Kadlec Emerging as Major Player in Combating Virus

In the past few days, Trump administration sources told Newsmax, Assistant Health and Human Services Secretary for Preparedness and Response Bob Kadlec has emerged as one of the major players in the assault on the spread of coronavirus.

Charged officially with dealing with "21^st Century health security threats," Kadlec has recently moved into coordinating the response of the HHS Department and other government agencies in combating the threat of the virus.

In addition, Kadlec is expected to become the administration's point man on Capitol Hill in explaining the coronavirus response to lawmakers.

As former staff director for Sen. Richard Burr's, R-N.C., subcommittee on Bioterrorism and Public Health, Kadlec won high marks for working with members of both parties in Congress on the issue of bioterrorism.

"I have known Dr. Kadlec for nearly 20 years," Tom Ridge, secretary of Homeland Security under George W. Bush, told Newsmax. "He has been a relentless and passionate advocate for the government to be better prepared for biodefense issue, regardless of whether it is Mother Nature or our enemies launch a bio attack.

"A report from a bipartisan group that [former Connecticut Sen. and 2000 Democratic vice presidential nominee] Joe Lieberman and I have been co-chairs of for five years sadly demonstrated how ill-prepared we were and are for any significant bioevent. [Kadlec] was instrumental in establishing the panel."

Of reports of his enhanced role on the Coronavirus Task Force, Ridge told us, "Vice President Pence [who chairs the task force] would be wise to keep him close during this time."

A retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and physician, Kadlec has served in the Bush-43 White House as special assistant for Biochemical Defense on the Homeland Security Council. At the time of his appointment to his present HHS post, Kadlec was deputy staff director of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.