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29 Oct, 4 tweets, 3 min read
EXCLUSIVE: the Trump appointee steering the $300M ad campaign to “defeat despair” about coronavirus privately pitched a different theme — “Helping the President will Help the Country.” politico.com/news/2020/10/2…
The documents, obtained by @OversightDems, confirm POLITICO reporting about taxpayer-funded campaign + offer new details about efforts to rush ads pre-Election Day.

Also: team developed tracker of how celebrities voted before asking them to participate in Covid PSAs.
The team evaluated 274-plus celebrities - from Trump supporters like @scottbaio to critics @juddapatow @chrissyteigen - on if they’d supported Trump, gun control, gay rights.

Only 10 were approved.

See the list and the internal “notes” on each celebrity: politico.com/f/?id=00000175…
Congresswoman @rosadelauro, who chairs panel that oversees HHS pursestrings, says she asked HHS Secretary Azar for details about this taxpayer-funded campaign 56 days ago — and still hasn’t heard back.

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More from @ddiamond

Dan Diamond Profile picture
8 Oct
EXCLUSIVE: Officials are racing to finalize Trump’s promised “drug-discount cards” before Election Day.

Taxpayer-funded plan could include letters from Trump to 39 million Medicare patients *next week*, touting effort to lower their drug prices. politico.com/news/2020/10/0…
Civil servants have raised concerns that the drug cards are a political gimmick to boost Trump ahead of the election — especially as his polling plunges with seniors. politico.com/news/2020/10/0…
We’ve updated the story with the draft plan circulating in the White House.

politico.com/f/?id=00000175…

Estimated $7.9 billion plan, paid for by tapping the Medicare trust fund, would include spending $19 million to send letters to seniors next week.
Read 4 tweets
Dan Diamond Profile picture
25 Sep
EXCLUSIVE: Trump’s $300M-plus ad blitz to “defeat despair” on coronavirus involves celebrities like Dennis Quaid — and contractors who are business associates of a top political appointee. politico.com/news/2020/09/2…
For those asking “why Dennis Quaid?” – this is one reason why.
To fund the ad blitz, officials abruptly took $300 million from the CDC — mid-pandemic — with little explanation.

CDC experts were subsequently frozen out of the campaign’s development, despite the agency paying for it.
Read 4 tweets
Dan Diamond Profile picture
12 Sep
EXCLUSIVE: Trump appointees interfered with CDC’s weekly reports on Covid-19 — and even tried to halt the reports altogether. politico.com/news/2020/09/1…
HHS spokesperson Caputo and his aides have targeted the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports — a pillar of U.S. medical research — arguing that scientists are intentionally trying to undermine Trump’s message. politico.com/news/2020/09/1…
In one email to CDC officials obtained by POLITICO, a Caputo aide blistered scientists and called for already-published reports to be retroactively altered.
Read 4 tweets
Dan Diamond Profile picture
10 Sep
NEW: How SEEMA VERMA’s team spent taxpayer money to boost her brand — from $2,933 for a networking “Girl’s night” to the $13,000-plus spent to promote her for awards and panels. politico.com/news/2020/09/1… with @adamcancryn
Verma, who serves as Trump’s Medicaid chief and is a longtime Pence ally, ultimately spent more than $3.5 million on GOP-connected consultants who wrote her tweets and op-eds and tried to set up meetings with prominent Republicans.

politico.com/news/2020/09/1… Image
POLITICO first revealed Verma’s extensive spending on comms and branding consultants last year, even as she publicly championed fiscal restraint and introduced policies like Medicaid work requirements and block grants.
Read 5 tweets
Dan Diamond Profile picture
28 Aug
EMILY MILLER, the FDA’s top spokesperson, has been ousted after just two weeks. politico.com/news/2020/08/2…

Factors: Clashes with staff, handling of plasma rollout, even her gun rights advocacy.

By @adamcancryn + me
The FDA’s twitter account, @FDASpox, has already been scrubbed - before and after. Image
UPDATE: FDA commissioner pushed out spokesperson before White House, which helped bring Miller on board, signed off on move.

So as of early Friday afternoon, her next steps remain TBD, sources tell @adamcancryn + me. politico.com/news/2020/08/2…
Read 4 tweets
Dan Diamond Profile picture
15 Aug
NEW: the health department’s top IT official has resigned, as pressure on CDC coronavirus data transition refuses to let up. politico.com/news/2020/08/1… with @ravindranize
JOSÉ ARRIETA, a career civil servant, has insisted that the CDC data change was motivated by making data better. He’s also confided to colleagues that the political spotlight on the issue surprised him.

“He’s just exhausted by all of it,” said colleague.

politico.com/news/2020/08/1…
For those keeping track:

- the HHS chief information officer
- the CDC chief of staff
- the CDC deputy chief of staff

All resigned today

Read 4 tweets

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