Welcome back to another OptOut newsletter. This week we're jumping right in with an important story from OptOut's own original reporting outfit, IMPORTANT CONTEXT. The prestigious Stanford University is hosting a series of panel discussions featuring well-known public health contrarians and COVID-19 minimizers. The panelists include operatives from right-wing dark money groups. The event, which is being organized by herd immunity advocate Jay Bhattacharya, a co-author of the infamous Great Barrington Declaration, is scheduled for October 4, the anniversary of the document's signing.

‘Embarrassing and Disappointing’: Stanford Goes All-In On COVID Contrarians

An upcoming conference held in the name of academic freedom raises questions about academic rigor.

Important ContextWalker Bragman

Meanwhile, the COVID summer surge is receding in states like Missouri, but another wave may be just around the corner–a reminder that the pandemic remains a pandemic and that herd immunity has not been achieved. MISSOURI INDEPENDENT had the story.

Summer COVID surge is starting to recede in Missouri. The next wave is likely only weeks away • Missouri Independent

The summer COVID surge is starting to recede in Missouri, but the next wave of infections is likely only weeks away.

Missouri IndependentSuzanne King

Meanwhile, the end of the continuous eligibility requirement implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has left millions of Americans struggling.  SOURCE NEW MEXICO reported on the impact in that state.

Less than 5% of New Mexicans who lost Medicaid during ‘unwinding’ switched to private insurance • Source New Mexico

Fewer people on Medicaid are coming into federally qualified health centers in New Mexico than pre-pandemic

Source New MexicoAustin Fisher

The new COVID vaccines are available. Like earlier doses, these provide robust protection against severe illness and death and cut the risk of long COVID.

CDC, Va. health officials tout updated COVID vaccine • Virginia Mercury

“COVID mutates quicker than the flu,” said Heather Harmon-Sloan with Virginia’s Department of Health. “This makes it incredibly important to get the updated COVID-19 vaccine that will be coming out here shortly.”

Virginia MercuryCharlotte Rene Woods

More Dark Money

In other news, voter suppression efforts ahead of the 2024 presidential elections continued apace. The CENTER FOR MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY had an important piece about how a number of states are working to pass amendments to ban "noncitizen voting." The efforts are traceable to right-wing dark money groups.

Eight States Will Vote on Amendments to Ban Noncitizen Voting in November - EXPOSEDbyCMD

Americans for Citizens Voting is partnering with ALEC to pass noncitizen amendments in at least 11 more states.

EXPOSEDbyCMDDavid Armiak

More on dark money came from THE LEVER with a story about its grip on policy in states like Colorado.

This Election, Dark Money Is Blackmailing Lawmakers

Lawmakers are being forced to negotiate with oligarchs and special interests they can’t even identify.

The LeverHelen Santoro

Donald Trump spoke at a Moms For Liberty conference, a right-wing dark money group dedicated to "parents' rights." The group sits on the advisory board of Project 2025, the radical plan from the Heritage Foundation, to transform the government under a second Trump term. The former  has sought to distance himself from the plan. STATES NEWSROOM had the story.

Trump taps into culture war issues, seeks to energize base at Moms for Liberty event • Georgia Recorder

Former President Donald Trump late Friday rarely touched on education issues during the third conference of Moms for Liberty, a conservative parental rights group that has ties to Project 2025, the far-right playbookTrump has tried to distance himself from. Instead, in a more than one-h…

Georgia RecorderAriana Figueroa

Gaza Destruction

More bad news out of Gaza. Hamas has killed six of the hostages, including dual American-Israeli citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin.  THE NEW REPUBLIC published a piece condemning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government for scuttling a hostage deal that would have brought Goldberg-Polin home in favor of continuing his military expansion into the region.

Hamas Murdered Them. Benjamin Netanyahu Abandoned Them.

The prime minister was warned that his position on the Philadelphi corridor could doom the hostages. He pressed ahead anyway.

The New RepublicGershom Gorenberg

Unions are standing up and demanding an end to U.S. support for Israel's destructive military campaign in Gaza, which a growing number of experts are calling a genocide. THE MAJORITY REPORT did a segment on labor getting increasingly vocal about violence, which has left tens of thousands of Palestinians dead, including children, destroyed most the infrastructure, and displaced the population.

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