Page 2 - aruba-today-20180825

A2 UP FRONT
Saturday 25 auguSt 2018

Ex-CDC director Frieden accused of groping woman's buttocks

ing a job heading the city's
tuberculosis control.
In 1996, he began work-
ing in India with the World
Health Organization on tu-
berculosis control.
Frieden became New York
City's health commissioner
in 2002 and was known for
his aggressive measures to
attack chronic diseases.
In 2003, New York banned
smoking in almost all work-
places, a precedent-set-
ting move that inspired
other cities to do the same.
In 2006, it became the first
U.S. city to ban restaurants
from using artificial trans
fats and required hundreds
of eateries to post calorie
counts on their menus.
In 2009, President Barack
Obama's administration
picked Frieden to head
Thomas Frieden, center, is seen during his arraignment in Brooklyn criminal court, Friday, Aug. 24, 2018 in New York. the CDC. Frieden led U.S.
Associated Press public health efforts dur-
ing a range of high-profile
By KAREN MATTHEWS The judge ordered Frieden standards both personally ate workplace behavior. national and international
Associated Press to refrain from any contact and professionally," Castro "Vital Strategies greatly val- health crises, including
NEW YORK (AP) — One of with the woman and to said in a statement. "In all of ues the work Dr. Frieden pandemic flu, Ebola and
the nation's most respected surrender his U.S. passport. my experiences with him, does to advance public Zika.
medical experts, who led Frieden was freed on his there have never been any health and he has my full Frieden was CDC director
the U.S. Centers for Disease own recognizance, leaving concerns or reports of inap- confidence," Castro said. until January 2017, when
Control and Prevention, in a car with his attorney. propriate conduct." Frieden was a disease in- he resigned as part of the
entered a courtroom on His next court appearance Nonetheless, earlier this vestigator at the Atlanta- turnover to President Don-
Friday in handcuffs, arrest- is Oct. 11. month Vital Strategies hired based CDC, the nation's ald Trump's administration.
ed on sexual-harassment Frieden leads a health ini- an investigator to interview top public health agency, In September 2017, Frie-
charges after a woman ac- tiative called Resolve to Resolve to Save Lives em- in 1990 when he was as- den announced he had
cused him of grabbing her Save Lives, which is housed ployees even though the signed to New York City moved back to New York
behind late one night last by nonprofit global health woman didn't work there. and worked on a large out- City to head the $225 mil-
year. organization Vital Strate- Castro said the investiga- break of drug-resistant tu- lion Resolve to Save Lives
Dr. Thomas Frieden, who gies. tion found no inappropri- berculosis. He stayed, tak- initiative.q
for years informed the pub- "The allegation does not
lic about dangers to their reflect Dr. Frieden's public
health, sat stone-faced as or private behavior or his
a judge warned him not values over a lifetime of
to approach the woman, service to improve health
who accused him of grop- around the world," said
ing her on Oct. 20, 2017, in a statement issued by a
his Brooklyn home. spokesman on his behalf.
Frieden, who also is a for- The president of Vital Strat-
mer New York City health egies, Jose L. Castro, came
commissioner, was arrest- out in support of Frieden.
ed earlier Friday on three He said Frieden informed
charges: forcible touching, him in April that "a non-
sex abuse and harassment. work-related friend of his
His attorney, Laura Brevetti, and his family of more than
entered a not guilty plea 30 years accused him of in-
on his behalf. appropriate physical con-
The 55-year-old accuser, tact." "I have known and
who knew Frieden, report- worked closely with Dr. Frie-
ed the encounter in July, den for nearly 30 years and
and he was taken into cus- have seen first-hand that
tody after an investigation. he has the highest ethical