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Judd Legum Profile picture
@JuddLegum
Nov 29 • 11 tweets • 4 min read Twitter logo Read on Twitter
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1. Earlier this month, a mysterious woman appeared before a school board in Texas and claimed that, when she was 11, she READ A SCHOLASTIC BOOK THAT SPARKED A DEBILITATING PORN ADDICTION.

We investigated.

And it's ABSOLUTELY WILD what is happening.

🧵 Image
2. The woman was 20-year-old Lanah Burkhardt.

Burkhardt said after reading a Scholastic book that depicted a "single kiss," she "looked for other books that gave me pleasure." This "led to internet searches" that she will "never forget."

popular.info/p/mysterious-w…
3. Burkhardt cited her story as a reason to restrict access to Drama, a novel published by Scholastic. The book includes this image of two people kissing: Image
4. But Burkhardt went further, arguing that Conroe should remove all Scholastic books from schools and stop hosting Scholastic book fairs.

According to Burkhardt, "getting rid of Scholastic books and their book fairs will inevitably protect kids."

popular.info/p/mysterious-w…
4. Burkhardt's appearance was promoted by SkyTree Book Fairs, a newly formed organization marketing itself as "an alternative to the sexually explicit content distributed in Scholastic's book fairs." Image
5. SkyTree Book Fairs presents itself as an independent non-profit. But it appears to be a hastily assembled offshoot of Brave Books, which publishes children's books by right-wing pundits

The president of SkyTree Book Fairs was recently an "Executive Assistant" at Brave Books Image
6. Burkhardt's appearance at the Conroe school board was also promoted by Brave Books. The company called it a "must watch" and a "powerful message that needs to be heard."

popular.info/p/mysterious-w…
7. Neither Brave Books nor Burkhardt disclosed that Burkhardt is an employee of Brave Books. According to her LinkedIn profile, Burkhardt is the company's "public relations coordinator." Image
8. The Conroe school board, after listening to Burkhardt's story, voted to restrict access to Drama from all students in the 8th grade and below. One of the school board members, Melissa Dungan, suggested replacing Scholastic with SkyTree Book Fairs. Image
9. More on Brave Books/SkyTree and their scheme to replace Scholastic with kids' books written by right-wing Pizzagate conspiracy theorists in today's newsletter

popular.info/p/mysterious-w…
10. For UPDATES and more accountability journalism, subscribe to Popular Information.

It's free to sign up.

popular.info/subscribe

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More from @JuddLegum

Judd Legum Profile picture
Nov 28
1. 90% of Americans use the standard deduction and aren't able to deduct charitable contributions

So, tax deductions for charitable giving is mostly for the wealthy.

And the way that many wealthy people use the deduction has become increasingly divorced from its purpose

🧵
2. A report by @IPS_DC found that over 40% of all money donated to charity in 2022 went to intermediaries — donor-advised funds or private foundations — not working charities

Some of this money will never be used for a genuine charitable purpose

popular.info/p/uncharitable…
@IPS_DC 3. Giving money to a donor-advised fund allows individuals to immediately deduct the full amount of the donation. But these funds, which are generally set up by banks or other financial institutions, do not have to distribute the money on any particular timetable.
Read 9 tweets
Judd Legum Profile picture
Nov 27
1. In 2016, Trump called @Univision "a leftist propaganda machine"

Now he's granting @Univision exclusive interviews and singing the praises of its executives

WTF is going on? Image
2. In 2021, @Univision merged w/@Televisa, a Mexican media outlet. Televisa is known for friendly coverage of Mexican political leaders, who reward the company with favorable regulatory treatment

The co-CEO of the new company is friends with Kushner

popular.info/p/kushners-mex…
@Univision @Televisa 3. In 2019, when Kushner met with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the meeting took place at the home of Bernardo Gómez, the co-CEO of TelevisaUnivisio Mexico
Read 11 tweets
Judd Legum Profile picture
Nov 21
1. Trump advisor @StephenM suggested a "conservative" state AG pursue criminal charges against @MediaMatters for "fraud"

Missouri @AGAndrewBailey took him up on it

Bailey was appointed, not elected

But he routinely exceeds his legal authority to grab headlines

🧵 Image
2. Bailey expanded on his investigation of Media Matters' on Newsmax, a far-right cable channel.

He said he had authority to investigate Media Matters under the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act

That law is inapplicable.

It only applies to selling goods or services Image
3. In March, Bailey announced that he was unilaterally implementing "emergency" regulations that would impose severe restrictions on transgender hormone therapy for children and adults.

popular.info/p/americas-mos…
Read 11 tweets
Judd Legum Profile picture
Nov 20
1. Last week on this platform, @elonmusk promoted a virulent antisemitic conspiracy theory.

A few days later @JGreenblattADL praised Musk for his "leadership in fighting hate"

What is going on?
2. Musk said the conspiracy theory that "Jewish Communities" are promoting "dialectical hatred against whites" was the "actual truth."

He then clarified that by "Jewish Communities" Musk meant the @ADL and other Jewish groups

He has not recanted.

popular.info/p/free-speech-…
@ADL 3. On November 17, Musk posted that "'decolonization,' 'from the river to the sea' and similar euphemisms necessarily imply genocide."

Musk said that use of these terms are "calls for extreme violence [that] are against our terms of service and will result in suspension."
Read 9 tweets
Judd Legum Profile picture
Nov 16
1. Trump is playing the media on abortion

He brags about eliminating abortion rights in his first term

And has pledged to impose extensive restrictions on access in a second term

Yet Trump is being covered as a "moderate" on abortion

🧵

Image
Image
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2. @politico claims Trump has called "for compromise and moderation" on abortion

@Semafor says Trump is "pivoting to positions that are to the left of many social conservatives"

@Newsweek claims Trump has warned Republicans "to get realistic."

popular.info/p/how-trump-pl…
@politico @semafor @Newsweek 3. None of this is actually true.

Trump has repeatedly described himself as the “most pro-life president in American history.”

Trump celebrated the Supreme Court overturning Roe as “the biggest WIN for LIFE in a generation.”

“I got the job done," Trump said.
Read 10 tweets
Judd Legum Profile picture
Nov 14
1. Chemical companies have spent more than $100 million over 3 years to block legislation & regulation of "forever chemicals," known as PFAS

45% of tap water in the country contains PFAS

PFAS exposure is linked to serious health risks, including cancer and fertility issues

🧵
2. Thus far, the money has successfully blocked meaningful curbs on PFAS contamination.

Most people in the U.S. have PFAS in their blood

The EPA has determined two PFAS chemicals are “likely carcinogens.”

popular.info/p/these-compan…
3. At the center of the lobbying blitz was the PFAS Action Act — introduced in 2019 and 2021 — a sweeping bill that aimed to hold chemical companies accountable for PFAS contamination.

It passed the House in 2021 but died in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
Read 7 tweets

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