The CDC's Employee Speech Policies
Documents released in our FOIA lawsuit for the CDC's policies on employee speech
This reading room contains all of the documents produced to date in Knight Institute v. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit the Knight Institute filed on April 2, 2020, seeking records relating to restrictions on the ability of CDC employees to speak with members of the press and the public.
Our FOIA lawsuit was prompted by widespread reporting that the CDC has been sidelined in the government’s public response to the COVID-19 pandemic and that the Office of the Vice President has been controlling CDC communications and limiting the ability of CDC scientists to speak to the public or to the press.
On June 9, 2020, the CDC released its first set of documents in response to our request. We received four documents, two of which contained redactions concealing critical details about the role of the Office of the Vice President in controlling CDC communications. We will publish additional documents here as we receive them.
Showing 1–10 of 113
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CDC FOIA final response letter
Response letter to the Institute's FOIA request from the CDC.
7/6/2020
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CDC FOIA second interim response letter
Response letter to the Institute's FOIA request from the CDC.
6/18/2020
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CDC FOIA initial response letter
Response letter to the Institute's FOIA request from the CDC.
12/31/1969
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Email from Michael Caputo re: Moving Forward Together
Email from the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs providing instructions on media clearance policies. The email is partially redacted.
7/6/2020
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Email from Ryan Murphy re: clearance process
Emails from the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs. The emails are largely redacted.
7/6/2020
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DRAFT CDC Communication and Media Strategy for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Response
Draft of the CDC's policy on communications relating to COVID-19. It is entirely redacted.
6/9/2020
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Email from Michawn Rich re: "Rundown" of processes for press inquiries
Email describing process for how communications employee should respond to press inquiries. Partially redacted.
6/9/2020
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Email from Michawn Rich re: "Rundown" of processes for press inquiries
Email describing process for how communications employee should respond to press inquiries. Partially redacted.
7/6/2020
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Email from Katherine Lyon Daniel re: communications and media strategy
Emails discussing revisions to the draft communications and media strategy plan for COVID-19.
7/6/2020
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Email from Katherine Lyon Daniel re: communications and media strategy
Emails discussing revisions to the draft communications and media strategy plan for COVID-19.
7/6/2020