Looks like Governor Newsom is going to tangle with Trump again. Dr. Oz’s conspiracy theories have had an effect, and Newsom Is Not Happy (capitalizations intentional). Apparently, Oz had not learned anything from being sued for lying about someone’s business that had nothing to do with any “mafia” of any nationality. He said there was a lot of fraud in California, with no proof to support it. Mr. Newsom is rightfully angry. With appreciation for Raw Story:
California Gov. Gavin Newsom lashed out at the Trump administration over what his press office called a “recycled political stunt” – one that saw the administration freeze more than $867 million in federal funding earmarked for Medicaid recipients. The Trump administration announced Tuesday that it would be freezing more than $1 billion in Medicaid funding earmarked for California and Minnesota, funding that would only be released, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy said, once the two states “provide basic documentation showing that these services are legitimate and not fraudulent.”
What a bunch of hooey. It’s going to take a long time to put all that information together, all thanks to “Dr.” Oz. He’s not a real doctor (in my opinion) and is costing a lot of people a lot of money. Does he still have his grift going? Or does he now pick random places without actually investigating them, as he did to that business, saying they were part of some organized crime ring? Shouldn’t the police be handling those statements? This maladministration is hurting Americans every damn day. And then there’s RFK Jr’s nonsense. Being as there would be pages and pages, let’s move along to our next quote.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Administrator Mehmet Oz said the Trump administration’s approach was actually “very conservative,” and that the administration could have, should they have selected to do so, “taken a lot more money.” Newsom’s press office didn’t mince words with its response. “Today’s announcement from Dr. Oz is the same recycled political stunt we’ve seen before. California isn’t being targeted because Trump has evidence of fraud,” reads a Tuesday social media post on X from Newsom’s press office.
No, California is being targeted because Mr. Newsom stands up to Trump. And “Dr.” Oz lies, lies, and lies. How many other businesses have gone under because of Oz? How many people are off their medication because they can’t afford it due to the freeze on the money? How many people are going to risk dying because they can’t get their meds? Yes, that’s extreme, but if you follow the thread out from Oz’s bullsht, it could get that bad. If there’s fraud, show me the proof. Show me what you have found. They won’t be able to prove anything because it’s Oz flapping his gums and picking random places to target.
“We are being targeted for political reasons — and because Dr. Oz doesn’t understand that we are *SAVING* taxpayers’ money by keeping seniors and people with disabilities out of far more expensive nursing homes! We hate fraud. That’s not what this is. And we stand ready to collaborate with CMS in good faith efforts to combat fraud.” The Trump administration has increasingly resorted to withholding federal funds from states as a tool of coercion – or, as described by ex-Trump official Miles Taylor, “extortion.” For example, a recent set of rule changes enacted by the Trump administration mandated states adopt a “sweeping set of election changes” or lose federal grants largely used to combat terrorism and disasters.
*headdesk* They’ve gutted FEMA, and we should be concerned about the next natural disaster. Trump thinks states can handle everything on their own. But people can’t necessarily handle their medication on their own. Meds can get really pricey really fast. Even just a bottle of ibuprofen or a vitamin you should be taking is costly these days, no thanks to Trump and his damn tariffs. Now they’re taking away from California and Minnesota because of some made-up story thanks to idiot Oz. This is really something. America is falling apart.
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