Trump’s Newsom LA Protests Problem is Getting Worse, RFK Fired Entire CDC Vaccine Panel, & More
PDS Published 06/10/2025
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Obviously we need to talk about the protest out in California again because things continue to develop and both sides are just doubling down on their narratives.
For starters, let’s get into a quick update about the Marines being deployed.
When we recorded yesterday it was a bit unclear what exactly their job was going to be, but Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has come out and clarified that:
“Due to increased threats to federal law enforcement officers and federal buildings, approximately 700 active-duty U.S. Marines from Camp Pendleton are being deployed to Los Angeles to restore order.
We have an obligation to defend federal law enforcement officers - even if Gavin Newsom will not.” []
And a quick correction there: for some reason Hegseth continues to say that the Marines are coming from Camp Pendleton, which is a MASSIVE base near San Diego.
But they’re actually coming from the middle of the desert out in Twentynine Palms.
Regardless, other officials added that the Marines won’t have the ability to arrest people and instead are there to guard Federal buildings and personnel.
And as of this morning they have arrived in LA and are awaiting deployment to specific locations throughout the city.
The idea of American troops being deployed on American soil continues to be extremely controversial and has led to people comparing the US to Russia, China, North Korea, and other totalitarian regimes that regularly use troops to quell civil unrest.
One thing that local law enforcement and the National Guard are probably going to be dealing with a lot is looters.
That’s not because the protests in general are going around looting the city, but instead it’s part of a common pattern we see when largescale protests happen where people take advantage at night to cause some chaos.
Such as in Downtown LA, where places like the large Apple store were broken into last night.
City officials have condemned these acts, with Mayor Karen Bass writing:
“Let me be clear: ANYONE who vandalized Downtown or looted stores does not care about our immigrant communities. You will be held accountable.” []
And this was a sentiment that was echoed by Governor Gavin Newsom online.
And we actually spoke with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries about this as well, who told us:
“...we can't allow bad actors to infiltrate those movements and to engage in provocations on the ground that then will delegitimize the ability of those righteous movements to persuade the American people that we need change." 15:17 - 15:33
He also added that "Destruction of property is never acceptable assaulting law enforcement officers is never acceptable violence is never acceptable and Anyone who engages in it should be held accountable But we also don't want to see this type of executive branch overreach where Donald Trump is perhaps trying to intentionally inflame the situation and cause more chaos on the ground than what might otherwise exist." 12:08 - 12:40
And that last thing he said is a major talking point surrounding these protests: is the Trump administration purposefully trying to make them worse?
Because beyond just Jeffries making the claim we saw Mayor Bass telling reporters yesterday:
“We need to stop the raids. This should not be happening in our city. It’s not warranted. The only thing it does is contribute to chaos. This was chaos that was started by Washington DC. On Thursday the city was peaceful. On Friday it was not because of the intervention of the federal government.” []
And Newsom’s been making similar claims since at least Friday when he wrote:
“- Inciting and provoking violence
- Creating mass chaos
- Militarizing cities
- Arresting opponents
These are the acts of a dictator, not a President.” []
Which he essentially restated in a reply to White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller.
Speaking of Miller, he’s been in the trenches online defending the Trump administration’s handling of all this.
For example he tweeted:
“What does Governor Newsom mean when he keeps saying the presence of ICE officers, and the troops necessary to protect their lives and duties, are “inciting” riots? He’s adopting the argument of the insurrectionists: enforcing federal immigration law in our city is not allowed and we will riot if you do. Newsom isn’t trying to suppress the anti-American revolt, he’s encouraging it.” []
To which Newsom and others have pointed out that the only people defending a modern Insurrection are MAGA and Trump after he pardoned 1500 January 6ers.
Which is something Jeffries also touched on in our conversation this morning, saying:
"Donald Trump and the Republicans have zero credibility, zero, on the issue of law and order. We will not let them lecture America on this subject when Donald Trump, on his first day in office. He didn't lower healthcare costs or lower the high cost of living as he promised on day one. And on his first day in office, he pardoned hundreds of violent felons who brutally beat police officers on January 6th. That's what he did. And now wants to turn around and lecture America as if he's standing up for law and order. Get lost. These people are phony in that regard. And so I certainly don't think that this is a situation where we should rely upon Donald Trump's judgment to make a determination about the assistance that the people of California need to keep the situation peaceful and under control." 9:38 - 10:38
If you’ve watched yesterday and today it’s probably becoming clear that Newsom is consistently at the center of this story.
Which makes sense, he’s the governor where the protests are happening and has long been a boogeyman for conservatives.
So much so that you have figures like Speaker of the House Mike Johnson saying some questionable things about him,
Right, he was asked today if Newsom should be arrested -- which we talked about yesterday.
And Johnson had this to say:
"That's not my lane. I'm not going to give you legal analysis on whether Gavin Newsom should be arrested but he ought to be tarred and feathered, I'll say that."
And Newsom used the opportunity to bash the GOP as a whole by claiming it was on brand that they would want to use an 18th century punishment.
There’s also been a big debate over masks and whether both protestors and ICE agents should be able to conceal their identities.
And notably, the use of masks among officers is something that Jeffries has chimed in on.
Arguing that America is a Democracy, not the Soviet Union, and pledging to identify officers who try to hide their faces.
But we’ve also seen others pushing back on that, arguing that they are masking to protect themselves — including Todd Lyons, the Acting ICE Director.
So with this debate, I wanted to play recent comments Lyons had made for Jeffries and ask him what he thought:
“So a lot of agencies were invited to come out two weeks ago in Los Angeles where we ran an operation where ICE officers were doxxed. So let’s just say that again. People are out there taking photos of their names, their faces and posting them online with death threats to their family and themselves. So I’m sorry if people are offended by them wearing masks, but I’m not gonna let my officers and agents go out there and put their lives on the line and their family on the line because people don't like what immigration enforcement is. They are wearing those masks because we ran an operation with the Secret Service. We arrested someone that was going online, taking their photos, posting their families, their kids' Instagram, their kids' Facebooks, and targeting them. So let me ask: is that the issue here that we're just upset about the masks? Or is anyone upset with the fact that ICE officers' families were labeled ‘terrorist?’” 00:10 - 1:06
PHIL: “So I wanted to know what your reaction is to that.”
JEFFRIES: “Of course, anybody who unlawfully targets the families of ICE agents should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. That's not what we're talking about in this particular instance. Does an ICE agent really need to wear a mask to snatch a two or three-year-old American citizen who's battling cancer away from their families and from their communities? Is that what needs to happen? That doesn't have anything to do with a legitimate threat to the safety and security of that particular enforcement action.” 19:06 - 19:46
Now, as far as whether protestors should be allowed to wear masks, Jeffries said that should be a decision made at the state and local level — though he noted that he has backed such a policy in his home state of New York.
But when it comes to ICE agents, he argues that this is a matter of safety and security not just for the American people, but also for law enforcement officers themselves:
“Now, in terms of the homeland security officials who are snatching people off the streets in masks, that violates everything that we know about how law enforcement should be conducting themselves openly and honestly in the United States of America. If they support the legitimacy of their actions, what are you hiding from the American people? And why are you hiding from the American people? And I think it also sets up a very dangerous situation where you, again, allow for bad actors to potentially pretend to be or imitate Homeland Security officials. And at some point in time, you may have a circumstance where someone actually gets kidnapped thinking that they are being apprehended by a so-called ICE agent when it turns to out to be a bad actor. And so I think from a law enforcement standpoint, it would seem to me that this is not the appropriate way to go.” 16:09 - 17:13
Either way, DHS claims that these raids are to get criminals off the streets.
They even had a thread that showed the huge number of criminals taken off the streets.
This is saracasm. It was like five.
And that low number just fueled anger and criticism that these raids target everyday people trying to make a living to feed and house their families.
Which actually brings us back around to the protest because DHS also tried to “prove” that protestors were violent and chose the worst clips ever.
In the nearly two minute compilation, there was MAYBE one violent moment where it looked like someone threw an object at police. @1:20
Customs and Border Patrol had their own proof which showed a firework going off near police.
Fireworks have definitely been used and pointed at police on occasions during these protests and without a doubt fireworks can be dangerous and please don’t throw them at police.
But in general the protests continue to be extremely peaceful and border on boring.
Not to mention that despite messaging from MAGA, the demonstrations are contained to small areas of LA leading to posts like this:
Really the violence only happens in the areas where protestors are confronted by ICE agents and police… which for many fuels the allegations that this is a manufactured crisis.
And finally, this might just be the tip of the iceberg, because similar protests have popped up in cities all over the country, with NBC News counting at least 25 rallies, some that had small turnouts, and others that drew hundreds or thousands. []
Just up the California coast, there were anti-ICE protests in San Francisco drawing an estimated 9,000 people. []
And that came as there were already protests in the city over the weekend, leading to dozens of arrests and two officers reportedly getting injured.
And then hop to the other side of the country, you had had around two dozen people arrested in New York City at a protest outside of Trump Tower
And so with all this you have people like Florida’s Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna tweeting:
“Notice how these riots never happen in red states. California can blame Trump all it wants, but this chaos is the direct result of YEARS of soft-on-crime, pro-criminal policies. This would NEVER happen under real law & order leadership.” []
But, plot twist: it is in fact also happening in red states, starting with several cities in Texas.
In the capitol city of Austin, you had some local outlets saying demonstrations began peacefully, but there was eventually a standoff between protestors and the Texas Department of Public Safety, who deployed teargas.
With the state’s governor Greg Abbott writing:
“Between the Austin Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety, more than a dozen protesters were arrested in Austin. Peaceful protesting is legal. But once you cross the line, you will be arrested. FAFO.”[]
There was also at least one person reportedly arrested in Dallas during a protest, with reports again saying that it started out peaceful, but eventually declared unlawful, and according to CBS News, a firework exploded near police officers and some people threw bottles at police.
And like I said, there are dozens of protests happening all over, so this is just a sample of what we are seeing, and again, it is worth noting that a lot of these events have been peaceful.
Right, there has been tons of reporting on a rally held by the Service Employees International Union held at Boston City Hall, but reports seem to indicate that was uneventful.
And even in cities where there were arrests, you have some officials noting that most events were peaceful.[]
We’ll likely see how crazy everything gets this weekend, as groups are planning mass protests on June 14th.
We’ll keep an eye out, but we might be heading to another summer of protests like we saw after George Floyd’s death.
So with that I want to ask you: do you think there’s a way protesters can make sure their messaging hits as many people as possible.
For example, there were a lot of posts claiming that they’d be better off waving American flags rather than those of their countries of origin.
What do you think? Let me know all your thoughts about this down below.
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Justin Baldoni just took a huge L in his legal battle against Blake Lively, but the case is still far from over.
Right, so yesterday a judge dismissed the $400 million lawsuit that Justin filed against Blake, accusing her and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, of defamation and extortion.
And if you need some quick background here, both Blake and Justin starred in the film “It Ends With Us,” which Justin also directed.
But, the two did not walk off that set as friends, to say the least.
In December, Blake filed a civil complaint, and then eventually a lawsuit, claiming she was sexually harassed and then retaliated against during production. []
And then in January, Justin and his production company filed his lawsuit, accusing Blake, Ryan, and their publicist of trying to destroy his career and taking over control of the film.
And he also sued the New York Times, which was the first outlet to report on Blake’s allegations.
Which brings us to yesterday, when a judge tossed out his complaints, ruling that the allegations Blake made in her suit are exempt from libel claims, and that Justin’s assertions that Blake stole creative control of the movie do not count as extortion.[]
With that judge writing that the complaint did not adequately state that Blake’s:
"threats were wrongful extortion rather than legally permissible hard bargaining or renegotiation of working conditions."[]
The judge did leave the door open for Justin’s camp to pursue different claims related to Blake potentially breaching her contract. []
But overall, this is considered massive for Blake, so you had her team celebrating the news, calling the judge’s decision a “total victory and a complete vindication,” adding:
“As we have said from day one, this ‘$400 million’ lawsuit was a sham, and the Court saw right through it. We look forward to the next round, which is seeking attorneys’ fees, treble damages and punitive damages against Baldoni, Sarowitz, Nathan, and the other Wayfarer Parties who perpetrated this abusive litigation.”[]
You also had Blake addressing the news herself on Instagram, sharing resources and organizations that provide legal help to women who need it and writing:
“Like so many others, I’ve felt the pain of a retaliatory lawsuit, including the manufactured shame that tries to break us. While the suit against me was defeated, so many don’t have the resources to fight back. I’m more resolved than ever to continue to stand for every woman’s right to have a voice in protecting themselves, including their safety, their integrity, their dignity and their story.”
Then, on top of all this, the judge also dismissed the claims Justin levied against the New York Times, as well.[]
So you had a spokesman for The Times, saying:
“We are grateful to the court for seeing the lawsuit for what it was: a meritless attempt to stifle honest reporting. Our journalists went out and covered carefully and fairly a story of public importance, and the court recognized that the law is designed to protect just that sort of journalism.”
So, where does that leave the case?
Well, Blake’s lawsuit is ongoing.
Last week, she did end up dropping two of her emotional distress claims against Justin,
With her lawyers saying they were simply streamlining and focusing the case, but a trial is still set for Spring of next year.
But Justin’s team might still be fighting back, because today his attorney Bryan Freedman gave a statement to TMZ saying:
"While the Court dismissed the defamation-related claims, the Court has invited us to amend four out of the seven claims against Ms. Lively, which will showcase additional evidence and refined allegations.”
Ms. Lively's own claims are no truer today than they were yesterday, and with the facts on our side, we march forward with the same confidence that we had when Ms. Lively and her cohorts initiated this battle and look forward to her forthcoming deposition, which I will be taking."
So it seems this story is not really going away any time soon.
And, as you likely know if you have spent any time on the internet in the last six months, this has been an incredibly divisive case.
So the reactions to this are very split as well.
Go to Blake’s Instagram comments and you will see tons of people accusing her of paying the judge off, others on Twitter continuing to slam her, too. [][][]
Then on the other side of things, you have people saying they are glad Justin is facing consequences for trying to use courts to run a smear campaign, some calling this an overall victory for women. [][][]
Then others who seem to support Blake, but still don’t see this as a loss for Justin because even if the case was dismissed, they believe he was going for the court of public opinion anyways. []
And as always, I would love to know your thoughts on any element of this here.
And with this, similar protests have popped up in cities all over the country, with NBC News counting at least 25 rallies, some that had small turnouts, and others that drew hundreds or thousands. []
Just up the California coast, there were anti-ICE protests in San Francisco drawing an estimated 9,000 people. []
And that came as there were already protests in the city over the weekend, leading to dozens of arrests and two officers reportedly getting injured.
And then hop to the other side of the country, you had had around two dozen people arrested in New York City at a protest outside of Trump Tower
And so with all this you have people like Florida’s Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna tweeting:
“Notice how these riots never happen in red states. California can blame Trump all it wants, but this chaos is the direct result of YEARS of soft-on-crime, pro-criminal policies. This would NEVER happen under real law & order leadership.” []
But, plot twist: it is in fact also happening in red states, starting with several cities in Texas.
In the capitol city of Austin, you had some local outlets saying demonstrations began peacefully, but there was eventually a standoff between protestors and the Texas Department of Public Safety, who deployed teargas.
With the state’s governor Greg Abbott writing:
“Between the Austin Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety, more than a dozen protesters were arrested in Austin. Peaceful protesting is legal. But once you cross the line, you will be arrested. FAFO.”[]
There was also at least one person reportedly arrested in Dallas during a protest, with reports again saying that it started out peaceful, but eventually declared unlawful, and according to CBS News, a firework exploded near police officers and some people threw bottles at police.
And like I said, there are dozens of protests happening all over, so this is just a sample of what we are seeing, and again, it is worth noting that a lot of these events have been peaceful.
Right, there has been tons of reporting on a rally held by the Service Employees International Union held a rally at Boston City Hall, but reports seem to indicate that was uneventful.
And even in cities where there were arrests, you have some officials noting that most events were peaceful.[]
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Over a dozen states are desperately trying to stop Trump from giving machine guns to convicted felons in their communities.
I know it sounds crazy, but let me explain.
Right, so machine guns are largely illegal under federal law; they have been since the 1930s. [B roll, 00:52]
But then you also have bump stocks, which effectively make semi-automatic rifles more closely mirror fully automatic machine guns by bumping the rifle back and forth, rapidly pulling the trigger. [Image]
[Clip, 00:46 - 00:50]
And we saw what carnage it could do with the 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas, in which a gunman fired over a thousand rounds in just 11 minutes, killing 60 people and wounding hundreds more. [B roll]
So in response, Trump signed a law banning bump stocks in 2018. [Headline]
But then, in 2020, this company called Rare Breed Triggers started selling a new product called a forced-reset trigger. [Image]
And like the bump stock, it effectively makes semi-automatic weapons mirror fully automatic ones by quickly snapping the trigger forward every time it’s pulled back. [Lead B roll into clip]
[Clip, 00:18]
But then, in 2022, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives determined that the forced-reset trigger was illegal.
Arguing that because constant finger pressure on the trigger keeps the gun firing, it’s essentially indistinguishable from a machine gun, even if the internal firing mechanism is semi-automatic.
So Biden’s DoJ took Rare Breed Triggers and its dealers to court, and seized more than 12,000 triggers from gun stores and individuals. [Quote, find “12,000”]
But then, last year, the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s bump stock ban. [Headline]
With Clarence Thomas arguing that since technically the bump stock doesn’t make the gun fire more than one bullet per squeeze of the trigger (it just lets the user pull the trigger over and over really fast), it doesn’t meet the definition of a machine gun. [Image then B roll, 00:17]
Or in other words, “a bump stock does not convert a semiautomatic rifle into a machine gun any more than a shooter with a lightning-fast trigger finger does.” [Quote]
So then gun rights groups were like, well if that’s the case for bump stocks, why shouldn’t it be true of forced-reset triggers too?
And later in the year, a federal judge agreed, ordering the ATF to return any triggers it seized from the parties to the lawsuit. [Quote, find “Texas”]
But the Biden administration was like woah, hold on my dude, first of all, we’re appealing, and secondly, if we’re gonna return these dangerous weapons, we’re gonna do it carefully and legally. [Same quote]
Namely by conducting background checks on anyone who asked for their triggers back and exempting states where the triggers were banned.
And that’s the position the ATF maintained as late as March this year, until Trump put his people in the agency in April.
Then, in May, the White House settled the lawsuit, effectively handing a free win to the gun industry.
Which may or may not have had something to do with the fact that David Warrington, a lawyer who’s now Trump’s White House counsel, previously represented Rare Breed Triggers. [Quote, find “Warrington”]
Anyway, in the settlement, the company agreed not to make forced-reset triggers for handguns, but only on the condition that the ATF stop enforcing the ban on forced-reset triggers as a whole. [Image]
And on top of that, the ATF would return triggers not only to the plaintiffs in the suit, but to anyone whose trigger was seized or voluntarily handed over. [Quote, find “the plaintiffs”]
Even including convicted felons who were barred from owning guns and to people in states that ban them. [Quote, find “felons”]
With Attorney General Pam Bondi saying at the time:
“This Department of Justice believes that the 2nd Amendment is not a second-class right. And we are glad to end a needless cycle of litigation with a settlement that will enhance public safety.” [Quote]
And the president of Rare Breed Triggers celebrating. [Lead B roll into clip]
[Clip, 00:14 - 00:28] Caption: “If I seem a little bit lighter today, with a little less anger in my eyes, and a little less stress in my face, it’s not because my wife has me on an amazing skin care regiment. It’s because we did it. We beat the ATF.”
But now, the update is that 15 states and D.C. are suing the federal government and seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent the triggers from going back out.
With them arguing that not only does the settlement go far beyond what the federal judge mandated last year and constitute an obvious threat to public safety,
It also subjects the states to “significant added law-enforcement and health care costs” because of the “massive carnage” the devices are capable of. [Quote]
With New Jersey’s attorney general speaking for many when he said: [Lead B roll into clip]
[Clip, 03:20 - 03:37; Clip, 08:57 - 09:07] Caption: “Public reporting on this issue has suggested that the U.S. Department of Justice forced the settlement over the objections of not only career ATF officials, but even the president’s own political appointees at the agency. … I wish they would actually stop and think about the carnage that could ensue if you put 12,000 machine guns on the street irrespective of whose hands they fall into.”
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RFK Jr. has just fired every single member of a CDC advisory panel that’s been shaping the nation’s vaccine policy for decades.
And as head of the Department of Health and Human Services, he does have the power to appoint and dismiss members – but removing the entire panel all at once?
As we’ve been saying a lot lately, it’s unprecedented.
With experts warning that it could also be the latest disaster for public health in the US.
And in fact, one of the dismissed committee members telling CNN:
“I’ve never seen anything this damaging to public health happen in my lifetime.”
“I’m shocked. It’s pretty brazen. This will fundamentally destabilize vaccination in America.” []
But with that, this panel? It’s officially called the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices – or the ACIP for short.
Right, it’s made up of epidemiologists, infectious disease physicians, pediatricians and other experts.
And their job is to carefully review vaccine data, debate the evidence, and ultimately decide who should get what shots and when.
With a key consideration being that insurance companies and government programs like Medicaid are required to cover the vaccines recommended by the panel. []
And of course, with all that, it’s long been considered a nonpartisan entity.
With its members serving four-year overlapping terms, meaning the Biden administration just happened to appoint all 17 of the members who have just been let go –
Including 13 who were only named to the panel last year. []
With Kennedy writing in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece announcing the “retiring” of the committee members that “A clean sweep is needed to re-establish public confidence in vaccine science.”
And with that, you had him trying to justify the move by claiming “The committee has been plagued with persistent conflicts of interest and has become little more than a rubber stamp for any vaccine.” []
But notably, that’s something experts have pushed back on.
Right, for one, committee members can’t hold stocks or serve on advisory boards or bureaus affiliated with vaccine manufacturers. []
And while it is true that some members may have ties to the pharmaceutical or vaccine industry, experts say those often exist for legitimate reasons having to do with their research.
And in any case, if ACIP members do have this type of conflict of interest — for example, if an institution they work at receives money from a drug manufacturer — they disclose it and recuse themselves from related votes. []
In fact, the CDC's web page for conflicts of interest reportedly shows that one current member had recused herself from votes on a handful of vaccines because she had worked on clinical trials for their manufacturers.[]
While Kenney hasn’t provided any specific evidence to support his claim that "Most of ACIP’s members have received substantial funding from pharmaceutical companies, including those marketing vaccines.”
And so he actually had to go back to 1997 to find a specific example he said showed conflicts of interest resulting in the appro val of a vaccine that shouldn’t have been.
Right, besides being from more than fifteen years ago, that report covers all 17 CDC advisory committees that existed at the time, not just the ACIP.[]
And it didn’t find serious conflicts among most members.
It just found that 97% of the financial disclosure forms filed contained errors or omissions, like putting information in the wrong section or forgetting to initial and date amendments to the pages. []
And of course, that’s not the only thing Kennedy said that faced resistance.
Right, for example, you had him claiming the committee “has never recommended against a vaccine—even those later withdrawn for safety reasons” and that “It has failed to scrutinize vaccine products given to babies and pregnant women.”
Adding: “To make matters worse, the groups that inform ACIP meet behind closed doors, violating the legal and ethical principle of transparency crucial to maintaining public trust.” []
But with all that, while individual work groups may meet in private, the meetings of the committee, as well as materials presented to the members, are public. []
And similarly, while it’s true that the committee doesn’t really straight up recommend against vaccines, it’s important to note its role is to come up for guidance for vaccines ALREADY licensed or authorized by the FDA. []
And finally, contrary to what Kenney has argued, ACIP hasn’t always just acted as a rubber stamp.
In certain cases, for example, it’s recommended more restricted use of vaccines than their approval under the FDA would permit. []
And notably, the committee is scheduled to meet from June 25th to the 27th to discuss vaccinations for Covid-19, RSV, influenza, HPV and meningococcal disease.
And you have the HHS saying the meeting will still take place, giving the agency roughly two weeks to fill its advisory panel. []
With one law professor specialized in public health law telling CNN:
“Appointing people this fast means they were not properly vetted, and there is no real time to check conflict of interests issues.”
“This will not restore trust in vaccines, and is not designed to do so.” []
And we’ve been seeing similar and even far harsher criticism from doctors, professors, former officials, and virtually every reputable health organization in the country.
With one former director of the CDC saying:
“We’ll look back at this as a grave mistake that sacrificed decades of scientific rigor, undermined public trust, and opened the door for fringe theories rather than facts.” []
And adding: “If this leads to vaccines not being recommended, millions of people could lose access, pay more for vaccines and for preventable illnesses, and children will be at greater risk of diseases we haven’t faced in decades.” []
And then the president of the American Medical Association saying this “upends a transparent process that has saved countless lives.” []
The founder of the Vaccine Integrity Project – which was launched earlier this year ?? – arguing that “The firing of the ACIP represents one of the darkest days in modern public health.”[]
And the chair of the infectious disease committee for the American Academy of Pediatrics claiming “this is an unmitigated public health disaster.” []
Adding: “Mr. Kennedy has no interest in science or saving lives. We have entered into a dangerous time for the health of the country.”
And with that, we have to see this within the context of everything else happening.
Right, before this, Kennedy already took the unusual step of changing COVID-19 recommendations without first consulting the committee.
He has also cut billions of dollars to state health agencies, including funds needed to modernize state programs for childhood immunization.
And he’s halted funding for researchers who study vaccine hesitancy and canceled programs intended to discover new vaccines to prevent future pandemics.
And so there's a lot that has people worried about the direction we’re heading in, but this may be one of the most troubling moves yet.
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We’ve got a two-fer good news story you you - both centered on this guy, Glen Edwards.
And it starts all the way back in November of 2023 - when a massive fire broke out at the Station Hill development site in Reading (Redding) in the UK.
At the peak of the blaze, more than 50 firefighters were on the scene from fire stations across the county. []
And video captured a crane operator rescuing a guy trapped on top of a burning building. [B Roll]
The crane operator in question was Glen Edwards and it certainly wasn’t easy - Glen said he couldn’t see anything because of the smoke and relied on radio communication in order to position the rescue cage correctly. []
With Glen saying,
"I had so much noise up there with the alarms, it was quite buzzy. When I landed the rescue cradle - as he just touched down - I could feel the weight. I could hear the crowd, but I couldn't see him, I was 100% blind.” []
As the smoke cleared, both literally and figuratively, Glen was hailed a hero.
With the chief fire officer at Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue saying that without Glen’s, quote, “incredibly skilful rescue” this could have turned out to be an entirely different situation. []
He was called the “Bruce Willis of Redding” and he was honored with a string of awards including the Commendation Medal by the British Fire Services Association. []
But he isn’t’ quite onboard with the title of hero - saying in an interview with BBC,
In the months following the rescue, a GoFundMe launched to thank Glen for his service raised thousands of pounds.
But the next time Glen was in headlines was much less positive - he was diagnosed with cancer.
With Glen telling BBC,
"I had cancer in the tongue in February when I rescued the guy... I got that cleared up with radiotherapy but then in the next breath, after I had a full body scan, the consultant told me that I had cancer in my spine in five places. I have been undergoing chemotherapy... but it has grown, to cut a long story short." []
And that’s where the other half of this story comes in.
Upon learning of Glen’s diagnosis, a local charity by the name of Bucket List Wishes stepped in.
Bucket List Wishes is a charity that grants wishes for terminally ill adults that live around Berkshire (Berk-shur).
It was founded by Gini Hackett after her mother received a terminal diagnosis and Gini’s continued making the wishes of other adults come true in her mother’s memory.
But rather than a lavish vacation or bougie cruise, Glen’s wish was just some help moving house - maybe some new floors.
And that’s exactly what Bucket List Wishes did - organizing the whole move, getting Glen and his wife new floors, blinds, an oven, a new shed, and even some vouchers for groceries and bedding. []
As well as a fishing expedition for Glen. []
With Gini saying,
"We found this humbling but also we've been emotional about this because we know how much of a hero Glen is... hopefully we have gone over and above and made a quite simple but stressful thing of moving a lot easier for him." []
And it’s done exactly that - with Glen calling Gini an angel and saying,
"What she has done for us has been unbelievable, she has taken so much pressure off us.” []
For his amazing rescue and his continued humility, there’s no doubt that Glen is an absolute BAMF.
But for helping this hero while he fights cancer, Gini and Bucket List Wishes deserve that title as well.
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