CDC Director Brenda Fitzgerald resigns and Amazon-JPM-Berkshire Hathaway ramp up

As CDC director, Brenda Fitzgerald should've been one of the nation's loudest voices on opioids and public health issues. Instead, she'd been remarkably quiet - recusing herself repeatedly from congressional hearings and other initiatives because of financial conflicts - and on Wednesday, she resigned after seven months in the job and one day after POLITICO revealed that she had bought tobacco stocks while running the CDC. Three of the POLITICO reporters who broke the Fitzgerald news - Brianna Ehley, Jennifer Haberkorn and Sarah Karlin-Smith - join PULSE CHECK to reveal details of their reporting (starts at the 1:45 mark), why Fitzgerald had lost confidence of lawmakers (7:30), what the Fitzgerald and Tom Price scandals say about the administration (10:30), and what this says about what's next for HHS under Alex Azar and the CDC (15:15). Then after the break, the Advisory Board Company's Rob Lazerow (starts at the 18:20 mark) sits down with POLITICO's Dan Diamond to discuss a much hyped story this week: Amazon, JP Morgan and Berkshire Hathaway's announcement that they're moving into health care. We’d appreciate your help: Please share PULSE CHECK and rate us on your favorite podcast app! Have questions, suggestions or feedback? Email [email protected]. Stories referenced on the podcast: Brianna and Sarah's story on Fitzgerald's resignation: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/31/cdc-director-resigns-over-financial-conflicts-380206 Sarah and Brianna's story on Fitzgerald's tobacco stock holdings: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/30/cdc-director-tobacco-stocks-after-appointment-316245 Jen and Brianna's original story on Fitzgerald's conflicts: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/18/cdc-director-avoids-congressional-testimony-297284 Paul Demko's story on Amazon, J.P. Morgan and Berkshire Hathaway's health care venture: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/30/amazon-health-care-business-316314 Rob's Advisory Board analysis of the Amazon et al deal: https://www.advisory.com/daily-briefing/2018/01/30/3-companies#ABCtake Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices