduated from Tennessee Technological University with a Bachelor’s in English-Journalism, with minors in Broadcast Journalism and History.  Contact Jason at news@TennesseeConservativeNews.com