Raimondo Under Attack From All Directions for Failed Vaccination Program

Raimondo Under Attack From All Directions for Failed Vaccination Program

From Governor Gina Raimondo’s successor Lt. Governor Dan McKee, to AARP RI, to former Rhode Island Director of Health Dr. Michael Fine, state leaders are loudly and publicly criticizing Raimondo’s management or lack of management of the vaccine rollout.

Mayors across the state are calling for Raimondo to resign.

The state is ranked third in the United States for cases per capita, fourth for deaths per capita, and 50th in the country for utilization of vaccines.

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

Lack of Leadership in Spotlight

On January 6, a GoLocal Investigation unveiled major errors in the Raimondo’s administration’s vaccination plan submitted to the CDC in October.

The plan had numerous inaccuracies, missing data, and prioritized children for vaccination. Just one problem -- there is not a vaccine for children approved for use.

Since then, it has been downhill. Rhode Island ranks last of all states in vaccine usage.

As of Thursday, data from the CDC shows that Rhode Island has only administered 151,436 doses of the 234,000 vaccine doses, leaving more than 83,064 doses unused.

On Monday, McKee took the unprecedented step to criticize Raimondo’s failed program.

"Like most Rhode Islanders, I am not satisfied with the current administration’s progress on vaccine distribution, especially as we see our neighbors in Connecticut ranked among the top in the nation,” said McKee.

On Tuesday, GoLocal reported that Raimondo appointed a Rhode Island Department of Education staffer, Tom McCarthy, to led the state’s vaccination program — an appointment that McKee knew nothing about.

Raimondo's nomination for U.S. Secretary of Commerce in the Biden Administration remains in limbo after U.S. Senator Ted Cruz placed a hold on the process, and the Senate has been in recess this week.

“Lt. Governor McKee was not involved with this decision,” said McKee transition team spokesperson Mike Trainor of Raimondo's last-minute move. 

On Thursday, McKee announced he would not attend Raimondo’s COVID-19 updates — those have been few and far between over the past 45 days.

Raimondo's press office did not respond to questions about the growing criticism at the time of publication.