Departing CDC officials say Monarez's firing was the final straw and political meddling is a problem

NEW YORK (AP) — When the White House fired as director of the premier U.S. public health agency, it was clear to two of the scientific leaders at the that the political meddling would not end and it was time to quit.

"We knew ... if she leaves, we don’t have scientific leadership anymore, ” one of the officials, Dr. Debra Houry, told The Associated Press on Thursday.