In an interview with CNN, a Department of Health and Human Services source confirmed that Rick Bright has been offered the role of second-in-command of the Accelerating Covid-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines partnership. The partnership has received nearly $1 billion from the HHS budget to help combat the unprecedented crisis caused due to the pandemic.

With his new job been identified, Bright is planning to report to that job next week, his lawyer said in a news release on Thursday. "Contrary to administration talking points, Dr. Bright has never refused to report to NIH, and now that his position there has been identified, he plans to begin next week," the attorney said in a statement.

The aforesaid statement noted that Dr. Bright is all set to accept the new role unless Secretary Azar prefers to consider OSC's request and grants a stay of his reassignment. Responding to allegations of slow federal response and retaliation, HHS (Health and Human Services) said in a statement Thursday that Bright did not come to work although he was offered the same salary he received in his previous role.

According to an HHS release, Bright's recently filed whistleblower complaint is based on misinformation and one-sided arguments. Moreover, HHS is reviewing the complaint and doesn't agree with the accusation and characterizations made by Bright, the release said.

After been removed from his role as the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority leader, Bright has been in a constant war of words with HHS. He has accused HHS of removing him from his position because he was criticized the administration's response to the pandemic and didn't support the use of a drug that President Trump promoted as a potential treatment.

Bright filed the whistleblower complaint claiming that his dismissal was a form of retaliation, and the federal office investigating the dismissal has said he should be reinstated while the investigation continues, according to his attorneys.

HHS, on the other hand, says that Bright was assigned a new role in the coronavirus response, but he opted not to show up for that job. Bright and his attorneys claim he was not given details of the aforesaid role. Moreover, Bright was denied access to his HHS email after been removed as the director of the biomedical authority.

One of Bright's attorneys Debra Katz opened up during an interview on CNN's "The Lead with Jake Tapper," claiming that when her client was removed from his position, HHS had not planned to assign a new role to him.