GOP lawmakers call upon the CDC to turn over all communications with teachers' unions since Jan. 20

Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, James Comer of Kentucky and Virginia Foxx of North Carolina are calling for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to turn over any documents and communications with teachers' unions since Jan. 20, 2021.

"Emails obtained by Americans for Public Trust reportedly show that CDC officials—including you—were in regular contact with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) in the weeks leading up to the CDC issuing guidance for the re-opening of schools on February 12, 2021," the lawmakers wrote in their letter to CDC Director Rochelle Walensky. 

"The CDC has since acknowledged that it provided the AFT and other special interest unions, like the National Education Association, with nonpublic, draft copies of the guidance for their feedback. These unions took advantage of their special access, with some AFT requests being incorporated into the CDC's guidance nearly word for word," the lawmakers wrote.

The Republican legislators request any documents and communications pertaining to CDC guidance to schools, including communications with people or entities outside of the CDC.

They also seek "documents and communications referring or relating to CDC's policy regarding ex parte communications during the formulation of public health guidance."