Investigating Autism: Moonwalking For Vaccine Safety?

By Jake Crosby, MPHEditor, Autism Investigated

www.autisminvestigated.com

What is wrong with people on “our side”?

• “The most likely explanation is that thimerosal was not responsible for the autism epidemic.” –David Kirby, Author of “Evidence of Harm”

• “It hasn’t been answered whether or not vaccines can cause autism.” –Wendy Fournier, President of the National Autism Association

• “I don't believe the singular removal of Thimerosal, which has yet to happen, will change the number of autism cases by itself…” –JB Handley, Cofounder of Generation Rescue

• “Unfortunately for [Dr. Andrew Wakefield], he has placed his chips on a pathway not well-supported by the epi data and so he has been on the defensive for too long.” –Mark Blaxill, Chairman of Canary Party, Former SafeMinds Director

Examples of Self-Inflicted Damage

• SafeMinds throws omnibus case• SafeMinds undermines global mercury ban• SafeMinds/Canary Party hijack congressional

hearings• NAA expresses “respect” for Chili’s

cancellation• Dan Olmsted and David Kirby interfere with

thimerosal litigation

How I got involved…

• Lived in Washington, DC at the time• Asked to join SafeMinds’ Government Affairs

Committee in months preceding 2012 hearing• Already scheming against scientists • Example: 2012 congressional briefing

SafeMinds’ Congressional Briefing

• Lyn Redwood alerted Geiers about SafeMinds’ NVICP briefing in 2012

• Then, SafeMinds didn’t want the Geiers to participate because they were suing lawyers involved over denial of compensation as expert witnesses

SafeMinds’ 2012 Security Trap for Geiers at Briefing

• “I would alert security ahead of time that there may be people looking to disrupt the proceedings and ask they have extra staff on hand to escort any hecklers out of the room....” – Eric Uram, Executive Director anticipating Geiers’ attendance at 2012 NVICP briefing by SafeMinds

But it goes even deeper than that, SafeMinds threw the omnibus denying justice to thousands of children…

The Autism Omnibus

• 4,900 petitioners in vaccine court• The case: thimerosal alone or in combination

with MMR vaccine could cause autism• Unbeknownst to petitioners, SafeMinds board

members advised attorneys• The result: Disaster!• All petitioners denied justice

The Autism Omnibus: Mark Blaxill Attacks Expert Witnesses

• “As to the Geiers, I may be a bit of a minority voice here, but I worry very much that they can do our cause more harm than good. They are not very good scientists, write bad papers (both writing badly and reporting in sloppy fashion) and attract too much attention to themselves as individuals…if I were on the other side and were asked to critique their work, I could rip it to shreds.”

• “I have not been a big fan of the Geiers. I worry they do not represent our side well. They often do sloppy work.”

Could Mark Blaxill, MBA, Really “rip it to shreds”?

• I know both Mark Blaxill and Mark & David Geier fairly well. Mr. Blaxill does not have the biological science and medical training of the Geier’s and most of their articles address issues on the biological level. I have critically read most of the publications by the Geier’s and I seriously doubt that Mr. Blaxill could shred this research even though he may think he could.

• Boyd E. Haley, PhD• President• CTI Science, Inc.

Mark Blaxill, MBA, Attacks Expert Witnesses, Part II

“I hope you understand how deeply f*cked up the world is when the Geiers are considered credible analysts and I am not.”

How SafeMinds Hijacked the Congressional Hearing

• Hired lobbyist who misrepresented organizer to congressional staff

• Blocked incriminating testimony • Changed the topic from government cover-up

to “federal response”

Mark Blaxill on Poul Thorsen

• Invoked pharma talking point that he was not a major player in fraudulent autism studies

• Went so far as to claim Thorsen told a “lie” about being principal investigator

• Proven wrong by archived webpage from Thorsen’s website

• Unfortunately, SafeMinds opted for the “Sallie Strategy”

The Sallie Strategy: Keep Cover-up Covered Up

“The cover up is sticky, because it is accusing officials of criminal or unethical behavior. Realistically, I would see this being tackled behind the scenes and ducks in a row before it is presented in a public hearing.” –Sallie Bernard

Meanwhile, Autism Fraudster Poul Thorsen Is Still At Large….

Those on “our side” who are part of the problem

• SafeMinds gutting the hearing, undermining global mercury ban

• Beth Clay’s dishonest lobbying

• Mark Blaxill avoiding vaccines

• Lyn Redwood, IACC token mercury mom

Who else?

• Gary Kompothecras of 1-800-ASK-GARY fame

• Revealed hearing to Blaxill at AutismOne 2012

• Insisted Brian Hooker work with Mark Blaxill after-the-fact

• Gary is still helping Canary Party

How to know if you’re doing a good job: Brian Deer calls you the gutter.

• “Then you get the gutter, well illustrated here by Mr Crosby. These are people so greedy for money or power or a sense of personal significance that they will say almost anything, and do almost anything to sustain their profile.” – Brian Deer, “Science”Blogs

The Congressional Hearing

• Dr. Brian Hooker – scientist and parent – gets Issa to commit to hearings in 2012

• News leaked to Mark Blaxill• SafeMinds swoops in, changes hearing topic

FROM CDC cover-up to “federal response”• Falsely represents Brian Hooker to staffers

Clay Reveals To Brian Hooker She Misrepresented Him

• “In many meetings over the last year I have explained to others including Congressional staff that the community works in a collaboratory fashion, different groups and individuals taking on specific issues and developing areas of focus. I have been very clear that you picked the FOIA issue as the one you would be point on, something folks from the entire autism community, and myself greatly appreciate.” (Boldface mine)

Result: Brian Hooker Doesn’t Testify

• Incriminating testimony by Brian Hooker kept out of hearing

• Substituted with irrelevant and semantic testimony by Mark Blaxill

• Fails to even mention “vaccines” or “thimerosal” during speech

• His blog Age of Autism mocked those who expressly wanted him to talk about vaccines

What did Brian Hooker think of all this?

“The events leading up to the 11/29/12 hearing were the worst thing that ever happened to me, since I started advocating for my son in 2001.”-Brian Hooker in email to SafeMinds’ VP

Dan Olmsted and David Kirby Support Kathleen Seidel, Call Her A “Colleague”

We both take this matter very seriously, and strongly oppose any effort to subpoena the records of Ms. Kathleen Seidel. We have also clearly expressed our feelings to Mr. Shoemaker. While we may not agree with her opinions, we consider Ms. Seidel to be a colleague. Rights to privacy, and to free speech as guaranteed by the First Amendment, must be upheld for all. We urge Mr. Shoemaker to reconsider, and drop this action against Ms. Seidel.

David KirbyDan Olmsted

Why? Vaccine Industry Mouthpiece David Gorski Told Them To

Who Is Kathleen Seidel? ANYTHING But A Journalist

• Got one scientist in trouble with FDA• Got others in trouble with state medical board• Parrots CDC’s phony allegations to block

outside researchers’ access to database• Tried to get thimerosal litigants in trouble with

FDA• Tried to get Dan Olmsted FIRED from UPI

Yet…

• Dan Olmsted said she was a journalist at A1…

• …IN FRONT of a Chicago Tribune reporter.

• The following year, Chicago Tribune attacks A1 speakers using Seidel’s talking points

• Go figure…

Kathleen Seidel’s Free Speech Matters More than Yours.

AoA Managing Editor’s Note to Reader:Good morning, John. Wanted to let you know that I deleted your comment to Dan on A of A – we made a conscious effort to keep Seidel OFF Age of Autism during that time. Dan decided that it’s best to leave her name off the blog altogether rather than get people thinking about her. So I deleted the comment. I had approved it at first. You may have seen that. I don’t want you to think we’re censoring your comments. We’d just rather leave Ms. Seidel off the blog. Also, Dan supported her rights to blog – that’s not the same as supporting her views. Dan is pretty much unimpeachable in terms of where his heart is.Thanks.

Dan Olmsted Dodged Questioning, Kirby Didn’t Answer

JC: “Btw Dan, are you going answer John Best (parent) in the comments of my site as to why you and David Kirby signed your letter of support for Kathleen Seidel? Because John has been waiting over five years for you to answer him.”

“The Age of Autism” Channels CDC’s Thimerosal Defense

• “…by 2003 it was reasonable to expect that mercury-free versions of these vaccines had made their way into the market. If autism were to follow the model of acrodynia [mercury poisoning], one would expect the rates to fall rapidly. Sadly, they did not.” – “The Age of Autism,” by Dan Olmsted and Mark Blaxill, p. 233

• “In fact, sadly, autism rates have actually gone up since thimerosal was taken out of childhood vaccines in 2001, providing further evidence that thimerosal-containing vaccines are not related to autism.” – CDC website http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/vaccine_factsheet.htm

What is the deal with Mark Blaxill?

• Presented at IOM in 2001; no credentials• Left Boston Consulting Group in 2006• Claims he was “fired”• The book “Lords of Strategy” by Walter Kiechel

suggests otherwise• Had pharma clients, consulted for Merck• Concealed Merck consultancy in podcast interview• Still on board of BCG-funded non-profit with BCG

Chairman

How did he get to present at IOM in 2001?

• No publication record, no scientific background and no official organizational title

• Yet gives 10-slide presentation• Fails to disclose concurrent employment with

BCG• Goes on to join board of SafeMinds, yet still

has pharma clients

Mark Blaxill Undermines SafeMinds’ Response to Lilly Rider

• Rider aiming to protect Eli Lilly snuck into Homeland Security Bill

• Mark Blaxill sought to undermine SafeMinds’ response

• Didn’t want drug companies poisoning children discussed

• Cited his employers’ ties to drug companies• Feared defending SafeMinds’ response to his

“partners”

In Conclusion…

• Mark Blaxill Cannot Be Trusted

• SafeMinds Cannot Be Trusted

• Canary Party Cannot Be Trusted

• Age of Autism Cannot Be Trusted

What do we do?

• Support Brian Hooker

• Ask Congress to Investigate CDC Research Fraud

• Hold hearings on the same topic

For more information…

www.autisminvestigated.com