People For the American Way: Censorship at CDC Puts Ideology Over Reality

In response to reports of a new Trump administration mandate for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Drew Courtney People for the American Way's vice president for communications and research released the following statement:

"This weekend's story about censorship attempts by the Trump administration shows the extreme lengths Donald Trump and his allies are willing to go to twist and distort the federal government to reflect their own ideology instead of the reality of Americans' lives.

"Whether it's discouraging scientists from using words like 'transgender' and 'diversity' in their research, or brushing aside analysis that shows how the Republicans' tax scheme will harm the economy, Trump and his allies are living in a bubble that barely resembles the real world--and they're trying to drag the rest of us in along with them. That's profoundly dangerous, and again and again we see that the consequences will come down on the most vulnerable people in our communities.

"No one should accept these Orwellian attempts to enshrine the wishful thinking of the far-right above the government's obligation to work to make life better for all people--not just the wealthy and powerful."

People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and defend constitutional values including free expression, religious liberty, equal justice under the law, and the right to meaningfully participate in our democracy.