The President Trump administration has dismissed all of the remaining members of the Obama-appointed Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA).
This comes months after a half-dozen members resigned in protest of the Trump administration's position on health policies.
The Washington Blade reported that the firings came without warning by way of a FedEx letter and were unexpected by most of its membership.
Confirming the termination in a statement, PACHA executive director Kaye Hayes said:
“On December 27, 2017, the current members of Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS received a letter informing them that the Administration was terminating their appointments. They were also thanked for their leadership, dedication and commitment to the effort.”
Hayes also added that the Trump administration has every right to appoint new members to the council.
According to her, during the Obama administration, a majority of George W. Bush’s appointees were cleared out to make room for new faces.
Meanwhile, Scott Schoettes, a former member of PACHA, disagreed openly on Twitter, calling the firings a “purge.”
He wrote: @realDonaldTrump executing a purge: remaking the courts; ppl who use “transgender” and “vulnerable” out at HHS; #PACHA (#HIV council) members gone; wants to eliminate ppl @ FBI who didn’t vote for him; attempts to undermine free press. #Fascist #TrumpRussia #WeObject #Resist
