Scoop: Probe finds evidence fired Tennessee vaccine official bought dog muzzle sent to her

[Calista241]

Source: Axios

A Tennessee investigation found evidence that the state's fired vaccine chief, Michelle Fiscus, purchased a dog muzzle that she previously claimed someone had mailed in an attempt to intimidate her.

Why it matters: Fiscus, who denied sending herself the muzzle in a Monday tweet, has characterized her firing as a political move driven by Republican state officials after she shared a memo citing state law about whether adolescents can seek medical care, including a COVID vaccine, without their parents' permission.

Fiscus and her husband, Brad, had said in multiple interviews, including with CNN's Anderson Cooper, that the muzzle was sent anonymously to her state office through Amazon shortly before her firing.

Details: The Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security found through a subpoena that the Amazon package containing the muzzle traced back to a credit card in Fiscus' name, according to an investigation report obtained by Axios.

Read more: https://www.axios.com/tennesee-covid-vaccine-fired-dog-muzzle-michelle-fiscus-b2419534-7e4a-4048-89b5-35300e8da333.html

[marble falls]

1. We just don't need this crap. At the same time: do we need a person this ignorant heading ...

a significant health initiative?

[MLAA]

2. My thought exactly. Stupid to create the whole scam and stupid to execute it with her own card.

[tulipsandroses]

3. Why make shit up? The truth speaks for itself

Just stupid.

[SamKnause]

4. Why, fucking why ???

Has the whole damn country gone insane ???

[TimeToGo]

6. I am afraid it has

[CrispyQ]

12. I think it's the whole world.

A sort of collective madness, cuz we see the writing on the wall, & it's not looking good for the human race. I think of all the kids born today & what a different world this is going to be by the time they're 50. Probably sooner.

[stillcool]

5. don't get this at all...

she was getting fired, so she sent a muzzle to herself, implying she was fired because of Republican opposition to her work. But why did she get fired?

[intheflow]

11. From the article:

The backdrop: Fiscus was fired amid criticism from Republican lawmakers who were upset about the health department’s efforts to convince teenagers to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Republican lawmakers criticized Fiscus on multiple fronts, highlighting a memo she sent explaining how providers in Tennessee could vaccinate some teenage patients without a parent's approval.

The health department released a memo last month stating Fiscus was fired for poor interpersonal communication skills, ineffective management and attempting to steer state money to a nonprofit she founded.

Fiscus denied the allegations in the memo and shared years of sterling performance evaluations. She claims she was fired for attempting to do her job well.

[bahboo]

7. to put it in the vernacular of the peasantry....

this is some fucked up shit....

[PSPS]

8. Why the rush to the conclusion that she was behind it?

In a statement distributed by her husband, Fiscus said she was not aware of the report until Axios shared it.

"We have now learned that a second Amazon account had been established under my name using what appears to be a temporary phone, possibly in Washington state," Fiscus said.

"I have asked Homeland Security for the unredacted report so that I can investigate further and am awaiting their response," she added.

Fiscus did not discuss the use of the American Express card in her name.

There are lots of ways this could have been done without her knowledge. What we know so far certainly doesn't warrant throwing her under the bus.

[FBaggins]

10. It seems pretty likely

“ That's for a beagle, but I'm a pit bull.” she says as she poses for photos with several news outlets.

She can be correct on the medical issues… but she comes across as a self-promoting attention hound.

A theory where someone used her card to send her something that actually boosts her image… is far less plausible.

[cadoman]

9. crazier things have happened

There seems to be a lot of backdoor combat and "lawfare" going on right now. Leaks, scams, false accusations, case harassment, fraudits, etc. Democrats are actively defending our government against corrupt, insurrectionist Republicans.

Credit card numbers _are_ floating out there, and it's not hard to imagine a knucklehead on 4chan pulling a stunt like this. Let the facts come out before throwing Michelle under the bus.

[madville]

13. Well that was stupid

Sounds like it was a hail mary attempt to try to portray herself as a victim of something to save her job. That's not gonna look good on a resume.