Crackpots

The New York Times reports: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is in line to lead the Department of Health and Human Services in the next Trump administration, is well-known for promoting conspiracy theories and vaccine skepticism in the United States. But Mr. Kennedy, an environmental lawyer, has also spent years working abroad to undermine policies that have been pillars of …

The Hill reports: Scott Gottlieb, the former commissioner of the FDA during President-elect Trump’s first term, expressed concerns with his pick of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Humans Services due to his anti-vaccine advocacy. “I think if RFK follows through on his intentions, and I believe he will, and I believe he can, it …

From a Washington Post op-ed: It is certainly possible that Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to be Health and Human Services secretary, will move to restrict vaccine access. A likely first target is the coronavirus vaccine. Kennedy could instruct the CDC to remove the shot from its recommended list of vaccines, which would mean insurers no longer …

NBC News reports: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has a dark view of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2019, he called the federal agency’s vaccine division a fascist enterprise and accused it of knowingly hurting children. He also compared what he saw as a widespread conspiracy to hide harms from the child vaccination program to the cover-up of …

The Hill reports: President-elect Trump’s choice for deputy secretary of Health and Human Services is Jim O’Neill, an investor and historically close associate of billionaire Peter Thiel, the president-elect said Tuesday. O’Neill has also held roles as managing director at Thiel’s Mithril Capital Management and principal associate deputy secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services during former President …

“Wicked – the movie – broke box office records. I saw it, but I was very excited at the idea of seeing the interpretation of this. But I should have known it’s Holly-weird. “Let’s just start with the fact that they have Ariana Grande, who is obviously a Hispanic woman, playing the part of a ditzy, blonde, white villain, when …

The New York Times reports: President-elect Donald J. Trump said on Tuesday evening that he had selected Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford physician and economist whose authorship of an anti-lockdown treatise during the coronavirus pandemic made him a central figure in a bitter public health debate, to be the director of the National Institutes of Health. If confirmed by the …

Politico reports: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is enlisting associates with close ties to anti-vaccine organizations to help vet and interview candidates for senior roles at the Department of Health and Human Services, even as he publicly seeks to distance himself from the movement he once led. At least three informal advisers connected to the anti-vaccine movement are assisting Kennedy in …

Mediate reports: Elon Musk hinted he might explore buying MSNBC on Friday, days after it was reported the network would be spun off from NBC News and potentially sold by Comcast. Donald Trump Jr. shared a meme on Friday afternoon on X/Twitter claiming MSNBC was up for sale. He tagged Musk and commented, “Hey @elonmusk I have the funniest idea …

From the Christian site Crosswalk: Kirk Cameron and Brave Books have unveiled their exciting new children’s series, The Adventures of Iggy and Mr. Kirk, with a star-studded premiere event in Nashville on November 14, 2024. This captivating series combines wholesome storytelling with valuable life lessons, aiming to inspire children with faith-based adventures. Designed to entertain and empower, The Adventures of …

Politico Europe reports: Elon Musk is beefing with British politicians again — and they’re not impressed. The X owner and Donald Trump ally brushed off a call from the House of Commons’ science and technology committee to answer questions on his role in riots that swept the U.K. this summer. Committee chair Chi Onwurah told POLITICO this week that she …

USA Today reports: The only person Eliza Cooney told what happened was her mom. This summer, she went public with her story. About how Kennedy, a man closer to her father’s age really, groped her when she worked as a live-in nanny for his family. She was 23 years old. One night, there was a meeting in the family kitchen …

NBC News reports: The Supreme Court late on Wednesday rejected an attempt by Children’s Health Defense, the anti-vaccine group founded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to protect doctors being investigated in Washington state for allegedly spreading misinformation about the Covid-19 virus. The emergency application was denied by Justice Elena Kagan on behalf of the court. “We hope that one day …

Raleigh’s Fox affiliate reports: CNN’s legal team is trying to move the defamation lawsuit filed by North Carolina Lt. Gov. and since-defeated governor candidate Mark Robinson from state to federal court. On Oct. 15 Robinson filed a lawsuit against CNN and North Carolina musician Louis Love Money after two separate news articles made claims about the outgoing lieutenant governor’s use …

Mediaite reports: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. voiced his support for conspiracy theories claiming the government intentionally caused the Covid-19 pandemic in video clips unearthed by The Bulwark. These newly unearthed video clips are far from Kennedy’s first foray into conspiratorial waters. He has blamed antidepressants for mass shootings, pushed conspiratorial nonsense about chemtrails, and claimed that Covid-19 could have been …

First, some background via the Daily Beast: In April 2022, Pensacola-based attorney Autumn Beck Blackledge approached then-Rep. Matt Gaetz with a “very, very important question” from one of her clients, Tiger King star Joe Exotic, who in 2019 was convicted of 17 counts of animal abuse and attempted murder for hire. “If you do decide to run for president, would …

Politico reports: Democratic-aligned health care advocacy groups are putting together a strategy to fight Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination to be HHS secretary. During an organizing call on Monday, the details of which have not been reported publicly, more than 200 people from several dozen of those groups, along with other advocacy organizations, discussed strategies to oppose Kennedy’s nomination. That …

The Daily Mail reports: Sarah Palin appears to be venting her frustration over not receiving one of Donald Trump’s coveted cabinet spots after supporting the President-elect throughout his campaign. The former Alaska governor and GOP vice-presidential candidate, an early and vocal supporter of Trump since at least 2011, made a series of cryptic posts to social media with screengrabs of …

“I think that we’re talking about magnitudes of danger beyond erroneously making legal decisions. This is life or death. The HHS affects people from birth to their grave and is intimately connected with every state in the country. “So this could be very dangerous. I think it’s totally disqualifying for anyone who seeks to lead the major health agency in …

The Washington Post reports: Health officials around the world are alarmed over the likely impact of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — a longtime vaccine skeptic who was tapped for the health secretary role this week — on global health. Experts from Samoa have been particularly vocal in sounding the alarm, citing the destructive impact of Kennedy’s rhetoric on the tiny …