Dr. Nirav Shah, a contender for a Maine Senate seat, is facing criticism from within his own party regarding his past record, particularly his response to a deadly Legionnaires' disease outbreak in Illinois. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., has voiced strong opposition to Shah's Senate bid, citing the 2015 outbreak at an Illinois veterans' home that resulted in 13 deaths.
During an interview on CNN, Shah addressed Duckworth's remarks, acknowledging the tragedy of the outbreak. "The outbreak that she‘s referring to back in 2015 was tragic," Shah stated. "And sadly, American veterans lost their lives. And I deeply respect Sen. Duckworth and her service to this country. In this respect, I happen to disagree with her."
Shah defended his department's actions, comparing the response to that of a fire department. "The health department, in the setting of a legionnaires outbreak, responds to the scene of an emergency, much like the fire department does," he said. "In this situation, we responded after the outbreak was underway. We helped tamp it down, and we made sure that the outbreak didn‘t get any worse than it already was." He added that the outbreak was reviewed by the CDC and that both Maine's Democratic governor and the Biden administration later hired him for public health positions.
However, CNN host Brianna Keilar pressed Shah, contrasting his description with a report by Illinois' auditor general. Keilar noted that the report characterized the response differently and questioned Shah's assertion that it was "quick, coordinated and responsive." She highlighted a detail from the report suggesting a delay of about three days after confirmation of multiple cases before state officials visited the veterans' home.
Shah refuted this specific timeline, stating, "The county health department was in immediate contact with the facility. And then, as the situation evolved, they then looped in the state health department. And that‘s when we became involved." He acknowledged that "in any outbreak in crisis situation, we can always improve the coordination between state, county and federal officials."
Despite the scrutiny, Shah defended his overall record, pointing to his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. "I learned a lot during the legionnaire’s crisis, and I am a better leader for it," he remarked. "If what we demand are leaders who are unblemished, then what we will end up with are leaders who are untested. I have been a tested leader, and I am a better leader as a result."