My family was, unfortunately, involved in tobacco cultivation in the deep south, presumably since before the revolution, and even once had a land-grant from the King (George, not Donald.) We've not been involved with tobacco during the past generation, and we no longer own the land.
Some years ago I was attending an industry dinner with several industry scientists from several southern agricultural schools (Duke, NC State and Clemson among them) one scientist of which sat at our table. Playing devil's advocate, I asked what other uses tobacco has, so that there might actually be something nice to say in casual conversation. The response from this scientists was that tobacco has no known uses beyond that of a deadly toxin, sometimes used as an "organic" insecticide.
Of course that sort of response indicating *DANGER ONLY* is basically the entire policy statement of the GOP: "Sure, some little people are gonna die in the interest of great wealth...just as GOD intended!"
CHD embraces and advocates for any and every grifter, wingnut and malignant creature that they think can enhance their visibility and fundraising. They fabricate and/or amplify the most libelous stories, like that horrible nonsense about last year's measles deaths in Texas being due to inappropriate antibiotic coverage for the kids' bacterial pneumonias = malpractice (an IMA-CHD co-production).
I dug down into the Andrea Shaw rabbit hole, and the timing alone stinks badly. I read through the lawsuit she joined - racketeering suit against AAP - It's such an amateurish slop job, they've clearly hired a hack attorney. The complaint contradicts its own contentions from one paragraph to the next. It will be dismissed. They will cry "persecution and censorship," and rail against "Big Pharma puppet masters," and keep raising funds, to pay their chosen conference vendors and attorneys and filmmakers large amounts of money - working with several large "MAHA" charitable organizations. It's not that difficult to find the incredibly nice houses some of these folks live in (Streetview, Zillow - Texas, Florida).
Sorry for the semi-coherent rant, but this gets me apoplectic. Specifics available, for doubters (because I know this reads like a conspiracist's diatribe).
CHD has attempted to make legal headway against vaccination by numerous approaches. They have fortunately not been successful. Less fortunately, they are undeterred by failure.
Because repeated failure is profitable, despite not winning their own cases, both monetarily, and for the cause, which is where I would argue they've been frighteningly successful. Beyond falling vaccination rates and measles outbreaks and ~50% of Americans believing they know someone that died as a result of COVID vaccination -
Something like 25 states have proposed legislation banning mRNA vaccinations (+/- classifying them as "bioweapons), or prohibiting certain requirements for vaccines in the AAP schedule, or going full-Ladapo) - a handful of these have passed into law.
So, yes, CHD hasn't been winning lawsuits (though Siri has achieved some settlements), but they've played a major role in bringing us to where we are - including near-weekly RonJohn hearings (they collaborate on lots of "events").
It goes deeper and wider. I'll try to write something up. Meanwhile, their IRS Form-990s are available via ProPublica's portal - CHD has ~20 employees, more than half of whom are paid >$170K/year.
Lots of cooperation between big money Brownstone and CHD players and efforts
Skyhorse Publishing (Bobby's books, and lots of "ivermectin cures cancer," and every other type of loon-bait) = "MAHA Report" Substack (>200K subscribers)
Everyone's (other) favorite attorney anchors part of this ecosystem
It's not only American blood on their hands. Musk/RFK/Rubio killed USAID and CDC health development and disaster response work overseas, which will result in the avoidable deaths of millions of children in the coming few years, according to The Lancet study in July 2025 - the largest amount due to interruption of vaccination programs. That puts them near the top of the list of some of the vilest mass murderers of the past century. WHEN WILL MASS MEDIA START COVERING THIS TRAGEDY AND AFFRONT TO AMERICAN VALUES WITH THE ATTENTION IT DESERVES? WHEN WILL THE AMERICAN PUBLIC AND CONGRESS DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY?
This story of the two children raises some interesting questions. I'd appreciate your looking into it. I am NOT suggesting that vaccines caused their deaths!
Why was the hospital treating them for hypoxia?
There is apparently an information vacuum on that point. CHD is apparently trying to fill it. The public needs honest, objective scientific information about it.
My family was, unfortunately, involved in tobacco cultivation in the deep south, presumably since before the revolution, and even once had a land-grant from the King (George, not Donald.) We've not been involved with tobacco during the past generation, and we no longer own the land.
Some years ago I was attending an industry dinner with several industry scientists from several southern agricultural schools (Duke, NC State and Clemson among them) one scientist of which sat at our table. Playing devil's advocate, I asked what other uses tobacco has, so that there might actually be something nice to say in casual conversation. The response from this scientists was that tobacco has no known uses beyond that of a deadly toxin, sometimes used as an "organic" insecticide.
Of course that sort of response indicating *DANGER ONLY* is basically the entire policy statement of the GOP: "Sure, some little people are gonna die in the interest of great wealth...just as GOD intended!"
CHD embraces and advocates for any and every grifter, wingnut and malignant creature that they think can enhance their visibility and fundraising. They fabricate and/or amplify the most libelous stories, like that horrible nonsense about last year's measles deaths in Texas being due to inappropriate antibiotic coverage for the kids' bacterial pneumonias = malpractice (an IMA-CHD co-production).
I dug down into the Andrea Shaw rabbit hole, and the timing alone stinks badly. I read through the lawsuit she joined - racketeering suit against AAP - It's such an amateurish slop job, they've clearly hired a hack attorney. The complaint contradicts its own contentions from one paragraph to the next. It will be dismissed. They will cry "persecution and censorship," and rail against "Big Pharma puppet masters," and keep raising funds, to pay their chosen conference vendors and attorneys and filmmakers large amounts of money - working with several large "MAHA" charitable organizations. It's not that difficult to find the incredibly nice houses some of these folks live in (Streetview, Zillow - Texas, Florida).
Sorry for the semi-coherent rant, but this gets me apoplectic. Specifics available, for doubters (because I know this reads like a conspiracist's diatribe).
CHD has attempted to make legal headway against vaccination by numerous approaches. They have fortunately not been successful. Less fortunately, they are undeterred by failure.
Because repeated failure is profitable, despite not winning their own cases, both monetarily, and for the cause, which is where I would argue they've been frighteningly successful. Beyond falling vaccination rates and measles outbreaks and ~50% of Americans believing they know someone that died as a result of COVID vaccination -
Something like 25 states have proposed legislation banning mRNA vaccinations (+/- classifying them as "bioweapons), or prohibiting certain requirements for vaccines in the AAP schedule, or going full-Ladapo) - a handful of these have passed into law.
So, yes, CHD hasn't been winning lawsuits (though Siri has achieved some settlements), but they've played a major role in bringing us to where we are - including near-weekly RonJohn hearings (they collaborate on lots of "events").
PS,
Seemed VERY coherent to me!
Thank you. That's reassuring.
It goes deeper and wider. I'll try to write something up. Meanwhile, their IRS Form-990s are available via ProPublica's portal - CHD has ~20 employees, more than half of whom are paid >$170K/year.
Lots of cooperation between big money Brownstone and CHD players and efforts
Skyhorse Publishing (Bobby's books, and lots of "ivermectin cures cancer," and every other type of loon-bait) = "MAHA Report" Substack (>200K subscribers)
Everyone's (other) favorite attorney anchors part of this ecosystem
It's not only American blood on their hands. Musk/RFK/Rubio killed USAID and CDC health development and disaster response work overseas, which will result in the avoidable deaths of millions of children in the coming few years, according to The Lancet study in July 2025 - the largest amount due to interruption of vaccination programs. That puts them near the top of the list of some of the vilest mass murderers of the past century. WHEN WILL MASS MEDIA START COVERING THIS TRAGEDY AND AFFRONT TO AMERICAN VALUES WITH THE ATTENTION IT DESERVES? WHEN WILL THE AMERICAN PUBLIC AND CONGRESS DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY?
Angela, thanks for writing this.
This story of the two children raises some interesting questions. I'd appreciate your looking into it. I am NOT suggesting that vaccines caused their deaths!
Why was the hospital treating them for hypoxia?
There is apparently an information vacuum on that point. CHD is apparently trying to fill it. The public needs honest, objective scientific information about it.
They should really re-brand CHD as CHUD (Children's Health Un-Defense).