Shah Enters Maine Senate Race; Duckworth Renews Criticism of His 2015 Illinois Veterans Home Response

Sen. Tammy Duckworth renewed criticism Thursday of Nirav Shah's handling of a 2015 outbreak at the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy. Duckworth said Shah placed public image concerns ahead of veteran safety during the incident.

Shah led the Illinois Department of Public Health from 2015 to 2019. Investigations showed the department documented violations at the Quincy facility but issued no citation. Duckworth and Sen. Dick Durbin issued a joint statement in 2018 calling for Shah's resignation, noting that Shah and other staff viewed the governor's office as an obstacle to a prompt response.

Shah described the renewed criticism as a distraction and dirty politics. He said he followed federal public health guidance during the outbreak and acknowledged shortcomings in public communication. After leaving Illinois in 2019, Shah served as director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention until 2023.

He later became principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Shah finished third in Maine's Democratic gubernatorial primary earlier this year and entered the Senate race after Graham Platner withdrew Tuesday. Former Maine Attorney General James Tierney and Illinois state Sen.

Cristina Castro held a virtual news conference during Shah's gubernatorial campaign to criticize his handling of the 2015 outbreak. Castro said Maine voters deserve to know about the Illinois scandal. The Maine Democratic Party has stressed its commitment to transparency while selecting a replacement nominee.