Emmalee Appel

In May, nine Washington health organizations sued the HHS after it deleted dozens of federal health websites covering vaccines, reproductive rights, and more. SEATTLE — The Washington State Medical Association announced on Tuesday that a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was settled, and several webpages and resources that were deleted by the federal government will be restored.  In May, a group of nine medical organizations and public health nonprofits based in Washington sued HHS to stop the wrongful deletion of vital public health and science data.  “I am extremely proud of the health care community in Washington state and our partners in this case for pushing back on this egregious example of government overreach,” said John Bramhall, the president of the WSMA, the lead plaintiff in the case representing more than 13,000 physicians in Washington state. “This was not a partisan issue—open data benefits everyone, and ensuring its availability should be a bipartisan priority.” WSMA says since January, dozens of federal health websites — covering vaccines, reproductive rights, HIV, and minority and LGBTQ health issues — have been purged.  Health advocates say those resources are crucial tools that doctors, nurses and researchers rely on to improve public health. “Trust is at the core of pediatrics—parents trust us to put their children first, and we rely on accurate data to guide their care,” said James Polo, president of the Washington Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, a co-plaintiff in the suit. “When critical health information disappeared overnight, that trust was undermined and children’s health was put at risk. By joining this effort, we were sending a clear message: politics must never interfere with the care of Washington’s kids. Families can count on us to advocate for access to reliable, evidence-based information so every child has the best chance to grow up healthy and strong.” The lawsuit against HHS called the Trump administration's decision to delete information and resources “arbitrary, capricious and unreasoned."  The terms of the settlement require the HHS to restore websites and data sources identified in the complaint that were unlawfully taken down earlier this year and have not already been restored. “This was trusted health information that vanished in a blink of an eye—resources that, among other things, physicians rely on to manage patients’ health conditions and overall care,” said Bramhall. “Not only was our ability to provide care to our patients compromised, but our trust in our federal health institutions has also been badly shaken. As the leading voice for physicians in Washington state, the WSMA engaged in this legal effort to resist interference into the physician-patient relationship and to show patients and communities that regardless of the whims of governments or politics, physicians are committed to providing accurate, evidence-based care to patients and we will fight any intrusion into our ability to do so.” The affected websites and resources that WSMA identified can be viewed here. 

Senator Murray says Pete Serrano's conservative views are "far out of step with the people of Washington" and aims to block his confirmation into the permanent role. SPOKANE, Wash. — U.S. Senator Patty Murray says she plans to block the confirmation of Pete Serrano, who was named interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Washington earlier this month.  Serrano was appointed to the position by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi on August 6 and sworn in on August 11. He can serve for 120 days as he awaits official confirmation by the U.S. Senate, which may never happen if Senator Murray blocks his nomination process.  “Pete Serrano has tried to rewrite the history of the violent January 6th insurrection, thinks the Supreme Court overturning Roe and allowing states to pass criminal abortion bans was ‘the right decision,’ and has fought in court to unleash dangerous assault weapons on our streets," said Sen. Murray in a statement sent to KREM 2 News. "His extreme right-wing views are far out of step with the people of Washington state, and I will be using every legislative tool I have to block his confirmation."  Senator Murray's office confirmed with KREM 2 that Serrano's confirmation may be blocked using a Senate tradition, called a "blue slip," which allows senators to block the advancement of federal attorney and judge positions in their state.  The blue slip is essentially a consent form that is sent by the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee to the two senators of the nominee's home state.  If the senators sign the slip, the nomination moves forward. But if they provide a negative response, or if the form is not returned, the chairman of the judiciary panel can choose not to move forward. President Trump has called the process "old and outdated" and has said he may sue over the custom, but Republican senators argue that they use the process to their own benefit during Democratic administrations.  A spokesperson for Senator Murray clarified that the blue slip would not be used until Serrano is officially nominated to hold the permanent, not the interim, position of federal prosecutor.  Before his appointment, Serrano resigned from his position as the mayor of the City of Pasco. In 2021, Serrano co-founded the Silent Majority Foundation, a nonprofit that focuses on civil rights cases on behalf of conservative organizations and causes. As Interim U.S. Attorney, Serrano will supervise the prosecution of all federal crimes and the litigation of all civil matters in the Eastern District of Washington.