WASHINGTON — A Trump administration nominee to lead an agency focused on public health disasters had his confirmation vote postponed amid a lack of support just minutes before it was scheduled to take place, after he was lambasted during a confirmation hearing last week for his past anti-vaccine statements
Sean Kaufman, the nominee for assistant secretary for preparedness and response (ASPR), faced tough questions during last week’s hearing after STAT reported that he made a number of comments questioning the safety of vaccines.
The Senate health committee was supposed to vote on approving his nomination and sending it to the full Senate floor on Thursday morning alongside Erica Schwartz,, who is nominated to be director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who leads the health committee, told reporters that there was not sufficient support for Kaufman ahead of the vote. A committee spokesperson told STAT that there are “ongoing conversations with the administration on the path forward for Mr. Kaufman’s nomination.”
The Department of Health and Human Services and the White House did not immediately return requests for comment. Schwartz’s vote is still scheduled for Thursday.
In a series of posts from over the last 5 years, including at least one that’s now deleted, Kaufman questioned the safety of vaccines, argued against giving infants the hepatitis B shot, and made the case that the shot may be linked to an increase in autism cases. Decades of research has not found a connection between vaccines and the prevalence of autism.
During last week’s hearing, Cassidy grew visibly frustrated with Kaufman over his previous statement.
“Why would you repeat those damn lies? Because that destroys trust,” Cassidy said at one point, rapping his hand on the dais.
Kaufman has previously served as CDC adviser and co-founded Safer Behaviors, a health care consulting firm focused on biosecurity.
It’s rare for a Trump nominee to lose a confirmation vote in the Republican-controlled Congress, though a few, including Casey Means, nominated for surgeon general, and former Rep. Matt Gaetz, nominated for attorney general, have had their names pulled from consideration.