On Thursday, April 3rd, Simmer’s SC Senate Hearing Continues!

Dr. Edward Simmer’s confirmation hearing will be continued in the Senate Medical Affairs Committee on April 3rd at 9:00AM in Room 308 of the Gressette Building. See the agenda HERE.

This hearing is to confirm Simmer’s statewide appointment as Director of South Carolina's Department of Public Health (DPH) following Governor McMaster's appointment in November 2024.

Simmer’s first hearing took place March 20th, where he spent the vast majority of his speech attacking anyone that has challenged him and his record. He stated that all of the “misinformation” going around is “dangerous” and only for social media “clicks”. The ironic part? Simmer ended his testimony stating that DPH needs to rebuild trust through “listening” to South Carolinians. After he spent around 30 minutes criticizing South Carolinians that have been critical of his track-record. Okay…

Let’s take a look at Simmer’s most recent resume while directing South Carolina’s public health policy the past four years. While this may be a review for some, I guarantee some of this new information will shock you.

Dr. Simmer’s “Fauci” Record

Dr. Edward Simmer has become known as the “Fauci of South Carolina” for several reasons. Here are just a couple of highlights:

Dr. Simmer, who is a psychiatrist and career bureaucrat, served as the Public Health director of DHEC during the COVID-19 pandemic and has had a long history of pushing the health agenda asserted by the National Institute of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (which aligns with the World Health Organization.) Simmer advocated for mask mandates for adults and children even after the SC General Assembly refused to pass a proviso that prohibited schools from using state funding to enforce masking mandates in 2021.

In 2021 DHEC board meetings, Dr. Simmer worked to coerce young people to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, recommended that SC communities maintain mask mandates, targeted recommendations to get pregnant women and 5-11 year old children to be vaccinated, worked to implement federal government's required vaccination policy for government employees, among many other unconstitutional actions. Don't take my word for it, check out the compilation of Dr. Simmer stating all of this in a 26 minute summary of the 2021 DHEC board meetings HERE.

Why is the Governor re-appointing someone who has a proven track record of stifling medical freedom in South Carolina?

Health Equity Nightmare: What DPH Has Become Under Simmer’s Leadership

The South Carolina Department of Public Health (previously DHEC) has changed significantly with Simmer at the realm. Palmetto State Watch Foundation has launched an ongoing series that takes an in-depth look into DHEC/DPH and how it is drastically turning into a marxist-led healthcare system.

Part One - The Future of SC Healthcare is Social Justice - Explains how South Carolina is firmly on the path to a health system rooted in the social justice principles of health equity, racial equity, and environmental justice (all DEI initiatives.)

Part Two - SC Health Equity Exposed - How SC healthcare has pivoted from focusing on health outcomes for everyone to health EQUITY for certain groups of people.

Part Three - SC Health Care in the Crosshairs of Racial Justice - In this report, we dive into the Alliance for a Healthier South Carolina (AHSC), one of the co-authors behind SC's health equity plan. AHSC's "action plan" promotes a “health in all policies” approach, which is likewise mirrored by the World Health Organization...and this is just the tip of the iceberg.

“Structural and institutional racism” caused SC’s poor health outcomes, according to SC DPH’s & Dr. Edward Simmer’s co-partner bringing “health and racial equity” to SC.

Blast from the Past: SC Senators Previous Statements on Simmer

This recent Simmer appointment has become even more interesting since two State Senators have stated that the last two years of legislative action was aimed at removing Dr. Simmer from serving as the head of the state's Public Health. On April 24, 2024, Senator Tom Davis (R-Beaufort) stated that the entire reason the General Assembly split up DHEC into two departments (Act 60) was to hold Dr. Simmer accountable since he "was a Health Czar" during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to an article written by Evan Mulch with the United Patriots Alliance, later in 2024 at a Spartanburg County GOP meeting, Senator Josh Kimbrell (R-Spartanburg) stated that another piece of legislation needs to be passed so the Governor can remove Dr. Simmer. It is interesting how that legislation was never passed yet the Governor is intent on re-appointing Simmer once again...

Dr. Simmer is currently serving as the Interim Director of the SC Public Health Department as he waits for his Senate confirmation. Over the past several months, there has been an outcry of opposition from the grassroots concerning Edward Simmer as the next SC Public Health Director due to concerns over his career and his record. Some have written letters to the Senate Medical Affairs Committee pleading the committee members to reconsider the nomination.

What You Can Do to Prevent the Confirmation

The Senate Medical Affairs Committee is meeting Thursday, April 3rd, 2025 at 9AM in Room 308 in the Gressette Building. See the agenda for this hearing HERE.

Here is what you can do to prevent Dr. Edward Simmer's appointment:

1. Email and/or call the SC Senate Medical Affairs Committee members and ask them to vote AGAINST Dr. Simmer's nomination as the SC Public Health Director.

   1. ronniesabb@scsenate.gov, dannyverdin@scsenate.gov, joshkimbrell@scsenate.gov, shanemartin@scsenate.gov, margiebrightmatthews@scsenate.gov, harveypeeler@scsenate.gov, mikegambrell@scsenate.gov, thomasalexander@scsenate.gov, richardcash@scsenate.gov, tomcorbin@scsenate.gov, tomdavis@scsenate.gov, billygarrett@scsenate.gov, deontedder@scsenate.gov, tomfernandez@scsenate.gov, jeffzell@scsenate.gov, mattleber@scsenate.gov, bradhutto@scsenate.gov

   2. Sen. Danny Verdin - (803) 212-6250

      Sen. Harvey Peeler - (803) 212-6430

      Sen. Shane Martin - (803) 212-6420

      Sen. Thomas Alexander - (803) 212-6220

      Sen. Tom Davis - (803) 212-6080

      Sen. Tom Corbin - (803) 212-6100

      Sen. Michael Gambrell - (803) 212-6032

      Sen. Richard Cash - (803) 212-6124

      Sen. Billy Garrett - 803-212-6016

      Sen. Josh Kimbrell - (803) 212-6108

      Sen. Tom Fernandez - (803) 212-6024

      Sen. Matt Leber - (803) 212-6032

      Sen. Jeff Zell - (803) 212-6040

2. Contact your State Senator and ask him/her to vote AGAINST Dr. Simmer's nomination as the SC Public Health Director. Find you State Senator HERE and the list of State Senators HERE.

3. Attend the Senate Medical Affairs Committee hearing on April 3rd, 2025 at 9AM.