Durbin joins Duckworth in opposing Maine's Shah over disease outbreak

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) has joined his Illinois colleague Sen. Tammy Duckworth‘s (D-IL) opposition to Nirav Shah seeking the Senate candidacy in Maine, with both lawmakers citing the hopeful’s role in a deadly 2015 Legionnaires’ disease outbreak that occurred while he was at the helm of the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Duckworth voiced opposition to Shah possibly replacing former Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner shortly after he announced his candidacy. The congresswoman had called for Shah’s removal from IDPH in 2018 when investigations revealed former Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Shah failed to act when they were informed of the outbreak.