Bush Administration Says Ware Will Remain Head of PACHA
The Bush administration on Friday reversed its previous decision to fire Patricia Ware, executive director of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV and AIDS and has asked her to remain in her current position, CNSNews.com reports (Morahan, CNSNews.com, 7/23). The Washington Post reported on Friday that White House officials were planning to announce that Ware, a conservative and a "strong advocate of abstinence programs," would be leaving her position within the "next few weeks" (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 7/19). Although a reason was not given, the Washington Times reports that the decision to fire Ware was intended as a "payback" to people who were unhappy with the transfer of former White House Office of National AIDS Policy Director Scott Evertz to a special adviser position at HHS (McCaslin, Washington Times, 7/22). According to sources "close to the process," the administration reversed its decision late Friday in response to feedback it received. Conservative groups "welcomed" the reversal. Michael Schwartz, vice president of Concerned Women for America, said, "Why in the world would they ever want to fire a dedicated, competent official such as Pat Ware? Whoever thought that thought must have been sleepwalking at the time." Bill Arnold, chair of the AIDS Drug Assistance Program Working Group, said that although Ware is conservative, most groups working with her "will be able to find a common ground." He added, "At the end of the day, everybody's in the same fight" (CNSNews.com, 7/23).
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