Former Tennessee Department of Health official Michelle Fiscus has settled her defamation lawsuit against the state, with the state reportedly to pay her $150,000.
Fiscus, the top vaccine official for Tennessee during the COVID-19 pandemic, was fired in 2021 after Republican lawmakers criticized the department's efforts to encourage minors to get vaccinated.
After her firing, state officials released a memo detailing the apparent reasons for her termination, including poor leadership and a lack of good working relationships. Fiscus countered by releasing recent performance reviews calling her work "outstanding."
Fiscus reported receiving a package at her office containing a dog muzzle, which she said she interpreted as a threat. State investigators said she ordered the muzzle herself, but a followup investigation by Davidson County prosecutors determined she had not.
Attorneys for the state and Fiscus did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Fiscus moved away from Tennessee after the termination and is now chief medical officer for the Association of Immunization Managers.
This article was first published by our sister publication, the Nashville Post.
