Who Pulls the Strings: Merck Lobbyist Who Pushed Gardasil Mandate in Texas is Abbott’s Pick to Head C-Virus Strike Force
The Most Powerful Man in Texas
If you were thinking that statement was a reference to the governor, you would be mistaken. The title of “the most powerful man in Texas” instead belongs to a someone you may have never heard of before: infamous Austin lobbyist, Mike Toomey.
“He is unquestionably the most powerful—and the most feared—nonelected person in Texas politics today.”
Texas Monthly
His time in Austin began as a state representative in the 80’s, where he gained a reputation for ruthless backroom deal-making. Since then, his career has been a revolving door between government appointments and lobbying for big industry. He frequently uses his political power to land lucrative deals for his lobby clients – which include pharma giant Merck – and plays puppet master to sitting governors.
Mike Toomey is now the Chief Operating Officer for Governor Abbott’s c-virus Strike Force.
Governor Toomey
Toomey served as Chief of Staff to Governor Bill Clements, where his powerful influence earned him the nickname “Governor Toomey.” He has since made a career of this unelected governorship of our state.
During Toomey’s time as a state representative, he developed a strong friendship with then fellow state representative Rick Perry, even convincing Perry to leave the democrat party and establish himself as a republican. As Perry’s career advanced to Texas Agriculture Commissioner, Toomey’s shadow influence over him remained. He became the leader of Perry’s unofficial “kitchen cabinet” group of advisors.
“Mr. Toomey was already a fixture in the corps of special interest representatives in Austin, known simply as ‘the Lobby.’ Such was their influence that their seating area in the State House was called ‘the owners’ box.'”
The New York Times
The Enforcer
All of this occurred while Toomey ran the lobby firm he opened in 1990. The cocktail of industry influence and money flowing through Toomey into the legislature as he weaved in and out of government positions left a bad taste in the mouth of many elected officials.
“The Dark Knight: Mike Toomey”
Texas Monthly Magazine
“Whenever secretive deals swirl in the Capitol, Toomey is always the first suspect to come to mind among insiders, usually with good reason. “
“I didn’t have any client that I didn’t agree with philosophically about what they were doing. Just go through my client list. I don’t have clients I disagree with,” Toomey said in an interview.
Considering Merck is an outspoken advocate of mandatory vaccination AND a top Toomey client, we can guess exactly where Toomey stands on this issue, which is especially concerning as we face the prospect of a mandatory c-virus vaccine.
Toomey Orchestrated Vaccine Mandate Through Governor’s Executive Order
As Governor Perry’s Chief of Staff, Toomey influenced him to support legislation that was beneficial to his clients, even if the legislation contradicted Perry’s previously stated personal beliefs or traditional Republican Party ideals.
The most notorious example of this was Governor Perry’s disastrous Executive Order mandating Merck’s HPV vaccine for all Texas preteen girls in February of 2007. Merck spent $158,143 on its Gardasil lobbying efforts in Texas in the years leading up to the EO and donated at least $28,000 directly to Perry’s campaign.
Thankfully the legislature overturned the EO which stood to earn big bucks for both Merck and their favorite lobbyist Mike Toomey.
The ordeal remains known as Perry’s biggest political blunder to date.
“‘It came out pretty quick that Toomey had been paid several hundred thousand dollars to lobby for Merck, and as soon as we heard that, it was like, ‘OK, now we know what’s going on,’‘ former State Rep. Jim Dunnam says.”
NPR
Next: Toomey Orchestrates C-Virus Vaccine Mandate Through Abbott Executive Order?
With gubernatorial puppet master Toomey at the helm of Abbott’s c-virus Strike Force and the perpetually renewing emergency declaration giving the governor increased power through executive orders, we can safely assert that a state c-virus vaccine mandate is quickly approaching.
Texans are growing increasingly impatient with Abbott’s refusal to rescind mask mandates and restrictions on businesses. He seemingly ignores the reliable data indicating the death rate and hospitalizations are down and continue to fall, and instead chooses to base his policy decisions on unreliable testing data fraught with widely acknowledged inaccuracies.
During a press conference, Abbott laid out his most recent virus related restrictions stating that they would allow Texas to “safely reopen while we wait for the immunization that will end the threat of C0V1D-19.“
Restrictions until a vaccine is available? Could it be that the latest Toomey-masterminded mandate plan is one that allows for restrictions to be removed ONLY if you have received the fast-tracked C0V1D vaccine?
TFVC Executive Director Jackie Schlegel recounts a shocking conversation she had with a Texas C0V1D vaccine trial participant recently. The participant proudly showed off a proof of vaccination card the trial participants received to excuse them from mask and social distancing requirements. This information seems to confirm that restrictions will remain for all who refuse a vaccine.
“With Toomey involved, all of Abbott’s maneuvers must be watched carefully.”
The Lonestar Project
If past behavior is the best indicator of future policies, the writing is on the wall for Texans as long as Toomey is calling the shots.
Tell Governor Abbott exactly how you feel about a C0V1D vaccine mandate by SIGNING OUR PETITION TO OPPOSE ABBOTT’S UPCOMING VACCINE MANDATE!
We have be em wearing these masks long enough and we just can’t anymore when the science does not show a benefit, and it restricts our breathing where can’t get a SAFE amount of oxygen, (OSHA standard amount of oxygen) especially if we’re working.
PLEASE let businesses know they don’t have to require masks.
I, like my friends will not take a mandated vaccine!
Sincerely, Sonja Perkins, Longview, Tx.
Science says we should wear the mask not Toomey. He is simply following their recommendations.
Give me liberty or give me death!
The CDC said publicly over 3 weeks ago that masks do NOT stop the spread of Covid 19. This is a scam and about control. Ditch the mask yourself, reclaim you freedom.
CDC DID NOT ISSUE SUCH A STATEMENT
Fact check: Document claiming to show CDC guidance about various types of masks is a fake
CHELSEY COX | USA TODAY | 4:16 pm EDT July 27, 2020
This is how often you should wash your cloth face mask.
PROBLEMSOLVED, USA TODAY
The claim: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released guidelines to the general public that say cloth masks trap carbon dioxide.
Social media posts about the claim reference an image of a document with a header that mimics the official CDC letterhead. The document, titled “N95 General Public,” compares the effectiveness of N95 masks, surgical masks cloth and face coverings.
Among others, Facebook user Brendan Bell shared the claim in a July 13 post. To date, it has more than 1,700 shares.
N95 masks work best in contaminated environments yet release COVID-19 through your breath, the document claims. Meanwhile, surgical masks may be approved for sterile environments but trap COVID-19 particles between your face and the mask.
Finally, cloth masks are a direct danger to your health, the document also claims.
“CLOTH MASK: (DO NOT FILTER ANYTHING). As you exhale, you are ridding your lung of contaminants and carbon dioxide. CLOTH MASKS trap this carbon dioxide the best. It actually risks your HEALTH rather than protect it. The moisture trapped in (the) mask will become mildew ridden in 30 minutes. Dry coughing, enhanced allergies, sore throat all all symptoms of a micro-mold in your mask,” the document reads, circled in red.
“Look CDC stated this case closed,” Bell wrote along with the hashtag #maskoff in the post caption.
Bell did not respond to a request for comment from USA TODAY.
What does the CDC say about N95, surgical and cloth masks?
An infographic posted on the website of the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health compares and contrasts N95 masks with surgical masks. While surgical masks are resistant to bodily fluids and protect others against the wearers’ respiratory emissions, they are looser-fitting than N95 masks and, thus, do not protect against smaller airborne particles.
Fact check: What’s true and what’s false about face masks?
Alternatively, N95 masks undergo fit testing and user seal check requirements. They also filter-out 95% of large and small airborne particles when fitted properly.
On the site, which is targeted to workers, the CDC states either mask should be discarded after each encounter with a patient.
Fact check: No, N95 filters are not too large to stop COVID-19 particles
N95 manufacturer 3M confirmed whether viruses could be expelled through a mask fitted with a respirator in a product FAQ.
“Since there have been no published studies on this topic, it cannot be definitively said that no virus-containing aerosols expelled by a wearer would exit the respirator through the exhalation valve,” read a statement.
Meanwhile, the CDC infographic does not mention the potential for COVID-19 particles to become trapped behind a properly-fitted surgical mask.
Unlike N95 or surgical masks, cloth coverings can be washed and worn again. That is why the CDC recommends them for everyday use to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
The disease is spread through respiratory droplets. When worn in public, cloth face coverings can help prevent the wearers’ bodily fluids from transferring to others, according to official CDC guidelines.
Cloth face coverings are not a danger to people over the age of 2 who do not have breathing trouble and can remove a mask unassisted, the CDC states.
Fact check: Ear loop masks, homemade cloth masks, offer protection against COVID-19
Do cloth face coverings trap carbon dioxide?
USA TODAY reported on the chances of developing hypercapnia – a condition resulting from a buildup of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream – from cloth face coverings in a prior fact check.
A dangerous buildup of CO2 is unlikely, USA TODAY previously reported, because the general public does not wear face coverings for prolonged periods of time.
“Additionally, the CDC told Reuters, ‘The CO2 will slowly build up in the mask over time. However, the level of CO2 likely to build up in the mask is mostly tolerable to people exposed to it … It is unlikely that wearing a mask will cause hypercapnia’,” USA TODAY reported.
More: Fact check: Wearing a face mask will not cause hypoxia, hypoxemia or hypercapnia
Jasmine Reed, public affairs specialist for the CDC, told USA TODAY in an email that the CDC’s recommendations for cloth face coverings have not changed.
“CDC recommends that people wear cloth face coverings in public settings and when around people who don’t live in your household; especially, when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain. Cloth face coverings may help prevent people who have COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others. Cloth face coverings are most likely to reduce the spread of COVID-19 when they are widely used by people in public settings,” Reed said. She also debunked the authenticity of the document depicted in the Facebook post.
“To note, CDC typically does not issue guidance or recommendations to the public in such a format. CDC’s guidance and recommendations are distributed on the agency’s website, officials social media accounts and through news media,” Reed told USA TODAY.
Our rating: False
We rate this claim FALSE because it is not supported by our research. The claim is based on a document that was not released by the CDC. The agency also does not state that cloth face coverings will trap carbon dioxide.
Our fact-check sources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Infographic – Understanding the Difference, Surgical Mask, N95 Respirator”
3M, “Filtering Facepiece Respirators FAQ: General Public”
CDC, “About Cloth Face Coverings”
USA TODAY, “Fact check: Wearing a face mask will not cause hypoxia, hypoxemia or hypercapnia”
Reuters, “Partly false claim: Continually wearing a mask causes hypercapnia”
Associated Press, “CDC did not say wearing a cloth face mask traps carbon dioxide and ‘risks your health’”
Reuters, “Fact check: Document does not show official CDC guidance on face masks”
Lead Stories, “Fact Check: The CDC Did NOT Say That Cloth Masks ‘Do Not Filter Anything’ And Wearing One ‘Risks Your Health'”
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Our fact check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.
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Coronavirus is changing everyday life across the US
Originally Published 11:21 am EDT July 27, 2020
Updated 4:16 pm EDT July 27, 2020
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