Staff Reports
According to the LA Daily News, Gavin Newsom, the Democratic governor of California and a potential presidential candidate in 2024, has joined forces with a group called Street Level Strategy to encourage residents to get vax.
Street Level Strategy, LLC, a political consulting firm, is responsible for maintaining California's private medical records. It bills itself as a public affairs firm that focuses on grassroots mobilization, digital organizing, and strategic planning for Fortune 500 companies and non-profit organizations.
According to the report, a resident of L.A. said that she was being stalked by California authorities. She said that after getting a call from a man claiming to have her file, he informed her that she wasn't a booster for the Pfizer vaccine.
In response to a question, the California Department of Health (CDPH) said that MyTurn, the state's vaccine appointment program, uses Street Level Strategy's list of eligible residents to prioritize equity by reaching out to communities that have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The list includes the names, ages, genders, ethnicities, contact information, and vaccination histories of all of the individuals on the list.
The term "equity" is often used as an excuse for state abuse of power. Since challenging programs that promote equality automatically equates to bigotry, it's not surprising that authorities would use this term.
In response to the state's emergency declaration regarding COVID-19, the taxpayers of California have agreed to fund Street Level Strategy's work, which involves contacting residents and harassing them into getting their mRNA injections. The firm was awarded a no-bid contract worth $12.7 million.
If this sounds like an unethical and illegal practice, then your instincts are right. According to the CDC, the Health Insurance and Accountability Act of 1996 requires health organizations to implement measures to protect the privacy and sensitive information of patients. The letter and spirit of the law have clearly been violated here.
Aside from the shady deal between Street Level Strategy and Newsom, other arrangements related to the COVID-19 pandemic have also emerged in California. According to a report by the LA Times, in 2021, Pfizer, the maker of the COVID-19 vaccine, gave the governor $250,000. The company then gave another $250,000 to a non-profit organization that provides temporary shelters for families affected by the pandemic. Other corporate donors have also given large sums of money to Newsom.
The actions of Street Level Strategy and the administration of Gavin Newsom are certainly worthy of further investigation. They should be brought to the attention of a House committee controlled by Republicans.
The preceding is a summary of an article that originally appeared on PJ Media.
