So far this month, Popular Information exposed a top College Board executive who was pushing to limit instruction on race and history in classrooms (he resigned the next day), forced RFK Jr's anti-vaccine propaganda group to admit it broke the law, and revealed the corporations that sent large donations to the GOP groups behind state abortion bans and voter suppression.
Today, however, I want to hear from you. What's on your mind? What topics would you like to see Popular Information take on in the weeks ahead?
You can leave your thoughts in the discussion thread linked below, starting now. I’ll be dropping by to participate in the discussion and answer your questions at 1 PM Eastern, for about an hour.
I don't know whether you have any insight into this, Judd, but I'd LOVE to know what the #^&@^ is going on at the Justice Department and specifically, whether any of the actual political leaders of the 1/6 insurrection are going to face legal consequences for their treachery.
Quite a lot of people have been charged, although not political leaders. I think it would be very difficult to charge the politicians that were involved unless you could prove they were involved in the planning of the violence. https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/capitol-breach-cases
There is far more evidence (audio, video, text, phone) in 2021 of a conspiracy to overturn an election than prosecutors could have dreamt of during Watergate, yet prosecutions in the latter case went as high as the White House counsel.
The answer clearly is 'no'. Just as with Mueller, Garland appears determined to avoid confrontation with Trump. 63 days with no decision re a criminal contempt indictment for Meadows. Indeed, Garland appears loathe even to investigate 4th tier rings around Trump (slow-walking an investigation into the 'fraudulent electors'). Had Garland been AG during the Nixon era, no one would have served jail time, much less 40+ officials. My only question is whether Garland was chosen precisely for his unwillingness to prosecute crimes committed by the powerful.
Garland runs a very tight ship. We’re used to hearing leaks and case details all the time, but if you look at his record, he keeps tight seals and then brings an unbreakable case to court. No wiggle room. A lot of charges and even prosecutions are not getting airtime because a lot of the media right now is owned/run by the faction with the most being charged.
I'm sorry, but the facts don't support your contention. Garland's role in the McVeigh trial was limited, and it was his only high profile investigation as a prosecutor. As AG, he has brought serious charges against exactly one militia group. He charged Bannon because he literally had no other choice. I wouldn't be surprised if he simply refuses to make a decision about Meadows until the 1/6 Committee issues their report, then quietly closes the case. The vast majority of 1/6 rioters have plead to misdemeanor charges (parading, loitering) to the point where judges are openly questioning DOJ's ambivalence toward an attempted insurrection. The only strong stance taken by Garland was his promise to avoid any interference in the absurd and partisan Durham investigation.
That would be unfortunate, and sad. I would like to be surprised pleasantly, though it is hard to retain hope here. What else might address justice, then? Where else can we look for that?
It depends how you define justice. Trump has never been held accountable for a lifetime of corrupt, unethical, illegal business practices; now, he has corrupted an entire political party, packed SCOTUS with wildly partisan actors, tried to overturn democracy, and radicalized 1/3 of the country. Is there any penalty that would achieve justice? I do think that Trump Org will be devastated and possibly bankrupted in a few years. It's possible that one or more of his 'children' will be thrown under the bus, but Trump will never see the inside of a jail cell. Seeing his brand implode and preventing his return to power will have to be sufficient. That said, Trumpism is here to stay. Thus far, not a single pro-Trump elected GOP official has paid an electoral price (and they won't pay a legal price for an attempted coup). So it's up to us as voters. Unless Democratic voters start running for local and state offices, and turn out in record numbers in every election for the next decade, there is no chance of stopping 1-party rule or worse. DeSantis and Abbott are battling to show how cruel and vindictive authoritarianism can be. Our disenchantment with Democratic leadership shouldn't stop us from keeping the wolves at bay.
I'd like to understand more about the technologist Peter Thiel and why he's spending an insane amount of money supporting those who claimed the election was fraudulent.
Thiel is using money from NFT's to fund anti-democratic candidates. The money is literally pocket change to him, and he's long expressed hostility to democratic institutions. He's extremely dangerous and virtually ignored by the mainstream press.
This may be a rabbit whole, but there is a Twitter account with a medium page called JusticeDemWatch that accuses the Justices Democrats of being plants supported by Peter Thiel to turn the country to socialism. Dave Troy, a highly respected thinker and researcher, seems to agree. This sounds so insane to me. Can you shed any light on it? Thank you for all of your great work!
I want to second this. I've recently become aware of Dave Troy's work and it seems very interesting. There are a LOT of moving pieces in the Thiel ecosystem and I'd really love if someone outside the OSINT space took a look at it. If it's legit, the network of useful idiots on the left/right, crypto bros, libertarians, conservatives, and white nationalists is very concerning.
An investigation into all the ways the GOP is attempting to dismantle public education is an important topic. Most attacks have occurred within red states, but there is also a national push from Republicans to direct tax money away from public education and into private and charter schools. Often the legislation and organizations attacking public education are funded by wealthy donors such as Rex Sinquenfield in Missouri. Missouri legislators have passed several laws that will defund public education, including one that funds private and charter schools with tax money that should be going to public schools. Missouri is not the only state where public education is under attack on multiple fronts. Everything from low teacher pay, misinformation about CRT, book banning, proposed cameras in classrooms, to far right members of school boards working to disrupt their local educational system.
I used to be a teacher and came here to say the same thing. Charters aren’t just funded from the right, but when the GOP is behind something I’m always curious about where the grift is. A big part of this can be attributed to ideology, but I’m also sure that some for-profit entities or individuals stand to benefit from these attacks.
hi--i'm another mona :) those who are power hungry and epitomized by Mercer/Koch influence know that undermining libraries and schools ultimately deprives democracy of the possibility of distribution of power...
Its going on big time here in Virginia. Of course we have an oligarch as governor who bought himself that power (self-funded his candidacy though of course he is backed by Koch, DeVos etc)
Expose examples of stock trades of members of Congress, and other political staff placed in positions receiving inside information. If nothing else it might provide average citizens with stock tips they could act on as well. Especially expose the most egregious lawlessness in which members of Congress cast votes that influence the value of those stock trades.
I think it's less inside information and more just using the knowledge and influence you have as a member to guide your trading. The good news is that, since I wrote this piece, there appears to be significant momentum to ban the practice: https://popular.info/p/how-to-make-congress-less-corrupt?r=7t66
It matters to me, and to enough voters that legislation addressing this seems to be moving forward, at least in the House of Representatives. It "only" makes the difference between a completely corrupt U.S. government, and one that is trusted and responsive to citizens.
Barry Goldwater, the 1964 GOP candidate for the presidency:
"Mark my word, if and when these preachers get
control of the [Republican] party, and they're
sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible
damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten
me. Politics and governing demand compromise
But these Christians believe they are acting in the
name of God, so they can't and won't
compromise. I know, I've tried to deal with them.
Well! They now have total control and no one’s taking about it. They won’t compromise but no one says why. They’re on a clear religious mission.
Church systems discourage questioning and suggests it means one lacks “faith”. “Have faith my child” Once religion and politics were married those same faithful were already indoctrinated into not questioning their preacher and political leader.
It’s because those leaders represent God and so they’re really questioning God Almighty who put those leaders in charge.
We see the consequences of that in every word and action Trump puts forth where his evangelical following put blinders on.
Trump became their Jesus.
Because it’s about sacred religious freedom everyone’s afraid to tackle the topic.
While we always focus on the battles we fail to see what drives those battles.
This comment really says it all. The GOP is united around a common, religious agenda while the Democrats argue about what their central focus should be. This plays right into the GOPs hands. Dems have to focus on a top three agenda and then work on everything else.
Dems never respond to GOP accusations. So of course people believe them. It’s out of Hitler’s playbook. Tell a lie enough times and people will believe it.
Some people use guns to force their will while others use religion. The GOP advocates both!
Last night on medical subreddit hospital staff raging at Joint Commission coming back after 2 years of hiding from Covid. They accredit hospitals for safety and that’s needed to keep treating Medicare patients. Staff, particularly nurses, are livid they didn’t investigate safety issues related to Covid and PPE. They otherwise justify their existence by coming up with ever intricate rules like not allowing paper to be taped to office walls unless laminated or not allowing nurses to drink coffee while they work. Useless bureaucracy and regulations that hospital administration scramble to meet for the 3 days they visit every 2 years, and then things go back to normal.
Healthcare workers are still very angry that they were called heroes while they reused masks and protected themselves wearing garbage bags. All the safety requirements we are forced to memorize like how to deal with airborne illness went out the window. I know people are sick of hearing about Covid but they need to know how badly this was managed and why people are leaving the field, causing nationwide staffing issues and deterioration of care.
Joint Commission is a huge cause of increase in use of opioids. It would be good and proactive to have a review of how the JC required a focus on pain at every contact and that pain medications be offered or you lose accreditation (for example, our surgical nurses rebelled against asking every 3 hours, including waking patients, if a patient had pain and offering opioids; saying that constant focus on pain made patients more aware of it and less tolerant. The facility risked losing accreditation because so many ‘points’ were lost over nurses’ reluctance).
Ohio tv airwaves are currently loaded with GOP Senate wannabe commercials that are loaded with distortions, lies, racist dog whistles and attacks on Joe Biden faulting him for inflation, China’s aggression, and the proliferation of fentanyl. Add to that the ads from dark money groups attacking GOP Senate hopefuls for being RINOs or ‘not being Trump enough’. Yet it all seems to go unchallenged here. There are no corresponding tv commercials from Democrats refuting the lies and ugly racism against immigrants. Also there are relatively few articles from the Ohio press pointing out this torrent of lies and distortions. Where is the pushback? As much as the ‘Dems in disarray’ narrative is pushed nationally, it’s curious that the Republican infighting in Ohio doesn’t receive a similar assessment by the press. It’s certainly an interesting subject to examine if only for the GOP campaigning strategy which will be employed elsewhere across the country.
I agree, and wonder why there is no Dem pushback. That was Bill Clinton's successful strategy - respond to every negative thing as soon as possible, before it got rooted in peoples' minds.
Couldn't agree more. I see ads for Vance and others but I can't recall one ad for a democrat. Maybe they are waiting to start their messaging but the time is now! I fear this is the same mistake Hillary made where we didn't see any ads for her or pushback from her towards the end. It was non-stop trump crap. I hope the same doesn't happen for this election.
According to a poll I saw this past weekend, the vilest candidate of the bunch, Josh Mandel is leading the pack. All these big business guys and payday loan usurer Josh railing about the ‘elite’ while in fact being the elite themselves. Meanwhile this incredible lack of self-awareness is just gobbled up by rural, and often times poor, white GOP voters because it’s sweetened with racist dog whistles and false Fox News talking points all while they all scream ‘sheep’ at the other side. Smh.
The GOP candidates for the Pennsylvania Senate are in-fighting. "Doctor" Oz being called a RINO (I chuckle that the ads explains what a RINO is). David McCormick is attacked for supporting China, outsourcing jobs (that ad ran as I was typing this). McCormick is also courting Tr$mp voters by ending his ads with "let's go." I'm confident there will be a lot of pushback of the GOP candidate following the primary.
Is AARP actually doing anything to help the cohort that it supposedly represents, or is it really mostly a marketing organization? Is its for-profit AARP Services subsidiary in a position of conflict with the mission of its not-profit parent? Does AARP fund any individuals or organizations that are in conflict with democracy?
You are doing great work, and getting results. Thank you.
AARP originally was a for-profit advertising scheme when founded years ago. Was forced to change to a more neutral nonprofit, but still one focused on selling its insurance products. Its practices have been investigated over the years. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AARP
AARP, under Bill Novelli, lobbied it's members and Congress for the disastrous Medicare Drug billin 2003. Then 2 years later, they fought the Republican effort to turn Social Security over to Wall Street.
I’d like to see Popular Information investigate more how new media companies like Spotify amplify misinformation and racism and how they are not being held accountable by advertisers
This leads into my inquiry about Substack and their hosting of misleading content creators and if you, Judd, as someone who uses their services have considered other platforms.
This is an important question. Right now I don't think there are alternatives that have better content moderation policies. Ghost is the most popular alternative and it doesn't have any content moderation at all. I need to rely on some third party because I need to focus on reporting and writing, not management of a tech stack.
True, but since Popular Information often investigates corporate funding of misinformation and racism, I focused on the advertiser side of Spotify’s business here.
I'm a constituent in a rural community. Our congressional rep (Stefanik) floods the zone with garbage and local press struggles to confront it. I read your newsletter and get so much concrete info. My dream: could there ever be a model for your newsletter to be a column in local press or some other way to get it where folks already are? I'm sure I could get a local group to contribute funds to support this kind of effort. Thank you for all you do.
That's an interesting idea! I don't know, honestly, how to go about that. I syndicated a couple of my newsletters with The Guardian last year but that's it.
I live in a community where a billionaire threatened the local council that he would stop donating and withdraw his donations to other things if the council voted for a a development near him that had a lot of affordable housing. I would be curios to know how zoning/development is being used for class nd race warfare. Thanks for what you do.
Talk about/look into the lack of funds and personnel at IRS...rich get richer, and get away with crimes, at least partially due to limited/heavily-reduced number of employees.
Yesterday you did a column on companies that say they're being environmentally responsible but then don't follow through on their promises. That kind of work is important, and I'm glad you're doing it.
I worked for a company that does (not included in your report or the one referenced in your column). I'd like to see you do a story on companies that *do* live up to their environmental commitments, just as you mention companies who've stuck to their commitments not to donate to Republicans who voted against certifying the 2020 election.
Keep the focus on Jan 6 & the just reported text msgs between R members of Congress -Fox anchors - and White House! 9184 Double-speak. Saying one thing in public and another more ominous privately! Hypocrites!
Freedom to Vote Act's failure means all hell is breaking loose on the electoral front. E.g., see ghastly mess with current TX primary. Why the deafening silence re: resurrecting fed bills to prevent and remedy election sabotage & voter suppression???
something on federal judges- salaries vs. what they or spouses make outside of the courtroom; case loads (why does it take years for cases to end) ; how many preside over cases they have conflicts in; when is last time number of judges or districts was increased; where do they go for "training/education" while on the bench and those "monopolies".
I think you should identify a handful of the most dangerous assaults on democracy --such as corporate contributions to insurrectionists and vote suppressors, the assault from the right on public education, and efforts to erase racial progress -- and then keep hammering away at them. If the Democratic party can't figure out how to message, you can continue to provide a much-needed focus.
I was aware of the consolidation in health insurance and providers, but the DoD report noting that since the 1990s the number of contractors has decreased from 51 to 5 really caught my attention. Why isn't there more scrutiny of this industry, or debate over the annual defense appropriations? Is it really as simple as buying enough of Congress - and if so, just how fantastic is the return on investment?
Peter Thiel - He’s up to some nefarious stuff - purchased citizenship & land grabbing in New Zealand, for example.
He’s rounding up other billionaires to create a “haven” or something when the American fallout happens.
I’d like to know: Who are these others - what companies do they run & what public statement are they making that’s contrary to their elbow rubbing w/Peter?
We need more exposure to the role of the Council for National Policy’s (CNP) influence on their role in shaping and executing Trumpism. Anne Nelson’s book Shadow Network provides their blueprint.
I want to know just how much the fossil fuel industry relies on federal and state government support for its operations. I believe there is a long history of subsidies and other supports still on the books that have existed in some form since the first oil well was drilled and the first coal mine was dug. Do taxpayers really know the full cost we pay for the willful poisoning of our planet?!
Many great suggestions here, but what's most concerning me are all the lies about inflation. Keep hammering away at those corporate pirates, please, and the "lawyers" who enable them. They are the real enemies of the state.
Yes! I happened to turn on CNBC one day and heard Levi, Kellogg, and a few others boast about raising prices just because they can...to make their shareholders happy.
I recently saw a bill that would raise teachers pay in New Mexico (make a salary floor, plus specify percent for raises, etc). Could you explore the details of the bill and reach out to other states on whether they plan to adopt this type of bill for their state? If other states adopt a similar bill, it would be a good counter move to the states who are newly restricting what teachers are able to teach. Not to mention it would help support teachers who are over worked and under paid.
I fully endorse a national movement to support teachers and their freedom to teach. (This sounds ridiculous--whoever would have thought this would be necessary in this country?)
I live in Philadelphia, and I am interested in tenant and housing rights not just here but nationwide. The Washington Post has published a list of investor real state purchases across the US. These targeted purchases more often than not result in evictions or price increases squeezing out renters and family buyers. This is well documented, but I would like to go deeper - who are these corporations. Where is their funding coming from. The post did not report on rural areas, do they not have the same issue? and whatever else comes to light. Thanks!
Hi Judd, There is all kind of shadiness begging for light in Big Blue California's coddling of the fossil fuel industry. I am a teacher and CalSTRS member. CalSTRS is the CA teacher public pension. It's the largest teacher only public pension in the world. CalSTRS and the sister agency CalPERS (public pension for state and municipal employees) combined would be the largest public pensions in the world. Executives for both CalSTRS and CalPERS have been amplifying anti-fossil fuel divestment messaging that comes straight from the fossil fuel industry playbook for 8+ years. The Independent Petroleum Association of America even has a disinformation site called "Divestment Fact" with a webpage named after CalSTRS (they mention CalSTRS 29 times). CalSTRS and CalPERS were both involved in a broader misinformation scandal which significantly weakened a 2017 Dakota Access Pipeline divestment bill. Both the LA Times and the California Teachers Association opposed this bill, grossly distorting and overstating CalSTRS or CalPERS cost estimates of the bill. Their opposition significantly weakened this bill designed to advance climate action, environmental justice, and Indigenous rights. This case is a perfect template to see how progressives in CA have been co-opted through political money and a broader campaign of misinformation along with small, powerful, in-groups caught in groupthink situations to give cover and political power to the fossil fuel interests driving the climate crisis. I have lots of details I could share if you are interested.
Thanks for this tip! I take these very seriously and every time I have a chat I keep a document open and paste in things to look into further. I'm constantly on the lookout for new ideas.
I live in a west coast city with a very large houseless population, despite lots of tax dollars being allocated to the problem. Very limited progress despite numerous agencies and entities in place and possibly using the money -- enough that when someone mentions the "Houseless Industrial Complex" I cannot really disagree that this might be a thing. Would be interesting to see what dynamics in either government or the "free market" are causing the lack of progress.
Perhaps this is too small bore, but like millions of others I once used a CPAP machine for sleep apnea. Suddenly, the machines, which were made in the Netherlands, were said to be contaminated, and we were told not to use them. Maybe a year later, I received a new machine, no questions asked, but I am plagued with people trying to sell me masks, tubing, and other supplies. I discovered that Medicare had been billed more than $400 for essentially $30 worth of plastic. The woman to which I reported replied drily "Believe me, you're not the only one." My sleep apnea is mild, but I haven't used a machine since all this began, because I don't have a properly fitted mask, and all of this is done mail order. Feels like a huge scam.
I have a bad case of sleep apnea and use a Bi-Pap machine. I had to tell my provider to turn off the reminder notifications which occurred with such frequency as to constitute harassment!
Whoops. Humans can't multi-task and I know this but sometimes I still try. You mean from doctors reacting to news about the recall event? I believe Philips is the manufacturer that issued a recall. My machine is from ResNed. My sleep doctor did mention something about that recall the night I did the original sleep study and asked had I heard of it? Of course that was hardly a coordinated response. In my opinion, it's like any other medical procedures, equipment, etc. All are designed to siphone off your money. They make a big noise about keeping the machine clean then send literature on a magical device that does it for you. But that device costs $288! And the list goes on. I'm buying and leasing all kinds of stuff to keep me going and once I get my bilateral lung transplant, it still won't end. There will just be more and different new stuff! Anyway, I didn't mean to go on. Thanks for listening. Lol.
Hospital monopolies and impact on community non-profit facilities. Refer to Brian Alexander's book: "The Hospital." Lots of fertile ground in this area.
Saw Sandy Hook survivors settlement vs gun manufacturers. Explore the damning documents, and lawmakers reaction to those documents (who STILL refuses to outlaw AR-15s, and other like weapons).
Lawsuit vs Trump Inaugural Comm is alive and well; where does it stand, and what are the allegations against the Committee and the Trump Org.
We are seeing reporting that more money is being funnelled from the USA into the Canadian trucker's "protest", which is blocking trade at the borders. I would love to know who is behind this movement. Love what you are doing!
Great work. Can you investigate what companies “say” they value diversity (such as submit amicus briefs in affirmativr action cases), yet they financially support killing affirmative action?
They wave Canadian flags alongside pro-Trump signs. There are TONS of these dipshits in Ontario who'd be happy to see US fascists roll over to support them. I've lately seen more signs with ‘Freedom 2022’ - meaning this has already shifted gear into being a yearly (and probably year-round) effort. Any light you can shed light on the US side of the money trail would be greatly appreciated.
How about something re: the 2005 bankruptcy reform act and how Ds and Rs both were in on the deal to a) set banks up to get away with highway robbery when it came to student loans and b) ensure those debts followed regular people to their graves?
The DOJ started a task force in October to crack down on redlining. There haven’t been any updates on exactly what they have found or are doing. I’d like to know more about how seriously the DOJ is taking this, how they are going about the investigation, and if their investigation will encompass the FHA or is only focused on private institutions.
You're doing a great job. My suggestion is take a deep drive into efforts by states to limit voting rights through all the various nefarious means. Need to understand the how to create effective action to resist these efforts. Thanks for asking!
LOVE what you are doing, Judd. I think the ad/marketing industry needs some attention. These guys are shaping opinion about everything from politics to products and are pretty much self-regulating. Plus, their record on diversity is awful.
Feb 16, 2022·edited Feb 16, 2022Liked by Judd Legum
A bit of backstory: Here in San Francisco, where Nancy Pelosi is running for her umpteenth congressional term, she’s being primaried to her left again by Shahid Buttar. He won enough votes in the 2020 CA jungle primary to go head-to-head with Pelosi in that year’s general election (becoming the first Democrat ever to take her on in November) and earned more than 81,000 votes but came up short.
Now Buttar is challenging Pelosi again, declared his campaign months ago, and has a legitimate shot to make it to the general again - yet multiple corporate media outlets (e.g. NPR) have been caught discussing Pelosi’s competition mentioning hypothetical establishment candidates who wouldn’t *dare* run against Pelosi, and leaving Buttar out of the discussion entirely. When confronted about the oversight, I know of next to no outlets who corrected their stories. Would *love* to know what tangled webs of corruption are contributing to this. Thanks for all you do!
Thanks for your outstanding journalism, Judd. I'd love to see more reporting on the environmental destruction of large industrial animal agriculture, the monopolization of that industry by a few large companies and their political giving federally and in states. Citizen groups in multiple large ag states like Iowa have been pushing for a moratorium on CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations) but the bill never even gets a hearing b/c of the political dominance of the pork council, farm bureau and others. It's an industry with very little regulation and accountability yet its devastating rural communities, our planet and not to mention the daily suffering of the billions of farmed animals in the US. It's confounding why the environmental groups don't talk about this issue when its a major driver of greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss, not to mention the air and water pollution.
What happened to this story that has disappeared about the military plane that crashed in China waters? Is silence of story because of need for national security?
Hi Judd. I'd love to learn more about the connection between public school curriculum and funding from NGOs. What connection do these NGOs have with other industries, and policy makers on both sides of the political spectrum? Groups like the Arcus Foundation have global reach and are inter-connected to many other foundations that are focused on social justice.
I would be interested in finding out more about how older Americans get their Social Security garnished because of student debt and debt defaults. I truly believe the American educational system has set up a paid scam.
Please consider investigating this executive order and anything learned from any possible investigations. The newsletter continues on to mention concerns in the arena of national security with only 5 corporations building defense equipment from the 50 some in the recent past.
Wonder what your thoughts are on health care acquired infection. These are infections that patients get from the hospital and are non reimbursable and considered Never Events by CMS. Yet hospitals and nursing keep on inserting dangerous devices without fully explaining the pros and cons and acquiring patient consent.
I don't know whether you have any insight into this, Judd, but I'd LOVE to know what the #^&@^ is going on at the Justice Department and specifically, whether any of the actual political leaders of the 1/6 insurrection are going to face legal consequences for their treachery.
Quite a lot of people have been charged, although not political leaders. I think it would be very difficult to charge the politicians that were involved unless you could prove they were involved in the planning of the violence. https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/capitol-breach-cases
There is far more evidence (audio, video, text, phone) in 2021 of a conspiracy to overturn an election than prosecutors could have dreamt of during Watergate, yet prosecutions in the latter case went as high as the White House counsel.
Yes, THIS.
The answer clearly is 'no'. Just as with Mueller, Garland appears determined to avoid confrontation with Trump. 63 days with no decision re a criminal contempt indictment for Meadows. Indeed, Garland appears loathe even to investigate 4th tier rings around Trump (slow-walking an investigation into the 'fraudulent electors'). Had Garland been AG during the Nixon era, no one would have served jail time, much less 40+ officials. My only question is whether Garland was chosen precisely for his unwillingness to prosecute crimes committed by the powerful.
Exactly what I want to know!
Thanks Judd for all you are doing!!
Garland runs a very tight ship. We’re used to hearing leaks and case details all the time, but if you look at his record, he keeps tight seals and then brings an unbreakable case to court. No wiggle room. A lot of charges and even prosecutions are not getting airtime because a lot of the media right now is owned/run by the faction with the most being charged.
I'm sorry, but the facts don't support your contention. Garland's role in the McVeigh trial was limited, and it was his only high profile investigation as a prosecutor. As AG, he has brought serious charges against exactly one militia group. He charged Bannon because he literally had no other choice. I wouldn't be surprised if he simply refuses to make a decision about Meadows until the 1/6 Committee issues their report, then quietly closes the case. The vast majority of 1/6 rioters have plead to misdemeanor charges (parading, loitering) to the point where judges are openly questioning DOJ's ambivalence toward an attempted insurrection. The only strong stance taken by Garland was his promise to avoid any interference in the absurd and partisan Durham investigation.
That would be unfortunate, and sad. I would like to be surprised pleasantly, though it is hard to retain hope here. What else might address justice, then? Where else can we look for that?
It depends how you define justice. Trump has never been held accountable for a lifetime of corrupt, unethical, illegal business practices; now, he has corrupted an entire political party, packed SCOTUS with wildly partisan actors, tried to overturn democracy, and radicalized 1/3 of the country. Is there any penalty that would achieve justice? I do think that Trump Org will be devastated and possibly bankrupted in a few years. It's possible that one or more of his 'children' will be thrown under the bus, but Trump will never see the inside of a jail cell. Seeing his brand implode and preventing his return to power will have to be sufficient. That said, Trumpism is here to stay. Thus far, not a single pro-Trump elected GOP official has paid an electoral price (and they won't pay a legal price for an attempted coup). So it's up to us as voters. Unless Democratic voters start running for local and state offices, and turn out in record numbers in every election for the next decade, there is no chance of stopping 1-party rule or worse. DeSantis and Abbott are battling to show how cruel and vindictive authoritarianism can be. Our disenchantment with Democratic leadership shouldn't stop us from keeping the wolves at bay.
I'd like to understand more about the technologist Peter Thiel and why he's spending an insane amount of money supporting those who claimed the election was fraudulent.
He has certainly emerged as a key player. A lot of his spending in opaque. I'm very interested, however.
Me too
Thiel is using money from NFT's to fund anti-democratic candidates. The money is literally pocket change to him, and he's long expressed hostility to democratic institutions. He's extremely dangerous and virtually ignored by the mainstream press.
ALSO THIS.
"Impunity breeds a kind of delusional decadence." -- Naomi Klein
This may be a rabbit whole, but there is a Twitter account with a medium page called JusticeDemWatch that accuses the Justices Democrats of being plants supported by Peter Thiel to turn the country to socialism. Dave Troy, a highly respected thinker and researcher, seems to agree. This sounds so insane to me. Can you shed any light on it? Thank you for all of your great work!
I want to second this. I've recently become aware of Dave Troy's work and it seems very interesting. There are a LOT of moving pieces in the Thiel ecosystem and I'd really love if someone outside the OSINT space took a look at it. If it's legit, the network of useful idiots on the left/right, crypto bros, libertarians, conservatives, and white nationalists is very concerning.
As a progressive, seeing this info is very upsetting, but if it's true, I want to know.
Keep doing what you are doing. I’m a journalist, I appreciate your diligent work.
Thanks Michael. Appreciate it.
An investigation into all the ways the GOP is attempting to dismantle public education is an important topic. Most attacks have occurred within red states, but there is also a national push from Republicans to direct tax money away from public education and into private and charter schools. Often the legislation and organizations attacking public education are funded by wealthy donors such as Rex Sinquenfield in Missouri. Missouri legislators have passed several laws that will defund public education, including one that funds private and charter schools with tax money that should be going to public schools. Missouri is not the only state where public education is under attack on multiple fronts. Everything from low teacher pay, misinformation about CRT, book banning, proposed cameras in classrooms, to far right members of school boards working to disrupt their local educational system.
I used to be a teacher and came here to say the same thing. Charters aren’t just funded from the right, but when the GOP is behind something I’m always curious about where the grift is. A big part of this can be attributed to ideology, but I’m also sure that some for-profit entities or individuals stand to benefit from these attacks.
Add Tennessee to that list. “Civics” courses from out-of-state partisan religious college?
hi--i'm another mona :) those who are power hungry and epitomized by Mercer/Koch influence know that undermining libraries and schools ultimately deprives democracy of the possibility of distribution of power...
Its going on big time here in Virginia. Of course we have an oligarch as governor who bought himself that power (self-funded his candidacy though of course he is backed by Koch, DeVos etc)
I am extremely concerned about our public education system 😢
Expose examples of stock trades of members of Congress, and other political staff placed in positions receiving inside information. If nothing else it might provide average citizens with stock tips they could act on as well. Especially expose the most egregious lawlessness in which members of Congress cast votes that influence the value of those stock trades.
I think it's less inside information and more just using the knowledge and influence you have as a member to guide your trading. The good news is that, since I wrote this piece, there appears to be significant momentum to ban the practice: https://popular.info/p/how-to-make-congress-less-corrupt?r=7t66
Yes, my rep in Congress is working to get such a law passed. Walter Shaub says spouses and children should be included in that law too‼️
Perhaps the focus could be on reasoning (and adjudicating) that all members of the government are de facto employees of the Federal Government.
Business Insider published a detailed account of insider trades by 57 members of Congress. https://www.businessinsider.com/congress-stock-act-violations-senate-house-trading-2021-9
I think this is a waste of time. Those people are shameless, and it doesn't seem to matter to voters.
It matters to me, and to enough voters that legislation addressing this seems to be moving forward, at least in the House of Representatives. It "only" makes the difference between a completely corrupt U.S. government, and one that is trusted and responsive to citizens.
Yes please - there is a bill being introduced related to this topic so research would support public knowledge about why it is needed
Apparently more than one. Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) has some good threads on Twitter about this.
Yes! I think many people would be interested in this topic and could use it during elections for and against various members of Congress
Believe it or not, somewhere on Reddit wallstreetbets someone is posting pelosi and others call positions.
Barry Goldwater, the 1964 GOP candidate for the presidency:
"Mark my word, if and when these preachers get
control of the [Republican] party, and they're
sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible
damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten
me. Politics and governing demand compromise
But these Christians believe they are acting in the
name of God, so they can't and won't
compromise. I know, I've tried to deal with them.
Well! They now have total control and no one’s taking about it. They won’t compromise but no one says why. They’re on a clear religious mission.
Church systems discourage questioning and suggests it means one lacks “faith”. “Have faith my child” Once religion and politics were married those same faithful were already indoctrinated into not questioning their preacher and political leader.
It’s because those leaders represent God and so they’re really questioning God Almighty who put those leaders in charge.
We see the consequences of that in every word and action Trump puts forth where his evangelical following put blinders on.
Trump became their Jesus.
Because it’s about sacred religious freedom everyone’s afraid to tackle the topic.
While we always focus on the battles we fail to see what drives those battles.
Wow! Who knew Barry Goldwater had such thoughts? His words ring true today -- see Supreme Court.
This comment really says it all. The GOP is united around a common, religious agenda while the Democrats argue about what their central focus should be. This plays right into the GOPs hands. Dems have to focus on a top three agenda and then work on everything else.
Dems never respond to GOP accusations. So of course people believe them. It’s out of Hitler’s playbook. Tell a lie enough times and people will believe it.
Some people use guns to force their will while others use religion. The GOP advocates both!
Last night on medical subreddit hospital staff raging at Joint Commission coming back after 2 years of hiding from Covid. They accredit hospitals for safety and that’s needed to keep treating Medicare patients. Staff, particularly nurses, are livid they didn’t investigate safety issues related to Covid and PPE. They otherwise justify their existence by coming up with ever intricate rules like not allowing paper to be taped to office walls unless laminated or not allowing nurses to drink coffee while they work. Useless bureaucracy and regulations that hospital administration scramble to meet for the 3 days they visit every 2 years, and then things go back to normal.
Healthcare workers are still very angry that they were called heroes while they reused masks and protected themselves wearing garbage bags. All the safety requirements we are forced to memorize like how to deal with airborne illness went out the window. I know people are sick of hearing about Covid but they need to know how badly this was managed and why people are leaving the field, causing nationwide staffing issues and deterioration of care.
Thanks
Joint Commission is a huge cause of increase in use of opioids. It would be good and proactive to have a review of how the JC required a focus on pain at every contact and that pain medications be offered or you lose accreditation (for example, our surgical nurses rebelled against asking every 3 hours, including waking patients, if a patient had pain and offering opioids; saying that constant focus on pain made patients more aware of it and less tolerant. The facility risked losing accreditation because so many ‘points’ were lost over nurses’ reluctance).
Wow that is fascinating. YES it would be "good and proactive" to get under the hood here.
Absolutely agree we could all use a deep dive into hospital mismanagement and how we can reverse the horrifying course of affairs.
Yes, here in NYC Yankees panchos were given to front line people. Juat shaeful.
Ohio tv airwaves are currently loaded with GOP Senate wannabe commercials that are loaded with distortions, lies, racist dog whistles and attacks on Joe Biden faulting him for inflation, China’s aggression, and the proliferation of fentanyl. Add to that the ads from dark money groups attacking GOP Senate hopefuls for being RINOs or ‘not being Trump enough’. Yet it all seems to go unchallenged here. There are no corresponding tv commercials from Democrats refuting the lies and ugly racism against immigrants. Also there are relatively few articles from the Ohio press pointing out this torrent of lies and distortions. Where is the pushback? As much as the ‘Dems in disarray’ narrative is pushed nationally, it’s curious that the Republican infighting in Ohio doesn’t receive a similar assessment by the press. It’s certainly an interesting subject to examine if only for the GOP campaigning strategy which will be employed elsewhere across the country.
I do want to resume my coverage of ads. If you see something, feel free to flag it for me: judd@popular.info
I agree, and wonder why there is no Dem pushback. That was Bill Clinton's successful strategy - respond to every negative thing as soon as possible, before it got rooted in peoples' minds.
Couldn't agree more. I see ads for Vance and others but I can't recall one ad for a democrat. Maybe they are waiting to start their messaging but the time is now! I fear this is the same mistake Hillary made where we didn't see any ads for her or pushback from her towards the end. It was non-stop trump crap. I hope the same doesn't happen for this election.
According to a poll I saw this past weekend, the vilest candidate of the bunch, Josh Mandel is leading the pack. All these big business guys and payday loan usurer Josh railing about the ‘elite’ while in fact being the elite themselves. Meanwhile this incredible lack of self-awareness is just gobbled up by rural, and often times poor, white GOP voters because it’s sweetened with racist dog whistles and false Fox News talking points all while they all scream ‘sheep’ at the other side. Smh.
The GOP candidates for the Pennsylvania Senate are in-fighting. "Doctor" Oz being called a RINO (I chuckle that the ads explains what a RINO is). David McCormick is attacked for supporting China, outsourcing jobs (that ad ran as I was typing this). McCormick is also courting Tr$mp voters by ending his ads with "let's go." I'm confident there will be a lot of pushback of the GOP candidate following the primary.
Is AARP actually doing anything to help the cohort that it supposedly represents, or is it really mostly a marketing organization? Is its for-profit AARP Services subsidiary in a position of conflict with the mission of its not-profit parent? Does AARP fund any individuals or organizations that are in conflict with democracy?
You are doing great work, and getting results. Thank you.
I don't know the answers but its an interesting question.
AARP originally was a for-profit advertising scheme when founded years ago. Was forced to change to a more neutral nonprofit, but still one focused on selling its insurance products. Its practices have been investigated over the years. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AARP
AARP, under Bill Novelli, lobbied it's members and Congress for the disastrous Medicare Drug billin 2003. Then 2 years later, they fought the Republican effort to turn Social Security over to Wall Street.
I’d like to see Popular Information investigate more how new media companies like Spotify amplify misinformation and racism and how they are not being held accountable by advertisers
This leads into my inquiry about Substack and their hosting of misleading content creators and if you, Judd, as someone who uses their services have considered other platforms.
This is an important question. Right now I don't think there are alternatives that have better content moderation policies. Ghost is the most popular alternative and it doesn't have any content moderation at all. I need to rely on some third party because I need to focus on reporting and writing, not management of a tech stack.
The advertisers aren’t the ones that need to hold them accountable. It’s the subscribers who need to do that.
True, but since Popular Information often investigates corporate funding of misinformation and racism, I focused on the advertiser side of Spotify’s business here.
ALSO THIS.
I'm a constituent in a rural community. Our congressional rep (Stefanik) floods the zone with garbage and local press struggles to confront it. I read your newsletter and get so much concrete info. My dream: could there ever be a model for your newsletter to be a column in local press or some other way to get it where folks already are? I'm sure I could get a local group to contribute funds to support this kind of effort. Thank you for all you do.
That's an interesting idea! I don't know, honestly, how to go about that. I syndicated a couple of my newsletters with The Guardian last year but that's it.
Have you tried Progressive Populist out of Storm Lake IA? Their readership seems to skew rural.
Sidenote, 'Storm Lake' is a fantastic documentary about media consolidation and it's impact on a local paper. Worth seeking out.
Where would I find that one?
https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/storm-lake
I suspect that you're on to something brilliant!
I live in a community where a billionaire threatened the local council that he would stop donating and withdraw his donations to other things if the council voted for a a development near him that had a lot of affordable housing. I would be curios to know how zoning/development is being used for class nd race warfare. Thanks for what you do.
Talk about/look into the lack of funds and personnel at IRS...rich get richer, and get away with crimes, at least partially due to limited/heavily-reduced number of employees.
The IRS is horrendously under resourced and it is not an accident. Powerful people like it that way.
Hey look!
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/02/21/irs-needs-investment-staff-up-modernize/
Yesterday you did a column on companies that say they're being environmentally responsible but then don't follow through on their promises. That kind of work is important, and I'm glad you're doing it.
I worked for a company that does (not included in your report or the one referenced in your column). I'd like to see you do a story on companies that *do* live up to their environmental commitments, just as you mention companies who've stuck to their commitments not to donate to Republicans who voted against certifying the 2020 election.
Those companies are out there, and in some cases doing some important work in helping to not only reduce environmental impact but help with recycling efforts. (https://www.recyclingtoday.com/article/purecycle-technologies-licenses-pg-polypropylene-recycling-technology/)
This is a constant struggle for me but I absolutely want to do more positive stories. There is a lot of good in the world!
Ditto Michaell Fomil. Amazing, necessary work that enables an informed public. At 86 years, I too appreciate your diligence.
Thank you Bruce!
Keep the focus on Jan 6 & the just reported text msgs between R members of Congress -Fox anchors - and White House! 9184 Double-speak. Saying one thing in public and another more ominous privately! Hypocrites!
Freedom to Vote Act's failure means all hell is breaking loose on the electoral front. E.g., see ghastly mess with current TX primary. Why the deafening silence re: resurrecting fed bills to prevent and remedy election sabotage & voter suppression???
https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/14/politics/texas-primary-early-voting/index.html
I think the idea that these bills were harmless is quickly being debunked. The laws are effective in making it more difficult to vote.
something on federal judges- salaries vs. what they or spouses make outside of the courtroom; case loads (why does it take years for cases to end) ; how many preside over cases they have conflicts in; when is last time number of judges or districts was increased; where do they go for "training/education" while on the bench and those "monopolies".
I think you should identify a handful of the most dangerous assaults on democracy --such as corporate contributions to insurrectionists and vote suppressors, the assault from the right on public education, and efforts to erase racial progress -- and then keep hammering away at them. If the Democratic party can't figure out how to message, you can continue to provide a much-needed focus.
Agree. The corporatization of our government is central to everything.
I was aware of the consolidation in health insurance and providers, but the DoD report noting that since the 1990s the number of contractors has decreased from 51 to 5 really caught my attention. Why isn't there more scrutiny of this industry, or debate over the annual defense appropriations? Is it really as simple as buying enough of Congress - and if so, just how fantastic is the return on investment?
Peter Thiel - He’s up to some nefarious stuff - purchased citizenship & land grabbing in New Zealand, for example.
He’s rounding up other billionaires to create a “haven” or something when the American fallout happens.
I’d like to know: Who are these others - what companies do they run & what public statement are they making that’s contrary to their elbow rubbing w/Peter?
We need more exposure to the role of the Council for National Policy’s (CNP) influence on their role in shaping and executing Trumpism. Anne Nelson’s book Shadow Network provides their blueprint.
I want to know just how much the fossil fuel industry relies on federal and state government support for its operations. I believe there is a long history of subsidies and other supports still on the books that have existed in some form since the first oil well was drilled and the first coal mine was dug. Do taxpayers really know the full cost we pay for the willful poisoning of our planet?!
I don't believe this is common knowledge, no. But there are still quite a few subsidies.
Many great suggestions here, but what's most concerning me are all the lies about inflation. Keep hammering away at those corporate pirates, please, and the "lawyers" who enable them. They are the real enemies of the state.
Yes! I happened to turn on CNBC one day and heard Levi, Kellogg, and a few others boast about raising prices just because they can...to make their shareholders happy.
I recently saw a bill that would raise teachers pay in New Mexico (make a salary floor, plus specify percent for raises, etc). Could you explore the details of the bill and reach out to other states on whether they plan to adopt this type of bill for their state? If other states adopt a similar bill, it would be a good counter move to the states who are newly restricting what teachers are able to teach. Not to mention it would help support teachers who are over worked and under paid.
Agree completely that we need to support teachers and no place them under constant surveillance.
I fully endorse a national movement to support teachers and their freedom to teach. (This sounds ridiculous--whoever would have thought this would be necessary in this country?)
I live in Philadelphia, and I am interested in tenant and housing rights not just here but nationwide. The Washington Post has published a list of investor real state purchases across the US. These targeted purchases more often than not result in evictions or price increases squeezing out renters and family buyers. This is well documented, but I would like to go deeper - who are these corporations. Where is their funding coming from. The post did not report on rural areas, do they not have the same issue? and whatever else comes to light. Thanks!
Great suggestion.
Hi Judd, There is all kind of shadiness begging for light in Big Blue California's coddling of the fossil fuel industry. I am a teacher and CalSTRS member. CalSTRS is the CA teacher public pension. It's the largest teacher only public pension in the world. CalSTRS and the sister agency CalPERS (public pension for state and municipal employees) combined would be the largest public pensions in the world. Executives for both CalSTRS and CalPERS have been amplifying anti-fossil fuel divestment messaging that comes straight from the fossil fuel industry playbook for 8+ years. The Independent Petroleum Association of America even has a disinformation site called "Divestment Fact" with a webpage named after CalSTRS (they mention CalSTRS 29 times). CalSTRS and CalPERS were both involved in a broader misinformation scandal which significantly weakened a 2017 Dakota Access Pipeline divestment bill. Both the LA Times and the California Teachers Association opposed this bill, grossly distorting and overstating CalSTRS or CalPERS cost estimates of the bill. Their opposition significantly weakened this bill designed to advance climate action, environmental justice, and Indigenous rights. This case is a perfect template to see how progressives in CA have been co-opted through political money and a broader campaign of misinformation along with small, powerful, in-groups caught in groupthink situations to give cover and political power to the fossil fuel interests driving the climate crisis. I have lots of details I could share if you are interested.
Thanks for this tip! I take these very seriously and every time I have a chat I keep a document open and paste in things to look into further. I'm constantly on the lookout for new ideas.
I live in a west coast city with a very large houseless population, despite lots of tax dollars being allocated to the problem. Very limited progress despite numerous agencies and entities in place and possibly using the money -- enough that when someone mentions the "Houseless Industrial Complex" I cannot really disagree that this might be a thing. Would be interesting to see what dynamics in either government or the "free market" are causing the lack of progress.
Connecting the dots between those that push and then profit immensely from misinformation.
Perhaps this is too small bore, but like millions of others I once used a CPAP machine for sleep apnea. Suddenly, the machines, which were made in the Netherlands, were said to be contaminated, and we were told not to use them. Maybe a year later, I received a new machine, no questions asked, but I am plagued with people trying to sell me masks, tubing, and other supplies. I discovered that Medicare had been billed more than $400 for essentially $30 worth of plastic. The woman to which I reported replied drily "Believe me, you're not the only one." My sleep apnea is mild, but I haven't used a machine since all this began, because I don't have a properly fitted mask, and all of this is done mail order. Feels like a huge scam.
I have a bad case of sleep apnea and use a Bi-Pap machine. I had to tell my provider to turn off the reminder notifications which occurred with such frequency as to constitute harassment!
Was your machine recalled?
No. But I'm reacting to the poster's last words on the topic. Feels like a huge scam!
I'm the poster, and what surprised me was that there wasn't a coordinated response from sleep doctors.
Whoops. Humans can't multi-task and I know this but sometimes I still try. You mean from doctors reacting to news about the recall event? I believe Philips is the manufacturer that issued a recall. My machine is from ResNed. My sleep doctor did mention something about that recall the night I did the original sleep study and asked had I heard of it? Of course that was hardly a coordinated response. In my opinion, it's like any other medical procedures, equipment, etc. All are designed to siphone off your money. They make a big noise about keeping the machine clean then send literature on a magical device that does it for you. But that device costs $288! And the list goes on. I'm buying and leasing all kinds of stuff to keep me going and once I get my bilateral lung transplant, it still won't end. There will just be more and different new stuff! Anyway, I didn't mean to go on. Thanks for listening. Lol.
Correction: ResMed!!!
Hospital monopolies and impact on community non-profit facilities. Refer to Brian Alexander's book: "The Hospital." Lots of fertile ground in this area.
I covered this a bit last month: https://popular.info/p/why-arent-there-enough-hospital-beds?r=7t66
Thanks - probably before I subscribed. I think the topic's ripe for an expanded look.
https://bit.ly/3sEbcWs
Saw Sandy Hook survivors settlement vs gun manufacturers. Explore the damning documents, and lawmakers reaction to those documents (who STILL refuses to outlaw AR-15s, and other like weapons).
Lawsuit vs Trump Inaugural Comm is alive and well; where does it stand, and what are the allegations against the Committee and the Trump Org.
This was a very interesting result. Not sure if it'll have any broader consequences but have been following with interest.
We are seeing reporting that more money is being funnelled from the USA into the Canadian trucker's "protest", which is blocking trade at the borders. I would love to know who is behind this movement. Love what you are doing!
Is there a financial tie to the resistance to enter the amendment for the ERA passage?
Great work. Can you investigate what companies “say” they value diversity (such as submit amicus briefs in affirmativr action cases), yet they financially support killing affirmative action?
Expose on the Let’s F**k Freedom Convoy in Canada. CBC & CTV should do an hour long documentary on how to destroy a democracy.
I've been following this but haven't found a way yet to add anything to the convo. I'll keep working on it.
They wave Canadian flags alongside pro-Trump signs. There are TONS of these dipshits in Ontario who'd be happy to see US fascists roll over to support them. I've lately seen more signs with ‘Freedom 2022’ - meaning this has already shifted gear into being a yearly (and probably year-round) effort. Any light you can shed light on the US side of the money trail would be greatly appreciated.
How about something re: the 2005 bankruptcy reform act and how Ds and Rs both were in on the deal to a) set banks up to get away with highway robbery when it came to student loans and b) ensure those debts followed regular people to their graves?
The DOJ started a task force in October to crack down on redlining. There haven’t been any updates on exactly what they have found or are doing. I’d like to know more about how seriously the DOJ is taking this, how they are going about the investigation, and if their investigation will encompass the FHA or is only focused on private institutions.
You're doing a great job. My suggestion is take a deep drive into efforts by states to limit voting rights through all the various nefarious means. Need to understand the how to create effective action to resist these efforts. Thanks for asking!
Thanks Heather and thanks for the suggestion.
Thank you, Judd. Many great topics here. I trust you to pick what’s most important and doable.
I relish each and every one of your posts!
Thanks Frederick!
LOVE what you are doing, Judd. I think the ad/marketing industry needs some attention. These guys are shaping opinion about everything from politics to products and are pretty much self-regulating. Plus, their record on diversity is awful.
Thanks! Not sure if you are familiar with Branded but they focus a lot on that kind of thing. https://checkmyads.org/branded/
Yes, love Branded. If you want to go beyond digital ad to traditional ad, social, events, PR, I can suggest a few things.
A bit of backstory: Here in San Francisco, where Nancy Pelosi is running for her umpteenth congressional term, she’s being primaried to her left again by Shahid Buttar. He won enough votes in the 2020 CA jungle primary to go head-to-head with Pelosi in that year’s general election (becoming the first Democrat ever to take her on in November) and earned more than 81,000 votes but came up short.
Now Buttar is challenging Pelosi again, declared his campaign months ago, and has a legitimate shot to make it to the general again - yet multiple corporate media outlets (e.g. NPR) have been caught discussing Pelosi’s competition mentioning hypothetical establishment candidates who wouldn’t *dare* run against Pelosi, and leaving Buttar out of the discussion entirely. When confronted about the oversight, I know of next to no outlets who corrected their stories. Would *love* to know what tangled webs of corruption are contributing to this. Thanks for all you do!
Thanks for your outstanding journalism, Judd. I'd love to see more reporting on the environmental destruction of large industrial animal agriculture, the monopolization of that industry by a few large companies and their political giving federally and in states. Citizen groups in multiple large ag states like Iowa have been pushing for a moratorium on CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations) but the bill never even gets a hearing b/c of the political dominance of the pork council, farm bureau and others. It's an industry with very little regulation and accountability yet its devastating rural communities, our planet and not to mention the daily suffering of the billions of farmed animals in the US. It's confounding why the environmental groups don't talk about this issue when its a major driver of greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss, not to mention the air and water pollution.
What happened to this story that has disappeared about the military plane that crashed in China waters? Is silence of story because of need for national security?
Hi Judd. I'd love to learn more about the connection between public school curriculum and funding from NGOs. What connection do these NGOs have with other industries, and policy makers on both sides of the political spectrum? Groups like the Arcus Foundation have global reach and are inter-connected to many other foundations that are focused on social justice.
I would be interested in finding out more about how older Americans get their Social Security garnished because of student debt and debt defaults. I truly believe the American educational system has set up a paid scam.
From the Feb.15 newsletter of Heather Cox Richardson: " . . . an executive order Biden signed on July 9 that sort of slipped under the radar. Designed “to promote the interests of American workers, businesses, and consumers,” the order addressed the consolidation of industries in the last several decades. It noted that mergers and the rise of mega-corporations have stifled competition and increased racial, wealth, and income inequality as power is transferred to corporate employers, making it harder for workers to bargain for higher wages and better working conditions. . ." (https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/february-15-2022?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjo2MjA5MjgwLCJwb3N0X2lkIjo0ODgzNzc0OCwiXyI6IlNSY2lOIiwiaWF0IjoxNjQ1MDI1NzM0LCJleHAiOjE2NDUwMjkzMzQsImlzcyI6InB1Yi0yMDUzMyIsInN1YiI6InBvc3QtcmVhY3Rpb24ifQ.sU18xDU-ugIPyLK-as5t7HHFUlq8Du2T0J7JrP9PnAg&r=3p340)
Please consider investigating this executive order and anything learned from any possible investigations. The newsletter continues on to mention concerns in the arena of national security with only 5 corporations building defense equipment from the 50 some in the recent past.
That a 3 person office can do so much. Thanks and shows the anemic coverage of corporate media
Thanks Mike!
Wonder what your thoughts are on health care acquired infection. These are infections that patients get from the hospital and are non reimbursable and considered Never Events by CMS. Yet hospitals and nursing keep on inserting dangerous devices without fully explaining the pros and cons and acquiring patient consent.