NASHVILLE — The firing of Tennessee’s former vaccination director caught the state’s top health leaders off guard and sent them scrambling for answers as the health commissioner fumed over the praise co-workers heaped on the ousted employee, documents show.
Earlier this year, Tennessee’s Department of Health sparked national attention after Dr. Michelle “Shelley” Fiscus was fired under pressure from Republican legislators incensed over the department’s efforts to get children vaccinated against COVID-19. Fiscus accused Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey of terminating her “to appease a handful of outraged and uninformed legislators.”
The Associated Press requested a week’s worth of emails among the health department’s top leadership regarding Fiscus’ firing in mid- July. The records, released for review after several months, paint a more complete picture of an agency in turmoil over the firing of an official who was highly regarded by those fighting to contain the pandemic.
The agency last month said it would cost the AP roughly $1,400 to review several hundred records. Ultimately, the department produced some 150 records to view in person at no cost, explaining the discrepancy by saying the initial figure had estimated “potential” costs. The state’s open records law requires all public records be made available for inspection upon request.
Emails provided to the AP show some officials were shocked at Fiscus’ firing.