CDC Dropped More Than $30K on Media Training for Rochelle Walensky, Amid Much Derided Press Appearances: Report

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reportedly dropped more than $30,000 on media training for its director, Rochelle Walensky, amid her much-derided press appearances.

The CDC “spent $25,750 and authorized an additional $30,500 for [the] media training and executive coaching,” reported Politico on Thursday, citing “internal CDC expense authorization filings.” Politico obtained those records through the right-wing group Americans for Public Trust, which filed a Freedom of Information Act request.

Democratic political consultant and media advisor Mandy Grunwald has been helping Walensky since October, charging around $500 per hour. “In total, the CDC has paid Grunwald’s firm $16,000, with authorization to spend $14,000 more,” according to Politico.

According to Politico:

The spending is allowed under the Government Employees Training Act (GETA) which gives agencies discretion on paying for employee training.

The expense authorization filings from the CDC require a stated “training objective.” And in that training objective field, Grunwald’s firm wrote that it would “assist [Walensky’s] team in crafting clear language to communicate CDC’s public health guidance and coach Dr. Walensky to effectively deal with television interviews and other public communications.”

“CDC directors have long received media coaching to ensure they are effectively and clearly communicating to public health partners and the American people – elements vital to disease outbreak responses,” Walensky spokesperson Jason McDonald told Politico.

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