Republicans' Search for Political Scapegoat Comes Up Empty

(Washington, DC) – Today, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held an Oversight Subcommittee hearing to question former White House Chief Technology Officer, Mr. Todd Park, on his involvement in the development of the Healthcare.gov website prior to October 1, 2013. The hearing came in the wake of a Majority staff report released in October that alleged Mr. Park had misled the Congress in testifying before another Committee.

Under aggressive questioning from Members, Mr. Park’s testimony today made clear that he served as an advisor at times to CMS, but he never played a direct role in development or testing of the website. He also testified that he played no role in the cybersecurity testing, evaluation, or management of the website. This testimony was supported by 12,000 pages of documents from the Department of Health and Human Services and the White House, as well as by his record as Chief Technology Officer, which occupied the vast majority of his time when he was at the White House. 

Unfortunately for the Majority, these answers were consistent with Mr. Park’s prior testimony about his involvement. The Majority failed to validate any of the allegations made in the Majority staff report and repeated by the Chairman in his opening statement. The testimony at the hearing made clear that Mr. Park proudly and successfully served his country with the highest level of integrity.

Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) of the full committee said in her opening statement, “This hearing was largely an excuse for the Majority to again express their dislike for the Affordable Care Act and the online-Marketplace that has let millions of Americans find medical coverage. I know that they do not like Obamacare – the Majority have voted in the House some 53 times during this Congress to repeal or dismantle the ACA.”

She continued, “Mr. Park, it is clear that you were not responsible for how the website performed last October 1st. In doling out responsibility for its performance on day one I think it’s fair to assign you 0% of the responsibility, which reflects the degree of your actual involvement in developing the website.”

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) said, “Mr. Park was not managing the acquisition, he was not directing the development or designing the cybersecurity system, and he sure wasn’t a contractor down in the trenches writing code.  He was the Chief Technology Officer of the United States with a broad portfolio and more work than any two normal people could pull off.  At some point, the actual evidence has to guide your opinion of Mr. Park.

“Mr. Park has returned to the Bay Area and is attempting to recruit other bright, innovative stars from the IT world to come to Washington and take a few years to try to make a difference for the good of the country. Good luck with that message after today, Mr. Park.”

The Chairman repeatedly bemoaned the need to compel Mr. Park to appear under subpoena. The reality is that the White House had been telling the Committee for months that, as a Special Assistant to the President, the Committee would need to subpoena Mr. Park.  The Committee refused to do that. Only after Mr. Park left his post as a Special Assistant to the President, and agreed in writing to testify before the Committee, did the Majority insist on issuing a subpoena to Mr. Park. This theatrical move was entirely unnecessary since Mr. Park was willing to appear on his own. 

Click here to view the Minority staff report, The View from “80,000 Feet”: Todd Park in the Run Up to Healthcare.gov.