A mysterious group called Healthy Future LLC is spending a ton of money spreading lies that I want to cut Medicare. Who are they? I looked up their address in Stafford VA and found this storefront in a strip mall. Hmmm...Let me tell a story of dark money and lies. THREAD
A Healthy Future is blasting ads and stuffing mailboxes and inboxes with lies. What I am actually trying to do is lower drug prices through negotiation, set out of pocket maximums, and give everyone on Medicare vision hearing dental coverage. We are strengthening Medicare. 2/11
So why is this group not talking truthfully about efforts to lower drug costs and instead lying about cutting medicare? The answer is that efforts to lower drug costs are very popular with Americans, and they know that. See new poll today ⬇️3/11 politico.com/news/2021/10/0…
So who is this group spending millions spewing lies? I went to A Healthy Future’s website to try and figure out who they are. They seem really friendly with a picture of a loving family. They have no info at all. Not a phone # or email. It’s literally just a homepage. hmm… 4/11
I searched for the LLC filing and found a filing in Ohio by an attorney James G Ryan. Not much there but found some additional information that this one attorney was also flagged as having established several other dark money groups. 5/11 documentcloud.org/documents/5775…
We don’t know who runs or funds A Healthy Future. I think the logical guess is Pharma, but it is absurd and cowardice that groups can spend millions with no accountability/transparency. Can’t have a political debate if other side is hiding. 6/11 nj.com/opinion/2021/0…
This outside money isn’t new, it just has a bigger influence that’s marked by a much bigger price tag. Dark money spending increased from $749M in 1990 to $3.3 Billion in 2020. 7/11 opensecrets.org/outsidespendin…
Not only is spending exploding, but transparency is way down. Before Citizens United decision in the Supreme Court, 80% of outside spending was disclosed. In 2018 it was only 53% (@OpenSecretsDC). Outside groups have spent $7.3B to influence elections since 2010. 8/11
I ran for Congress in 2018 to get govt back to working for the people, not big corporations or dark money interests. I want to show people that we can disagree with decency and civility and still remain united as a nation. @StopBigMoney@usapromise 9/11 nj.com/opinion/2021/0…
To A Healthy Future and its backers, since I can’t seem to find a phone number to call you, I want you to know that your lies and gross tactics to deceive only strengthen my resolve to protect Medicare and stand up for our Seniors and others who are asking for fairness. 10/11
And know that there are many Americans that feel the same way as I do about stopping dark money and lowering drug costs. There is a legitimate debate that can be had about how we do this. So get out of the shadows and let’s talk. Oh yeah, and stop lying to my constituents. END
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I was briefed today by President Zelensky’s office about Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb drone attack on Russian aircraft and it really hits home how this operation will be studied for years to come as an example of a new era of warfare. Here’s what stood out: first, their motto. “SHOOT THE ARCHER, NOT THE ARROW.” THREAD
The motto of “Shoot the Archer, Not the Arrow” immediately conveys an advancement in their defensive tactics. Not just trying to defend against the artillery, but to hinder Russia’s ability to deliver that artillery in the first place and do substantial damage to its military capabilities. 2/12
Extraordinary ROI: Over 117 quadcopters at a cost of $2K each. The Ukrainians told us that 41 aircraft were destroyed or damaged at 4 Russian bases (Olenya, Belaya, Ivanovo, Dyagilovo). If these numbers are true, that would be $7B in damages caused by at least $234K worth of drones. 3/12
I worked at the National Security Council for 2 yrs and want to explain why yesterday’s decision to cut nearly everyone is dangerous. This purge will sacrifice our nation’s security so a handful of people can exert more political control. Here’s who wins and who loses. THREAD
WHY IT MATTERS: NSC doesn’t have armies/embassies; its power comes from controlling the Situation Room, meaning it’s the only entity that can force others to coordinate/debate. 2/13
I remember when DOD was hesitant to take action to stop a massacre on Sinjar Mountain but an NSC meeting in the SitRoom got everyone to support a plan that saved thousands of lives. 3/13
Stephen Miller said White House was “actively looking at” options to suspend Habeas Corpus/due process in times of invasion/rebellion. Just hours later Miller posts these lies…but look at how he’s lying - saying that Members of Congress “riotously stormed and invaded.” MORE 1/9
First, the Members of Congress were at the facility conducting an oversight inspection. They are permitted by law to do so (DHS Appropriations Act, 2020, Sec. 532)
Here is ICE guidance that acknowledges that Members can visit for oversight. Unannounced visits happen regularly. 2/9
The Members who showed up yesterday were given entry to the facility by ICE. They were already lawfully on the premises when the Mayor was arrested. They didn’t break in or invade. They in fact did conduct an official oversight tour of the facility. 3/9
This is the most telling photo I’ve seen — Trump/Vance berating a wartime leader fighting against invasion directly in front of a bust of Churchill. It looks like Churchill is seated in the back, watching Trump kill the very US-Europe alliance that Churchill helped forge. THREAD
Why was the Oval Office exchange so humiliating to watch? It’s because every American alive today was born after the Greatest Generation led America’s rise to global leadership. What we saw yesterday was a surrender that could very well lead to American decline. 2/10
What we saw was a retreat from three basic pillars of American leadership: reliability, values, and impact. These are pillars that have been built over generations - from Americans landing on the beaches of Normandy onwards. 3/10
As Trump and Musk gut USAID today, I think back to my first day ever working for the US gov, showing up at the Reagan Building to start at USAID. Shame on them for demonizing Americans who are serving our nation, often in difficult and dangerous places. THREAD
We can have a policy debate about how much to spend internationally or what programs to fund, but their hate and paranoia towards other Americans go much deeper. I’m proud I worked at USAID. 2/8
I worked in USAID/Africa bureau where we helped rehabilitate former child soldiers in Uganda, helped with an emerging famine in Malawi. Trump admin complains about China’s growing influence in Africa but then shuts down one of our best tools to fight this. 3/8
I just talked to the family of Officer Brian Sicknick, who was killed on Jan 6. He grew up in NJ, served his nation, but was assaulted and killed. His assailants sentenced to prison until pardoned by Trump. Let us lift up Sicknick’s name and memory: THREAD
Officer Sicknick’s family’s pain today was so deep. That Trump used his first hours in office pardoning so many involved in that attack on the Capitol including the two of the assailants that attacked Officer Sicknick. It was a betrayal. 2/7
Let’s lift up Officer Sicknick’s name. Let’s remind everyone that an officer was attacked and killed that day. Sicknick laid in state in the Capitol Rotunda, honored by our nation as lawmakers from BOTH sides of the aisle, and now those who killed him are free. 3/7