At 1030 am, a Michigan House cmt will discuss vaccine passports. They're set to hear from a conspiracy theorist who has suggested, among other false ideas:
- Bill Gates helped created mosquitos that can inject people w/the vaccine
- Vaccines might be used to implant microchips
- Bill Gates helped created mosquitos that can inject people w/the vaccine
- Vaccines might be used to implant microchips
The list of espoused conspiracies from Naomi Wolf is long, varied and wildly inaccurate. I'll share snippets of some during the hearing.
Also, at no point has Gov. Whitmer or Michigan health department leaders suggested they would implement vaccine passports.
Also, at no point has Gov. Whitmer or Michigan health department leaders suggested they would implement vaccine passports.
Here's comment from Bobby Leddy, Whitmer's press secretary, on today's House Oversight Committee hearing. 
For context, this is the same committee that invited Rudy Giuliani to testify after the General Election in November. (Cmt was led by a different lawmaker at the time) freep.com/story/news/pol…
Here are some of the ideas Wolf has shared:
- Masks don't work (experts widely agree they do)
- Vaccines are deadly (they're not) and can cause irregular menstruation in women not vaccinated but who are around vaccinated women (?)
- Masks don't work (experts widely agree they do)
https://twitter.com/naomirwolf/status/1385318573594267652?s=20
- Vaccines are deadly (they're not) and can cause irregular menstruation in women not vaccinated but who are around vaccinated women (?)
https://twitter.com/naomirwolf/status/1383973370501337092
- The Bill Gates conspiracy theory
- The microchip conspiracy theory
- A Fauci beholden to Israel conspiracy theory jpost.com/diaspora/antis…
https://twitter.com/naomirwolf/status/1366113473420230659?lang=en
- The microchip conspiracy theory
https://twitter.com/naomirwolf/status/1361752644700766211?lang=en
- A Fauci beholden to Israel conspiracy theory jpost.com/diaspora/antis…
A slew of conspiracies as reported by @voxdotcom:
- ISIS videos of killing Americans were staged.
- US sent troops to Africa not to help fight Ebola, but to bring it back to help with a military takeover
- Scottish referendum rigged vox.com/2014/10/5/6909…
- ISIS videos of killing Americans were staged.
- US sent troops to Africa not to help fight Ebola, but to bring it back to help with a military takeover
- Scottish referendum rigged vox.com/2014/10/5/6909…
Wolf's most recent book is based on her doctoral thesis (she has a doctorate in English literature). There were so many inaccuracies, Oxford had to add nine-pages of corrections to the thesis. insidehighered.com/news/2021/04/2…
And in 2006, Wolf suggested that during a therapy session she had a vision of Jesus while she was in the body of a 13-year-old boy religionnewsblog.com/13368/naomi-wo…
You can watch the Michigan hearing live here: house.mi.gov/SharedVideo/Vi…
One bill filed yesterday would make it a *civil rights violation* for a business to discriminate against someone on the basis of vaccination status legislature.mi.gov/(S(crxb5qfssao…
For context, Michigan employers can still fire people based on sexual orientation freep.com/story/news/pol…
For context, Michigan employers can still fire people based on sexual orientation freep.com/story/news/pol…
Rep. Sue Allor, R-Wolverine, just gave her rationale for why she believes vaccine passports are inappropriate.
William Wagner, a professor emeritus at Cooley law school, speaking now. He says banning passports is allowed under the Constitution (not sure who suggested it wasn't)
William Wagner, a professor emeritus at Cooley law school, speaking now. He says banning passports is allowed under the Constitution (not sure who suggested it wasn't)
Wagner just said there is a "Constitutional right to travel."
I'd be interested to see where exactly he believes that's outlined in the Constitution.
I'd be interested to see where exactly he believes that's outlined in the Constitution.
Wagner just likened the concept of a vaccine passport to requiring Jews to wear armbands during the Holocaust.
"You're deciding which side of history you want to be on 20 years from now."
"You're deciding which side of history you want to be on 20 years from now."
Allor confirms she did not consult with any health care providers in creating her bill banning vaccine passports.
Rep. Brixie says the bill would prohibit all health care providers from accessing and recording COVID-19 data. Trying to read through bill now
Rep. Brixie says the bill would prohibit all health care providers from accessing and recording COVID-19 data. Trying to read through bill now
I don't personally see that outlined in the bill. Here's the language of the bill: legislature.mi.gov/documents/2021…
Brixie notes the state and federal government are not proposing any vaccine passport.
I believe Brixie is pointing to broad definition of "vaccine passport" in the bill: "'COVID-19 vaccination passport' means written or electronic documentation for the purposes of certifying that an individual has received a vaccination for or is immunized against COVID-19."
Allor: Everyone's right not to get the vaccine, and everyday life shouldn't be affected by this decision.
Allor also suggests vaccine has not been "fully approved" by FDA. Vaccines have received emergency authorization -- they're still rigorously tested fda.gov/vaccines-blood…
Allor also suggests vaccine has not been "fully approved" by FDA. Vaccines have received emergency authorization -- they're still rigorously tested fda.gov/vaccines-blood…
Rep. Jack O'Malley, R-Lake Ann, up next. He asks about whether the bill would bar businesses from requiring vaccine passports.
He also notes the bill is preventative.
Allor says a business could require a vaccine passport under her bill (other bills would ban this)
He also notes the bill is preventative.
Allor says a business could require a vaccine passport under her bill (other bills would ban this)
Rep. LaGrand, D-Grand Rapids, says pre-emptive bans are bad.
"We could pass a bill banning Big Foot from the Capitol...if I net someone tall and harry, would I have to decide whether he is Big Foot?"
"We could pass a bill banning moving the Capitol to the bottom of a lake."
"We could pass a bill banning Big Foot from the Capitol...if I net someone tall and harry, would I have to decide whether he is Big Foot?"
"We could pass a bill banning moving the Capitol to the bottom of a lake."
LaGrand: If somebody proposed that we have a vaccine passport that banned anyone from out of state could come into Michigan without a passport, I would think that is psychotic and I would support your bill.
Allor: There's been no discussion here in Michigan, nor at the federal level (about vaccine passports) but the development of these acts are real.
She also says that colleges require students install "tracking devices" on their phones.
She also says that colleges require students install "tracking devices" on their phones.
LaGrand: I have a tracking device right here (he says, holding up his phone).
Allor: That was your choice. Whereas a vaccine app, and having to show proof of having a vaccine, is the issue that is concerning.
Allor: That was your choice. Whereas a vaccine app, and having to show proof of having a vaccine, is the issue that is concerning.
Wagner, the law school professor, speaking again.
He says he reads bill differently than Brixie. Says doctors could have data and share it, but prevents the use of that data to prohibit someone from going into Costco.
He says he reads bill differently than Brixie. Says doctors could have data and share it, but prevents the use of that data to prohibit someone from going into Costco.
Rep. Brixie up again.
"Your bill is infringing on my freedom. My freedom to go to my trading partner, Canada...I can't go to Canada if your bill passes."
Says her bill would make having an immunization card illegal.
"Your bill is infringing on my freedom. My freedom to go to my trading partner, Canada...I can't go to Canada if your bill passes."
Says her bill would make having an immunization card illegal.
Rep. Allor says she has a substitute to her bill (unclear what those changes would be).
Wagner is reading from something, but it's not the bill Allor introduced
Wagner is reading from something, but it's not the bill Allor introduced
Again, it appears as though Allor and Wagner are reading from an amended bill, and lawmakers on the Oversight Committee are reading from the original bill.
Generally, cmts adopt the amendment before discussing it.
Generally, cmts adopt the amendment before discussing it.
For about the fourth time, Wagner keeps reading about language that isn't in the bill.
Allor acknowledges she's working on a substitute and the lawmakers don't have it.
Language in the actual bill is below.
Allor acknowledges she's working on a substitute and the lawmakers don't have it.
Language in the actual bill is below.
Oversight Committee Chairman Steven Johnson, R-Wayland: "The intention here is to ensure that your government doesn't create two classes of citizens based off of personal medical choices."
Now committee is currently hearing from someone (I missed his name) who's suggesting vaccines are dangerous and COVID-19 death statistics are inaccurate.
Fair amount of other misinformation on COVID-19 as well.
Fair amount of other misinformation on COVID-19 as well.
Now we're hearing an anecdote from this person. He's suggesting vaccines may cause autism. Blatantly, blatantly false. cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/…
Okay, Naomi Wolf is up now.
Wolf: "Vaccine passports are not a hypothetical...vaccine passports are now." Points to NY: usatoday.com/story/news/hea…
Wolf says she's granddaughter of holocaust survivors, likens getting passports to papers separating "clean" and "unclean" people.
Mentions genocide + Jim Crow
Wolf says she's granddaughter of holocaust survivors, likens getting passports to papers separating "clean" and "unclean" people.
Mentions genocide + Jim Crow
Wolf is bouncing around from Apple software to AI that can read comments on social media to credit history.
All in the context of why she believes vaccine passports are already imminent and dangerous
All in the context of why she believes vaccine passports are already imminent and dangerous
Wolf: Vaccine app with know who're meeting and know if you're criticizing passports with a group of people.
What?
Says she's getting messages from Israel saying "save us."
Again, there are no vaccine passports in Michigan.
What?
Says she's getting messages from Israel saying "save us."
Again, there are no vaccine passports in Michigan.
No questions for Wolf. Sounds like someone had a question but they want to the next person
Streaming video from the hearing is cutting in and out a beat.
From what I can tell, next person testifying clearly also opposes vaccine passports.
From what I can tell, next person testifying clearly also opposes vaccine passports.
Just caught another speaker likening sections for vaccinated and unvaccinated people at some hypothetical location to separate sections for white people and Black people.
Again, lawmakers invited/allowed these speakers to testify today.
Again, lawmakers invited/allowed these speakers to testify today.
The current speaker says all COVID-19 vaccine "exploit aborted babies."
That's inaccurate.
That's inaccurate.
At no point today has anyone suggested that Gov. Whitmer or the state health department is actually trying to implement a vaccine passport or mandate.
The next speaker shares more misinformation about the FDA authorization and the COVID-19 vaccines.
Read more about what the FDA has to say about the vaccines here: fda.gov/vaccines-blood…
Read more about what the FDA has to say about the vaccines here: fda.gov/vaccines-blood…
The speaker calls on lawmakers to vote no on vaccine mandates.
No one is proposing a vaccine mandate.
No one is proposing a vaccine mandate.
New speaker, more misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines. Just referenced the "Nuremburg Code."
After Rep. Allor and the lawyer who testified, at no point has anyone pushed back on any of the false, inaccurate or misleading claims made today
After Rep. Allor and the lawyer who testified, at no point has anyone pushed back on any of the false, inaccurate or misleading claims made today
Current speaker: "Have we not learned anything from Nazi Germany in the 1930s?"
Evokes Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech.
Evokes Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech.
Brixie offered some overall pushback: "I would be remiss if I didn't state for the record that the comparisons of the COVID vaccine to systemic racism, segregation and the Holocaust are appalling and abhorrent."
Johnson said plan is for cmt to vote on bill next week
Johnson said plan is for cmt to vote on bill next week
With that, hearing is done.
Majority of time spent not discussing the actual bill, but sharing an array of misinformation about the pandemic and COVID-19 vaccines.
Story @freep soon
Majority of time spent not discussing the actual bill, but sharing an array of misinformation about the pandemic and COVID-19 vaccines.
Story @freep soon
Here's my story from today's House Oversight Committee hearing:
COVID-19 conspiracies rampant during Michigan hearing on vaccine passports freep.com/story/news/pol…
COVID-19 conspiracies rampant during Michigan hearing on vaccine passports freep.com/story/news/pol…
DHHS on today's vaccine passport hearing.
"It is confusing why the Legislature would spend time discussing a topic that neither MDHHS or the governor have considered and relying on individuals with no medical background or expertise to provide testimony" freep.com/story/news/pol…
"It is confusing why the Legislature would spend time discussing a topic that neither MDHHS or the governor have considered and relying on individuals with no medical background or expertise to provide testimony" freep.com/story/news/pol…
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