The White House has removed Mehmet Oz and Herschel Walker from the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition (PCSFN).
The PCSFN is a federal advisory committee that aims to promote healthy eating and physical activity for all Americans, regardless of background or ability.
Oz, running for the U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, and Walker, running for the Senate in Georgia, are both Republicans and were appointed to the Council by former President Donald Trump. Oz quickly took to social media and claimed he was removed for political reasons.
“President Trump appointed me to two terms on the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness&Nutrition,” he tweeted. “It’s sad that he would politicize such an important issue like health. The doctor he should ask to resign is Dr. (Anthony) Fauci, for a multitude of obvious reasons.”
“With that said, I am beyond grateful to President Trump for appointing me to this very prestigious & important position,” he continued.” I am also grateful to my colleagues on the committee & proud of everything we were able to achieve. However, I have no intention of resigning.”
Walker, who served as the Council chair, concurred. “President Biden is so scared about us beating Raphael Warnock that he has asked me to resign from my unpaid position on the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition,” he wrote in a twitter post. “I’m not a quitter so you are going to have to fire me.”
The Biden administration has a policy against candidates running for federal office to also serve on such boards. The 1939 Hatch Act also limits the political activity of certain federal employees, such as engaging in partisan political campaigns.
“The law’s purposes are to ensure that federal programs are administered in a nonpartisan fashion, to protect federal employees from political coercion in the workplace, and to ensure that federal employees are advanced based on merit and not based on political affiliation,” the Office of Special Counsel says.
Other prominent members of the PCSFN include Bill Belichick, head football coach for the New England Patriots; Johnny Damon, former star outfielder with the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, among others; Urban Meyer, former head football coach with Ohio State and the Jacksonville Jaguars, and former LPGA star Natalie Gulbis.
I received this letter on behalf of @POTUS requesting I resign from the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition. It’s sad that he would politicize such an important issue like health. The doctor he should ask to resign is Dr. Fauci, for a multitude of obvious reasons. pic.twitter.com/fJaVLKVWOC
— Dr. Mehmet Oz (@DrOz) March 24, 2022
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14 Responses
If Dave was an athlete he’d pay off whomever he needed to in order to retain his accolades.
I don’t agree with the decision. I voted for Biden and will vote for the Dem for Senate. Sometimes being the bigger person in a dispute is its own reward.
Oz was a cardiothoracic surgeon and Walker a pro football player; neither is an exercise physiologist, nutritionist or physical educator thus do not have great credentials to be on this committee – nor do any of the others unless the committee is for face and name time for sports figures. Hopefully, persons with appropriate credentials are working behind the scenes.
Also, the Hatch Act, a federal law, that prohibits, government officials from engaging in certain political activities, including partisan politics.
shut your mouth old timer
Do you believe in law?” Oldtimer” is an ageist slur. Do you know if I was born in 1930 or 1980?
get lost ya old fool. Get with MAGA or get lost
fake poster
I’m a loser
Hershel Walker is my kind of man. Tough
fake poster
LIAR
Biden sucks! Dr Oz should have that position for life
fake poster