Wayne Besen

May 22, 2020 • Podcast, The Wayne Besen Show • 2313

Scathing State Dept. Ig Report Foreshadowed Dr. Deborah Birx’s Underwhelming Covid – 19 Performance

Truth Wins Out · Scathing State Dept. Ig Report Foreshadowed Dr. Deborah Birx’s Underwhelming Covid – 19 Performance

By all measures, the United States of America’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been an unmitigated disaster. As of May 21, there are 1,577,758 known cases of COVID-19 resulting in 94,729 known deaths, which is 6-percent of U.S. cases. While the U.S. is 4.31-percent of the world’s population, the country is 28-percent of the known worldwide deaths. Lockdown delays cost at least 36-thousand lives, according to Columbia University.

At the center of this dystopian nightmare is Dr. Deborah Birx. She’s the coordinator of the President’s coronavirus task force. She can be seen prominently standing by President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence’s side, giving their outlandish views and sluggish response a patina of credibility.

What most people don’t know, is that the same month that Dr. Birx was appointed to lead our nation’s response to COVID-19, she was severely criticized in a February 2020 Department of State Inspector General report. The report condemned Birx for her role as Coordinator of the United States Government Activities to Combat HIV/AIDS. The IG verdict says that her leadership style led to “poor communication”, “low morale” and a “lack of collaboration and trust.” The report, by now former Inspector General Steve Linick, was an indictment of Birx’s management and foreshadowed the Trump administration’s disastrous COVID-19 response.

The blistering Inspector General report forewarned us of Birx’s questionable leadership and foretold of the failed U.S. effort to curtail the spread of the coronavirus. Had the Trump Administration done their homework and reviewed the IG report, they may have considered an alternative to lead the coronavirus task force. The dismal results in the U.S. were avoidable, had the government rapidly responded, chosen better leadership and embraced science over fiction.”

According to the IG report:

• Office of the Inspector General determined that the lack of consensus on PEPFAR performance targets was due, at least in part, to the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Health Diplomacy leadership not effectively applying Department leadership and management principles. Specifically, in these instances, her leadership did not effectively work with its PEPFAR stakeholders to seek a consensus and a unified effort on the establishment of PEPFAR performance targets. In addition, Birx’s leadership did not effectively encourage an atmosphere of open dialogue and trust. Of 68 statements regarding Birx’s leadership, 49 (72 percent) were negative. Eight of these statements variously described Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Health Diplomacy leadership as “dictatorial,” “directive,” and “autocratic.”

• The effect of this condition is low employee morale among PEPFAR country team members. In addition, as PEPFAR country team members stated, it affects the implementation of PEPFAR efforts.

• Because of the lack of meaningful collaboration and trust, as established by the consistently critical statements from the majority of those OIG interviewed on PEPFAR teams across the four missions, OIG concludes that it is prudent for OGAC leadership to take immediate action to address this condition.

The IG report was augmented by employees that were interviewed who claimed Birx’s overbearing leadership style was causing concern and undermining efforts to limit the spread of HIV. Some staff members said that Birx was concentrating power at the expense of the workers, not listening to experts on the ground in participating countries and setting fanciful, unrealistic goals that created the conditions where staff would be tempted to fudge the data. A few of the comments included:

• “It is taking a toll on individuals and agencies. It is worsening. The center of power and decision-making is getting smaller and smaller.”

• “[Targets] are sometimes too high. Because of the pressure of trying to hit the targets, [it] put a lot of pressure on the [implementing] partners. Sometimes, you are not even sure that the numbers are true. Especially when you go to the field and look at the registers. You cannot verify that they are real patients.”

• “I fear that on the quality assurance side, if the message to your partners is, who are mostly local staff, ‘perform on this trajectory, and if you don’t, you’re out’ – that is a recipe for cooking data. The local staff are the interface with clients and their jobs are on the line. You’re incentivizing data cooking.”

My non-profit organization, Truth Wins Out, also interviewed a former employee of Birx, not included in the report, who came to the same conclusion as the IG. The person, who spoke anonymously, said he was deeply concerned that Birx wasted taxpayer money flying hundreds of people, from around the world, to lavish ceremonies to lift her profile at the expense of the greater mission. These trips often included fancy dining and hotel rooms. The effort led to a demoralized staff and high turnover.

“PEPFAR morale is super low and people try to get out as quickly as possible,” said the former staff member. “Her own office (OGAC) is a revolving door. I personally left the government because I couldn’t stand working with her and her minions. Part of it is her abusive, narcissistic and power-tripping behavior.”

The government’s failed response on coronavirus has included a lack of centralized federal coordination, an inadequate effort to protect senior citizens, an absence of tests, respirators and hospital beds, a dearth of protective gear in hospitals for key healthcare workers, sycophancy over science, downplaying Trump’s conspiracy theories, and giving the veneer of scientific cover for state efforts to prematurely open up their economies.

While Trump and Pence are largely to blame, Birx leadership has been suspect. Worse, local and state governments that are opening prematurely are hiding behind her words to justify their dangerous actions.

For example, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis defended the coronavirus website this week by noting that it had drawn praise from Deborah Birx. According to DeSantis,
“Our data is available, our data is transparent, in fact Dr. Birx has talked multiple times about how Florida has the absolute best data.”
But according to CNN, Florida’s has come under scrutiny for the accuracy and transparency of their reporting on Covid-19 cases. Rebekah Jones, the official behind the state’s “dashboard,” a web page showing the number of Covid-19 cases and deaths, said she was removed from the project and questioned the state’s commitment to accessibility and transparency.
In fairness to Dr. Birx, she has a very difficult job. I can’t imagine trying to stem the flow of Trump’s lies and misinformation. It can be easy. Still, she’s at the helm of our nation’s calamitous response.

There is also a fine line between providing the public with accurate science and shilling for an anti-science administration that lies incessantly. It’s a delicate balance, for sure, but Dr. Birx is giving too much cover to the Trump Administration’s historic failures and the tragic loss of life that is happening on the President’s watch. The Inspector General’s report offered strong clues that this would be the result of her leadership.

But it’s clear, by now, that experts and especially Inspector General’s aren’t valued by this odious administration.
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May 22, 2020 • The Wayne Besen Show • 2369

What does the Black Plague Teach US About COVID-19?

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February 29, 2020 • The Wayne Besen Show • 2753

A Deadly Virus of Hate Infects the Globe

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There is a deadly virus that is quickly spreading throughout the world. This scourge threatens the health and well being of millions of people. It’s a mortal infection that knows no borders and is challenging the stability of nations. It will fatally attack and shatter families across the globe. It will even threaten the security and future of the world as we know it.

What I’m talking about is the rising epidemic of ignorance, authoritarianism and hate.

Thanks to the ascendance of right wing demagogues and religious extremists – ugly behavior that was recently considered unspeakable and uncivilized – is being brazenly spoken and contaminating our civilization.

For example, a hideously offensive carnival celebration in Spain featured a float evoking Holocaust gas chambers. The procession included people wearing Nazi uniforms, as well as dancers dressed like Jews in striped concentration camp uniforms. Yes, this actually happened – and allegedly good, salt of the earth folks stood there and watched – and said nothing – like it was just another day at the carnival.

What the hell is wrong with people? Who in their right mind would think that’s OK?

Apparently, a lot more people than you think. Across the world stage – including the United States — dressing up and playing Nazi, while joyously reenacting the extermination of millions of people is in vogue.

Before you write this off as clueless individuals having fun, it seems the costumes are actually art imitating life. The Anti-Defamation League’s most recent audit of Anti-Semitic incidents in the United States recorded 1,879 acts in 2018, with a dramatic increase in physical assaults, including the deadliest attack on Jews in U.S. history. Assault, harassment and vandalism against Jews remain at near-historic levels in the U.S.

In Eastern Germany, they are actually electing barely disguised Nazis to political office. They must have short memories, it didn’t end so well last time they tried this.

The world has gone mad. The situation across the globe is so disturbing, that Holocaust survivors are desperately warning us to wake up and pay attention. They’ve lived through this psychotic movie before and they are sounding the alarm that it may happen again if we don’t fight back and reverse course.

Here’s the truth: When hate is enabled and encouraged by our leaders – violent, demented monsters become emboldened and goose step out of the closet.

Those of us living in the United States are well aware that hate is on the rise thanks to irresponsible politicians that seek to divide our country for political gain. A new joint study by scientists at Southern Methodist University and University of California Riverside found:

“…exposure to racially inflammatory statements by Trump caused those with high levels of prejudice to be more likely to perceive engagement in prejudiced behavior as socially acceptable.

The hate parade doesn’t end with anti-Semitism, racism and anti-immigrant fervor. Vicious homophobia is also on the rise across the globe. Pink News reports that an effigy of a same-sex couple carrying a child was burned at a carnival in Croatia as crowds looked on – including impressionable children — and cheered the despicable display of hate. It’s difficult to watch this mob hate orgy, because we all know that such acts desensitize the public, dehumanize vulnerable minorities and lead to actual attacks that maim and murder real people in the real world.

Pink News also reports that in Poland, a third of the country has declared itself to be an official “LGBT-free” zone as local municipalities sign a pledge adopting resolutions against “LGBT propaganda”. What they call propaganda, is actually truthful and accurate information about LGBT people. What these haters seek, is the ability to conduct dishonest smear campaigns to demonize our community – while limiting the LGBT population’s ability to organize, tell the truth and fight back.

This despicable campaign comes as no surprise, given that the far right wing government in Poland has even tried to whitewash history. The government had passed a law that criminalized references to Polish guilt in Nazi atrocities and was to be enforced with jail time. Poland backtracked after an international outcry. But clearly, there is a problem in the land of Auschwitz, where facts are being replaced by right wing fiction.

The entire country of Nigeria – much like Chechnya — has become a hunting ground to round up and persecute LGBT people. There are intrusive police raids on gay venues, including private parties. These police invasions grossly violate privacy and run roughshod human rights. They are cowardly actions that seek to publicly humiliate LGBT people and turn them into outcasts and pariahs. The sadistic goal is to deliberately destroy the lives of those caught in the oppressive dragnet and shatter any chance of a viable future.

In the past few years, there has been a growing hysteria about LGBT people in Indonesia, which is stigmatizing them and making life more difficult by the day.

A draconian bill has now been introduced that would put LGBT people in concentration camps – euphemistically called “rehabilitation centers.” The abusive proposed camps, which may be intended to “cure” homosexuals, or worse, could possibly be inspired by the Chinese government’s imprisoning of its Uighur Muslim minority in similar reeducation camps. Or, maybe Indonesia was encouraged to act with impunity after watching the world do virtually nothing while Myanmar persecuted the Rohingya.

These clear moral outrages and grotesque abuses of human rights are not happening in a vacuum. We can’t separate the barbarism from the cancerous growth of authoritarianism and outright fascism that is spreading its tentacles across the globe. Authoritarian strongmen like Putin, Trump, Modi, Bolsonaro, Duterte, Kim Jong un, Erdogan, Xi, Orban and others, are taking this planet in a sick, terrifying direction.

In India, the New York Times reports that rioters roamed the streets with iron rods and wooden sticks, demanding to know whether people were Hindus or Muslims. Two days of communal violence in the northeastern part of Delhi left at least 17 people dead and 150 injured in the worst such clashes in India’s capital in decades.

These totalitarian strongmen seek to create a dystopian world where truth is what they say it is – and international standards for human rights are non-existent. These tyrants elevate ignorance over education, sabotage the latest science and place personal loyalty above saving lives.

I’m afraid we may learn this lesson in the United States, with Trump’s handling of the coronavirus. At first, the president seemed primarily concerned with the stock market and how it would affect his chances at reelection. He stood on stage and contradicted his own scientists, while downplaying the possibility of a pandemic. He blamed the “fake news.” He blamed the “Democrats.” All the while praising himself for what a phenomenal job he was doing.

Donald Trump then put the worst possible person in America in charge of containing the virus: Vice President Mike Pence.

This is a backward religious zealot with a medieval mindset who has been at war with science for decades. At the beginning of his political career, Pence believed that smoking doesn’t kill people. He still believes that evolution is just a theory. As Indiana’s governor, Pence tried to pray away an HIV outbreak, while blocking a needle exchange program that could have saved lives.

What else would we have expected from the Trump administration, which drastically cut funds for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – including an 80 percent cut to the agency that fights global disease outbreaks. Trump also closed down the entire global health-security unit of the National Security Council.

For a self-professed germ-o-phobe, Trump certainly seems to be on the side of Team Germ.

But at least we have some of the best scientists in the world to give us the unvarnished truth. Whoops – not anymore. The Trump administration has put a gag order on scientists, forcing them to clear information with Mike Pence before they speak publicly. Unless we get lucky – and we could — we are so screwed.

What we need, is advice from medical doctors, and instead they are shoveling messages from spin-doctors. We need experts, and they are providing anti-science extremists. We need truth, and instead Trump and Pence want to spoon feed us politically convenient tales. Like any good authoritarian Banana Republic.

We also have to contend right wing propaganda media machine. New York Times columnist Paul Krugman pointed out today that radio blowhard Rush Limbaugh, who just received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Donald Trump said: “It looks like the coronavirus is being weaponized as yet another element to bring down Donald Trump… Now, I want to tell you the truth about the coronavirus. … The coronavirus is the common cold, folks.”

Krugman pointed out that the early warning signs show that the virus may be as lethal as the 1918 Spanish Flu, which killed as many as 50 million people.

But aren’t we lucky – we have the thoughts and prayers of Republican leaders. Because, you know, it worked so well at stopping the epidemic of gun violence.

Fortunately, there is a vaccine to cure the illness of ignorance and hate that has spread to so much of the world. And that’s you. We must come together from all different backgrounds to fight the rise of hate, stupidity, greed, political violence and religious fanaticism. We can vote, volunteer, or give money to non-profit organizations that combat hate.

But most important, when you bear witness to bigotry – stand up and speak out. When you encounter evil – be the counterbalance. It’s not always easy, and sometimes it’s even dangerous, but if you don’t do your part, who will? If you don’t stand up for others, who is will be there to help you?

We are never safe in our silence. When we say nothing in the face of evil, we are simply postponing our own day of reckoning. Remember, the bullies and bigots are cowards who depend on good people being too scared to fight back.

It is up to each one of us to do our part to contain the deadly virus of hate and ensure we live in a world of democratic societies that is fair and free, where decency triumphs over the deranged ideas that are now infecting the globe.
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February 20, 2020 • The Wayne Besen Show • 2263

William Barr’s Religious Extremism May Explain His Alarming Behavior

Everyone keeps asking the question: Why would Attorney General William Barr knowingly, willingly and enthusiastically disgrace himself and irreparably trash his reputation? If you are trying to figure out Barr through merely a traditional political lens, you may be missing the big picture. What truly animates and motivates Barr is his far right wing religious worldview.

In this episode of The Wayne Besen Show, we closely examine William Barr’s notorious culture war speech at Notre Dame, where the Attorney General reveals himself to be an extremist ideologue with a radical agenda. Barr wants to abuse his position to turn back the clock, impose his religious beliefs on the country and exploit his power to punish secular and LGBT Americans.

It’s worth considering that Barr may be loyal to Trump insofar as he sees the president as a useful idiot. Trump is likely a mere Trojan Horse that Barr exploits to force his religious views onto all Americans. It’s time the media brings Barr’s potential religious motivations into the discussion. We can’t know for sure if Barr’s twisted view of faith is responsible for his unholy actions against the American system of justice and the rule of law. But it is certainly a more plausible explanation for Barr’s dishonest words and unpatriotic actions than the current, incoherent excuse, that Barr was somehow magically mesmerized by Trump into professing unflinching loyalty at the expense of his name and reputation. Based on the evidence, something else, much more sinister, may very well be driving this diabolical man.

Take a look at the evidence and YOU decide.

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February 15, 2020 • Uncategorized • 2280

William Barr’s Religious Fantasies Explain his ‘Loyalty’ to Trump

Political commentators keep asking the question: Why would William Barr trash his reputation, bring disgrace to his family name, ill repute the legal profession, undermine the Justice Department and destabilize the country? Why?

It doesn’t add up. It’s doesn’t make any sense. And, I’m not buying that Barr’s ostensibly irrational behavior is out of some crazy sense of loyalty to a former realty television host.

I think everyone may have it wrong about Attorney General William Barr. He is not a Trump loyalist. He is not a Trump lackey. He isn’t about power for the mere sake of accumulating power. Something else is driving this man.

Perhaps, Donald Trump is using William Barr. Maybe it’s the other way around. I’ve been monitoring and fighting the Religious Right for three decades. I’ve been to their churches, at their rallies and inside their conferences. So, I know from experience a dangerous religious fanatic when I encounter one.

It is my view that the Attorney General is a right wing religious extremist with a radical agenda. He wants to turn back the clock, impose his religious beliefs on the country and use his power to punish secular Americans – who he has it out for. Don’t take from me, the Attorney General has said as much. In few moments I will play clips illustrating my point.

In my view, William Barr is loyal to Trump insofar as he sees the president as a useful idiot. Trump is a mere Trojan Horse that Barr exploits to force his religious views onto all Americans. If you are trying to figure out Barr through merely a political lens, you may be missing the big picture. What truly animates and motivates this ruthless political machine is his right wing religious worldview. It’s time people start discussing this out in the open without feeling queasy because it’s uncomfortable discussing religion.

The media certainly doesn’t want to broach this topic. So, they hyper-focus on Barr’s bizarre promotion of the all-powerful unitary executive – which basically transforms the president into a King. But the media is failing to ask why a supposed traditional, bureaucratic institutionalist like William Barr holds this legally outlandish view? It’s makes no rational sense.

I think I know the answer. Democracy is at odds with Barr’s perverse and unAmerican desire to create a right wing Christian utopia. Most people don’t support his backward views. So, the only way Barr gets to see his worldview come to fruition is by imposing it against the will of the people.

Conveniently, along comes Donald Trump. The wiser and more sophisticated Barr seizes the opportunity. Barr knew that he could potentially gain power by manipulating the wannabe authoritarian strongman. So, Barr puts out a legal paper justifying an all-powerful presidency and auditions for Trump on FOX News. Predictably, Trump took the bait.

Barr was also perfect for the job, because his institutional credibility made it easier for Senate confirmation. He would only have to fool the establishment once – and then it would be too late. Barr would be the new Attorney General, with the ability to use police power to accomplish his crazy worldview.

So, Barr is not necessarily loyal. It’s more likely that he is leading Trump by nose, using flattery and ostensible obedience to move up the chain of power.

If you want to understand William Barr, it is essential that you read his October 11, 2019 Notre Dame speech. It’s a terrifying, yet illuminating screed that exposes his true convictions and motivation.

It reveals Barr as a bitter, paranoid culture warrior with a messiah complex. Pat Robertson or Mike Pence could have written his speech. The speech is a Religious Right greatest hits album, attacking abortion, secularism, atheists, euthanasia, drugs and LGBT people.

Barr’s zealous beliefs are the reason that he’s willing to take the public relations hits to his reputation. He’s been skewered over his diabolical handling of the Muller Report and the Roger Stone sentencing guidelines because in his mind he’s working on a larger project and has a higher calling.

The Notre Dame speech is as instructive as it is chilling. For starters, Barr believes that America was created by right wing Christians for right wing Christians.

To make his absurd point Barr quotes John Adams.

Barr has a theory that only self-righteous men who share his medieval mindset and self-righteous, puritanical values are the true heirs of this country and worthy of our democracy. Everyone else is morally polluting the country and has already ruined democracy. With no sense of irony, considering he works for Donald Trump, Barr believes that uncivilized, Godless, licentious undesirables, who are slaves to their own passions have made democracy unworkable and freedom untenable.

What’s terrifying is that Barr has elevated himself, in his own perverse mind, as the great avenging angel and marauding crusader that God put on earth to restrain rapacity – of his political enemies. Not so much if you’re Roger Stone, Michael Flynn, Rudy Giuliani or Donald Trump. Then you can do whatever the hell you want.

In the speech, Barr quotes Edmond Burke to justify his potential crackdown on those he deems as degrading society, thus unworthy of liberty.

So, Barr believes his role is to put chains on the appetites of those he sees as his religious and political enemies. In God complex, he views himself as the controlling power, to civilize the irreligious savages who he sees as corrupting the moral compass of America.

Like all zealots, Barr needs enemies. In his paranoid and perverse talk at the University of Notre Dame, he launched nasty, unfounded attacks on secular Americans.

Barr believes that the pendulum may not swing back in his direction unless good people rise up and strike back.

In Barr’s warped world, he is going to use the law and police to lead a period of moral retrenchment and beat back excess. Remember, a madman like Barr can only accomplish these nutty ideas if a fool like Trump is handed unlimited power. If Trump has unlimited power, by extension, so doe Barr.

The Attorney General is also severely paranoid and believes that right wing Christians are victims who are under constant attack.

Barr sees the public schools as under siege, because they no longer impose his version of God on students.

Much of Barr’s anger with public schools, is that they increasingly punish bullies and treat LGBT students with dignity and respect. That, apparently, is a bridge too far for the crusading Attorney General.

William Barr also empathically and unconstitutionally wants to funnel millions of dollars in taxpayer’s money into private right wing Christian schools that discriminate. He wants all Americans to fund his wacky sectarian views and subsidize bigotry.

What’s most important to know, is that William Barr – the right wing Christian avenging angel – isn’t going to sit back. He’s an activist attorney general that is going to elevate his religious allies and antagonize his perceived foes. He has a plan and he apparently is on a holy mission from God to carry it out.

So, there you have it. William Barr did not return to the Department of Justice to carry out and faithfully execute the law. He is an extremist with a God complex who returned to DOJ, to deliberately perform a miscarriage of justice and seek retribution and revenge for the faithful.

But the only way William Barr’s crusading fever swamp dreams become reality, is for democracy to wither. He can only impose his values and enforce his rules if that pesky little document known as the United States Constitution is no longer in the way. And the only way all of this comes together – is for an authoritarian strongman to overthrow the rule of law and empower Barr to take action. That is why the Attorney General will do anything to protect Trump. But that isn’t necessarily loyalty to the president. It’s using Trump as a vehicle for Barr to enact his pathological faith fantasy.

It’s time the media brings Barr’s religious motivations into the discussion. That certainly explains his dishonest words and unpatriotic actions more than current explanations.
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