Sen. Jeff Flake’s questions about how public health funds have been spent are not helpful to the debate over the Obama administration’s $1.89 billion emergency request to combat the Zika virus, White House spokesman Josh Earnest argued on Wednesday.
“I think it’s pretty pathetic when we’re facing a significant public health crisis … that you would see someone try to distract from a pretty important issue” like this, Earnest said when asked to comment about the Arizona Republican’s questions.
Flake on Tuesday issued a report outlining how $35 million was spent on what he considers dubious studies. The federally funded studies Flake mocked included one examining why Jesus appears on toast, another looking into why drunk birds slur, and a third investigating why yawning is contagious.
Flake is “a pretty honorable guy,” Earnest said, adding that he is the type of lawmaker the White House would typically turn to when trying to hammer out differences on important issues.
