On Monday, the Missouri Senate will consider the nomination of Donald Kauerauf to be the director of the Department of Health and Senior Services. Kauerauf has been appointed to the position since July 2021, when the previous director, Dr. Randall Williams, resigned.
However, Kauerauf has some personal and business connections that should raise questions at his hearing. Kauerauf has spent the last 30 years in public health, then went to chair the Illinois Terrorism Task Force, which oversees a state committee on public health, chaired by the Illinois Department of Public Health. Like Anthony Fauci, Kauerauf has a spouse involved in public health, Judy Kauerauf, is the communicable disease section chief for the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Preston Smith | Columnist
During the last two years, Illinois has been one of the states with the most strict lockdowns and COVID mandates in the country. The University of Illinois developed a COVID saliva testing program called Shield. This program required a “test to stay” process for K-12 students statewide—rather than quarantining students outside the classroom—a salvia test can give results in as fast as three hours. A negative test keeps the students in school; positive tests require immediate removal. This is where the idea of a COVID passport emerged, and an ID pass would give students entry to buildings for a few days until the next test.
Download his PowerPoint “2020-12-14 Shield Biden Covid Team Review vFi.”
See screenshots below.
In short, these saliva-based testing machines are used to give K-12 and college students access to classrooms and buildings. If this is expanded to adults, the COVID passport could be used to give access to grocery stores, government buildings or any place, and negative tests would deny entry.
Shift to Missouri. In August 2020, a California-based COVID saliva test company, Fluidigm, incorporated in Missouri. Within a month, the company makes a $2,500 donation to Gov. Parson, and by Sept. 30, 2020, the State of Missouri purchased four saliva-based testing machines in four areas of the state. On June 25,2021, Shield T-3 (the COVID passport company) incorporated in Missouri. A week later, in July 2021, Gov. Parson names Kauerauf as the director of DHSS. Last September, Kauerauf is quoted an online news article that he wants to implement a “test to stay” program in Missouri.
In an interview with a St. Louis television station last September, Kauerauf says, “Still Missouri is well below where we should be in vaccinations. We gotta get better. That’s gonna be our key, those people who are hesitant, get them vaccinated.”
View a PDF of the State Ethics Report HERE.
Here are the State Senators who sit on the Senate Appointment Committee:
Dave Schatz ( Chair) (573) 751-3678
Caleb Rowden (573) 751-3931
Jason Bean (573) 751-4843
Karla Eslinger (573) 751-1882
Tony Lukemeyer (573) 751-1480
Mike Moon (573) 751-1480
Angela Mosley (573) 751-2420
Jeanie Riddle (573) 751-2757
John Rizzo (573) 751-3074
Paul Weiland (573) 751-1492
Brian Williams (573) 751-4106
–Preston Smith is a long-time Jackson County resident who tracks issues and offers news/commentary from time to time to the MetroVoice.