Featured Stories
National Equity Fund: Uptown Flats Opens 34 Affordable Homes to People With Disabilities & Exiting Homelessness in Pittsburgh, PA
CHICAGO, Illinois, Oct. 3 -- National Equity Fund, a nonprofit financial intermediary that helps expand housing by providing financing and investment solutions for affordable developments and community projects, issued the following news:
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Uptown Flats Opens 34 Affordable Homes to People with Disabilities & Exiting Homelessness in Pittsburgh, PA
October 02, 2026
Surviving is not the same as thriving, especially for people with disabilities and exiting homelessness. In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Uptown Flats is a new foundation for these often overlooked populations. Intentionally developed
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CHICAGO, Illinois, Oct. 3 -- National Equity Fund, a nonprofit financial intermediary that helps expand housing by providing financing and investment solutions for affordable developments and community projects, issued the following news:
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Uptown Flats Opens 34 Affordable Homes to People with Disabilities & Exiting Homelessness in Pittsburgh, PA
October 02, 2026
Surviving is not the same as thriving, especially for people with disabilities and exiting homelessness. In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Uptown Flats is a new foundation for these often overlooked populations. Intentionally developedby our partners at ACTION-Housing, Inc. in collaboration with Bethlehem Haven, 34 new, affordable homes are bringing stability and comfort to residents of the Uptown neighborhood.
Beyond the affordability -- 4 units restricted at 20% of the area median income (AMI) and 30 units at 50% AMI) -- Uptown Flats features an exterior elevated courtyard which offers private, peaceful, green outdoor space in the middle of a dense urban neighborhood to support residents' mental health and healing.
Congratulations to our partners on creating safe, stable, and affordable housing to help empower every individual and family to reach their full potential!
Learn more about Upton Flats.
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Original text here: https://www.nationalequityfund.org/news/uptown-flats-opens-34-affordable-homes-to-people-with-disabilities-exiting-homelessness-in-pittsburgh-pa/
[Category: Real Estate]
NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens' Pediatrics Department Hosts Pre-Launch Book Reading With Celebrated Children's Book Author
NEW YORK, Oct. 3 -- The New York Health and Hospitals issued the following news release:
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NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens' Pediatrics Department Hosts Pre-Launch Book Reading with Celebrated Children's Book Author
Award-winning author Molly Arbuthnott hosts exclusive pre-launch reading of Oscar the Hebridean Cat to champion early childhood literacy and community partnerships
Oct 02, 2026
The Pediatrics Department at NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens was filled with excitement on Wednesday as patients, families, and staff gathered for a special literary celebration. The event featured award-winning
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NEW YORK, Oct. 3 -- The New York Health and Hospitals issued the following news release:
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NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens' Pediatrics Department Hosts Pre-Launch Book Reading with Celebrated Children's Book Author
Award-winning author Molly Arbuthnott hosts exclusive pre-launch reading of Oscar the Hebridean Cat to champion early childhood literacy and community partnerships
Oct 02, 2026
The Pediatrics Department at NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens was filled with excitement on Wednesday as patients, families, and staff gathered for a special literary celebration. The event featured award-winningScottish author Molly Arbuthnott, who treated the community to an exclusive reading of her newest book, Oscar the Hebridean Cat, just one day before its official global launch.
The clinic was teeming with families who found the department transformed into a festive tribute to the book's characters. Children and staff alike joined in the spirit of the story, with some dressing up as the "Hebridean cats" from the series. The afternoon was filled with interactive activities, including cat puppets, coloring stations, and themed stickers. In a special highlight of the day, Ms. Arbuthnott signed approximately three dozen copies of her books, which were gifted to the children visiting the clinic to take home and enjoy with their families.
Molly Arbuthnott is a distinguished author, educator, and academic whose work is deeply rooted in her experience as a teacher and her Master's in Children's Literature. Her books are crafted with a specific mission: to foster empathy, teamwork, and moral courage in young readers. By blending whimsical storytelling with emotional intelligence, she aims to help children navigate their feelings and the world around them. Furthermore, her work often supports global conservation efforts, including partnerships with organizations like WILD to protect the natural world.
The featured story, Oscar the Hebridean Cat, follows the adventures of a sleek, wreath-wearing Siamese cat living in the rugged and beautiful Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Through Oscar's journey with his friend Mercy, the book explores themes of friendship and the discovery of the natural world, all brought to life through soft, evocative watercolor illustrations.
The event served as a powerful showcase of the hospital's integrated approach to pediatric care. Representatives from Reach Out and Read discussed their vital work in providing free books to children from birth through age five during well-child visits. Joining them were partners from Express Ed, who highlighted their role in securing reading materials for children across Jamaica, Queens, and surrounding neighborhoods. The Queens Public Library also participated, sharing information about the extensive resources available at their 63 branches, ranging from early childhood programs to citizenship and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes.
"At Queens Hospital, we believe that a prescription for a book is just as vital as any other medical intervention," said Dr. Marcy Stein-Albert, Chief of Pediatrics at NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens. "Through our Reach Out and Read program, we are proud to provide every child with a new book during their most critical developmental years. This initiative isn't just about reading; it's about giving our families the tools to build a foundation for lifelong learning and emotional health."
"It was a true privilege to share Oscar's latest adventure with the children at Queens Hospital just ahead of the book's official launch," said Arbuthnott. "Bringing the magic of the Scottish islands to life for such an engaged group of young readers--and seeing them embrace the spirit of the story by dressing up--was a wonderful reminder of how stories can connect us across the globe. I hope this tale of courage and friendship stays with them long after today."
For more information about the author and her books, please visit: www.mollyarbuthnott.co.uk.
For more information on the literacy programs at NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens, please contact 718-883-2670.
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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens
A member of NYC Health and Hospitals, NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens is a major health care provider in the borough of Queens. Its foremost mission is to provide quality, comprehensive care to all members of the public regardless of their ability to pay. In 2025, Queens Hospital marked its 90th anniversary of serving the communities of central and southeastern Queens, having first opened its doors as Queens General Hospital in 1935. Encompassing 360,000 square feet, it comprises 253 licensed beds, spacious ambulatory care suites featuring both primary and specialty services, and cutting-edge equipment. It also houses four Centers of Excellence: Cancer Care, Diabetes Management, Women's Health, and Behavioral Health. The hospital has recently added a fully expanded Emergency Room, a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence accredited by the American College of Radiology, and a Total Hip and Knee Replacement Center, with plans underway to build the health system's first Dialysis Center to train patients to perform their own at-home dialysis. To learn more about NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/queens.
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About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city's five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system's trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth--all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
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Original text here: https://www.nychealthandhospitals.org/pressrelease/nyc-health-hospitals-queens-pediatrics-department-hosts-pre-launch-book-reading-with-celebrated-childrens-book-author/
[Category: Health Care]
Fuel Economy Remains Vitally Important to Prospective Car Buyers, According to New Consumer Reports Survey Research
YONKERS, New York, Oct. 3 (TNSrpt) -- Consumer Reports posted the following news release:
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Fuel economy remains vitally important to prospective car buyers, according to new Consumer Reports survey research
October 2, 2026
* As the federal government weakens standards, CR data shows that fuel economy is still a major priority as people shop for a new or used vehicle
* Survey finds consumers' concerns about electric vehicles easing, but limited first-hand experience and other barriers to purchase interest remain
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WASHINGTON, D.C.--Consumer Reports (CR) today released new survey data
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YONKERS, New York, Oct. 3 (TNSrpt) -- Consumer Reports posted the following news release:
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Fuel economy remains vitally important to prospective car buyers, according to new Consumer Reports survey research
October 2, 2026
* As the federal government weakens standards, CR data shows that fuel economy is still a major priority as people shop for a new or used vehicle
* Survey finds consumers' concerns about electric vehicles easing, but limited first-hand experience and other barriers to purchase interest remain
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WASHINGTON, D.C.--Consumer Reports (CR) today released new survey datashowing that fuel economy remains vitally important to prospective buyers of new and used vehicles, even as the federal government finalizes revised, substantially weaker standards for auto manufacturers.
Chris Harto, Manager, Energy Impact at Consumer Reports, said, "Consumers have long told us that fuel economy was important to them, so it comes as no surprise that hybrids are flying off dealer lots as automakers--encouraged by strong fuel economy standards over the past few years--finally start delivering more hybrid options. What is unknown is if automakers continue to respond to strong consumer demand for efficient hybrids, or if momentum slows in the face of weak and toothless efficiency standards."
The new data comes from a July 2026 Consumer Reports nationally representative survey of 2,124 U.S. adults, which found that fuel economy remains a major priority for Americans shopping for their next vehicle. According to the survey, 94% of people who expect to buy or lease another vehicle say fuel economy is at least somewhat important; about two-thirds (68%) say it is very or extremely important--on par with the results of other nationally representative CR surveys of drivers in 2022 and 2024.
CR's survey also asked about electric vehicles, and while CR found a modest easing in Americans' concerns about EVs compared to previous research, this shift has not yet translated into increased consumer interest in purchasing an EV.
On the one hand, there has been a statistically significant decrease in all of the top 5 barriers to EV adoption since a previous nationally representative survey in 2023. Among Americans who are not definite EV buyers, the most common barriers remain charging logistics (57%), range anxiety (51%), and purchase/ownership costs (45%). Also, since 2023, the shares of people who have seen an EV, know someone who owns an EV, or have ridden in an EV have noticeably increased.
On the other hand, the share of those who reported having driven an EV in the past year has improved only slightly since 2023. Specifically, just 11% of Americans reported having driven an electric-only vehicle in the past year. Overall, a quarter of Americans (25%) said they would definitely buy or seriously seriously consider buying an EV if they were to get a vehicle today, but this varies depending on whether they have already driven one. Of those 11% who reported having driven an EV in the past year, 68% say they would definitely buy or seriously consider buying an EV today. Among those who have not driven one, only 20% say the same.
A 2024 CR nationally representative survey of 2,146 US adults found that half of consumers would be interested in test-driving a battery electric vehicle while car shopping, even if they were not ready to buy one, indicating an opportunity for dealers to potentially capitalize on.
"Time behind the wheel doesn't guarantee that someone will become interested in an EV, but it's a necessary step for them to realistically consider purchasing one," Harto added. "People can't reasonably be expected to adopt a new technology that they have very limited hands-on experience with, especially something as important to their daily lives as their car."
Because most shoppers' hands-on experience with battery electric vehicles remains limited, and concerns around charging, range, and cost remain significant, Consumer Reports advises that fuel-efficient hybrids can be good options for many drivers. The growing availability of hybrid models can provide a practical stepping stone for car buyers and lessees, allowing consumers to enjoy savings at the pump with lower barriers to entry.
For other recent CR materials to help consumers choose the vehicle that meets their needs, please see:
* CR's Guide to Fuel Economy (https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/fuel-economy-efficiency/guide-to-fuel-economy-a1223052728/)
* CR's Hybrids/EVs Buying Guide (https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/hybrids-evs/buying-guide/)
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REPORT: https://article.images.consumerreports.org/image/upload/v1786722565/Consumer_Reports_AES_July_2026_sy13ua.pdf
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Original text here: https://advocacy.consumerreports.org/press_release/fuel-economy-remains-vitally-important-to-prospective-car-buyers-according-to-new-consumer-reports-survey-research/
[Category: Business]
FFRF Action Fund: Far-right Outlets Distort 'Secularist of the Week' Talarico Pastor Support of Atheists
MADISON, Wisconsin, Oct. 3 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news:
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Far-right outlets distort 'Secularist of the Week' Talarico pastor support of atheists
October 2, 2026
The FFRF Action Fund names Rev. Jim Rigby (the pastor of Texas state Rep. James Talarico) its "Secularist of the Week" for his open celebration of his work with nontheists.
Rigby is the head pastor at St. Andrew's Presbyterian
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MADISON, Wisconsin, Oct. 3 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news:
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Far-right outlets distort 'Secularist of the Week' Talarico pastor support of atheists
October 2, 2026
The FFRF Action Fund names Rev. Jim Rigby (the pastor of Texas state Rep. James Talarico) its "Secularist of the Week" for his open celebration of his work with nontheists.
Rigby is the head pastor at St. Andrew's PresbyterianChurch in Austin, where Talarico has long been a member. Rigby baptized Talarico, and a June New York Times profile cites Rigby as a "major influence and inspiration" for Talarico.
Rigby spoke warmly about an Austin Area Freedom From Religion Foundation Chapter event that he was due to attend; his remarks are now being used as part of the GOP smear campaign against Talarico, who is the Democratic Senate candidate in Texas. In September, the far-right news and commentary website Breitbart released a secretly recorded video of Rigby speaking with an undercover journalist before the FFRF Austin chapter event. The outlet decried that James Talarico's pastor supports atheists.
"I work a lot with nontheists [as a Presbyterian minister]," Rigby said in the video. "To me, it's like, if you love humanity and you love nature, and that's why you hate religion, then we're on the same team. ... We had an atheist join the church, and people had fits about that, but that's not a big deal here."
Another far-right commentary outlet posted a different clip from the undercover video, criticizing Rigby for giving new members of his church a shockingly "inclusive" version of the bible, which removes unnecessarily gendered and offensive language from its translation.
Responding to such hit pieces, Rigby wrote on Facebook: "Visitors and congregants coming to our first service Sunday had to drive past protestors claiming we aren't a real church."
"Our services are now visited by right-wing spies with hidden recorders pretending to be visitors," he added. "One of them posed as an atheist wondering if he would be welcome in our church. When a staff member attempted to reassure the man he would be welcome, he then edited the video to make us sound heretical."
"As I read the Bible, the spies trying to trap people in their words were not the followers of Jesus, but the people who killed Jesus," he continued. "And they killed him for very MAGA reasons, because they considered him a heretic and because he was a friend of sinners."
In March, The Christian Post published an article outlining "4 things to know" about Talarico's pastor. The "things to know" included Rigby's welcoming of repeated formal complaints from the Presbyterian Church for his affirmation of LGBTQ+ marriages, support for abortion care and the rights of Texas women and admission of an atheist college professor to church membership. Regarding the membership, Rigby said inviting the atheist professor to his church was "an attempt to build connections."
"If God had wanted us to simply recite creeds, Jesus would have come as a parrot," he further explained. "The question before my church was not whether [the professor] could recite religious syllables like a cockatiel, but whether he would follow the core teachings of Jesus and learn more and grow more into Christ's universal love of which the creeds sing. This he pledged to do."
Rigby also noted that merely claiming to believe in God is not sufficient in following the teachings of Jesus, pointing to the Nazis who supported Hitler and touted their religion.
The far-right manipulation of Rigby's harmless remarks is a tactless misrepresentation of Talarico's religious beliefs, intended to disrupt his Senate campaign among Texas Christians. Rigby and religious leaders like him have long worked to build bridges with atheists and other nonreligious people -- and the FFRF Action Fund thanks him for his leadership.
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FFRF Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization that develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. It also advocates for the rights and views of nonbelievers, endorses candidates for political office, and publicizes the views of elected officials concerning religious liberty issues.
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Original text here: https://ffrfaction.org/far-right-outlets-distort-secularist-of-the-week-talarico-pastor-support-of-atheists/
[Category: Sociological]
FFRF Action Fund: 'Theocratic' School Board Member Votes Against Class Trip to 'satanic Witch Museum'
MADISON, Wisconsin, Oct. 3 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news:
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'Theocratic' school board member votes against class trip to 'satanic witch museum'
October 2, 2026
The FFRF Action Fund names as its "Theocrat of the Week" a Christian school board member who voted against a class trip to a "satanic witch museum."
Batavia City School District (N.Y.) Board of Education member Dan Schmidt during
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MADISON, Wisconsin, Oct. 3 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news:
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'Theocratic' school board member votes against class trip to 'satanic witch museum'
October 2, 2026
The FFRF Action Fund names as its "Theocrat of the Week" a Christian school board member who voted against a class trip to a "satanic witch museum."
Batavia City School District (N.Y.) Board of Education member Dan Schmidt duringa recent board meeting went on a tirade against the Salem Witch Museum, whose mission "is to be the voice of the innocent victims of witch hunts from 1692 to the present day." After student representatives presented a draft itinerary for a senior class trip to Boston, Schmidt cast the sole nay vote.
As "a pastor in the room," Schmidt explained his stance during the board's discussion, "we're going to send our kids to a witch museum? To me, like, that is awful." He said he didn't want kids going to "what I would consider a satanic witch museum."
"Not to be the Debbie Downer in the room, but the Salem Witch Museum," Schmidt stated. "Just wondering if there was an alternative option for that."
"If my boys ... if the Salem Witch Museum, as a Christian, was part of the trip ... he probably wouldn't go, you know?" He added. "So I'm just wondering if there's an alternative option. Like, why would we want to exclude somebody that would feel like this is kind of going against ... their core values in their life, you know?"
After an audience member countered that the museum serves to teach the history surrounding the Salem Witch Trials, not to promote witchcraft or satanism, Schmidt replied: "That's not the point. The point is ... we're encouraging our kids to go to a witch museum. To me, that is awful."
When a journalist from The Batavian spoke with Schmidt after the board meeting, pointing out that the museum details the "persecution of the innocent, including Christians," Schmidt said, "I can't really say that I know the history of it. But for me as a pastor, to hear that our students are going to a witch museum. ... I'm not satisfied. I just don't think that it's the healthiest choice for our students, and I hope the church rises up and has a problem with it."
Schmidt added that he felt the need to speak up against the museum trip because of his personal religious beliefs, saying, "I'm gonna stand before God someday, and I feel like to not share my voice in that moment -- I get that everybody's faith is, people have a different perspective on Christianity -- but for me, I think Jesus would frown on this."
In 2010, the Freedom From Religion Foundation celebrated the 318th anniversary of Massachusetts Gov. William Phips' declaration that effectively ended the Salem Witch Trials, by designating Oct. 12 through Oct. 19 as "Freethought Week." The Phips declaration was the first of its kind, requiring that evidence used in court be observable, measurable and replicable -- a step toward human enlightenment and the adoption of the scientific method.
Schmidt was elected to the Batavia school board in 2025 and is the lead pastor at the Batavia Assembly of God Church. The FFRF Action Fund urges Schmidt to fulfill his duty as an elected public official by keeping his personal religious beliefs out of government decisions. We hope Batavia's students have an enjoyable and enriching learning experience at the Salem Witch Museum.
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FFRF Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization that develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. It also advocates for the rights and views of nonbelievers, endorses candidates for political office, and publicizes the views of elected officials concerning religious liberty issues.
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Original text here: https://ffrfaction.org/theocratic-school-board-member-votes-against-class-trip-to-satanic-witch-museum/
[Category: Sociological]
Children's Health Defense Issues Commentary: Florida AG Sues Pfizer, Bourla Over Deceptive Marketing of COVID Vaccines
FRANKLIN LAKES, New Jersey, Oct. 3 -- Children's Health Defense, an organization that says it restores and protects the health of children by eliminating exposures to environmental toxins, issued the following commentary by Michael Nevradakis, senior reporter for The Defender and host of the Defender In-Depth on CHD.TV.:
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Florida AG Sues Pfizer, Bourla Over Deceptive Marketing of COVID Vaccines
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on Thursday sued Pfizer and its CEO, Albert Bourla, alleging that the drugmaker misled the public by marketing its COVID-19 vaccine as safe and effective while
... Show Full Article
FRANKLIN LAKES, New Jersey, Oct. 3 -- Children's Health Defense, an organization that says it restores and protects the health of children by eliminating exposures to environmental toxins, issued the following commentary by Michael Nevradakis, senior reporter for The Defender and host of the Defender In-Depth on CHD.TV.:
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Florida AG Sues Pfizer, Bourla Over Deceptive Marketing of COVID Vaccines
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on Thursday sued Pfizer and its CEO, Albert Bourla, alleging that the drugmaker misled the public by marketing its COVID-19 vaccine as safe and effective whilenot disclosing the vaccine's potential risks to pregnant women, children and teenagers.
October 2, 2026
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on Thursday sued Pfizer and its CEO, Albert Bourla, alleging that the drugmaker misled the public by marketing its COVID-19 vaccine as safe and effective while not disclosing the vaccine's potential risks to pregnant women, children and teenagers.
The 49-page lawsuit alleges Pfizer violated Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act by deceptively marketing its vaccine to the public in turn for making billions of dollars in profit.
According to the complaint, Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine marketing campaign focused on two principal themes: that the shot "posed no material safety risks" and that "mass vaccination was necessary to stop the transmission of COVID-19" -- even though Pfizer never tested the vaccine's ability to stop the virus from spreading.
Pfizer possessed extensive evidence that its vaccine caused serious adverse events -- including 1,223 reported deaths following vaccination as of February 2021 and 52 miscarriages among vaccinated pregnant women. However, the company assured the public the vaccine was safe.
"Today we sued Pfizer for deceptively marketing the products as safe -- making billions -- while pregnant women were miscarrying their babies and teenagers were having heart attacks," Uthmeier said in a statement.
Florida AG says state has track record of success with similar lawsuits
In a statement, Pfizer said the allegations are baseless, and that the "representations made by Pfizer about its COVID-19 vaccine have been accurate and science-based" and that it "stands behind the safety and efficacy" of the product.
But Forrest B. Saunders, communications director for Uthmeier's office, told The Defender "the complaint and comments by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier speak for themselves."
Saunders said Florida has a track record of success with such lawsuits, having "recovered millions for Floridians through consumer protection efforts."
Naomi Wolf, CEO of Daily Clout and author of "The Pfizer Papers: Pfizer's Crimes Against Humanity," helped release documents in 2023 and 2024 revealing serious adverse events among pregnant women and irreversible harms to reproductive health. She called the lawsuit "a glimmer of potential justice long overdue."
Florida resident Haley Schwartz, who was seriously injured following her COVID-19 vaccination in 2021, also welcomed the suit. She said injuries caused by the vaccine "have received inadequate attention" for years.
"Finally seeing these issues examined through a formal legal process feels significant and creates an important opportunity for greater scrutiny, transparency, and accountability regarding what was communicated to the public," Schwartz said.
The lawsuit seeks civil penalties of $10,000 for each violation of the state's consumer protection law -- and $15,000 for each violation involving an elderly or disabled person.
Florida seeks to force Pfizer to return some of its profits and is asking for a permanent injunction against further deceptive practices.
Pfizer's deceptive marketing sought to 'ensure windfall profits'
According to the complaint, Pfizer engaged in a deceptive and "wide-ranging marketing campaign" to "drive consumer demand" for its COVID-19 vaccine, overcome widespread public skepticism and "ensure windfall profits."
"This emphasis on the purported safety of the vaccine directly responded to widespread public concerns about a pharmaceutical product that had been developed on an unusually accelerated timeline, with uniquely limited testing and oversight, and employing novel mRNA technology," the complaint states.
Pfizer's campaign included public statements by Bourla claiming the COVID-19 vaccine was safe. The complaint cites a January 2023 interview in which Bourla claimed that Pfizer had not detected "a single [safety] signal" linked to the vaccine.
The complaint suggests public skepticism was warranted:
"Pfizer knew that data showed its COVID-19 vaccine was connected to myocarditis and pericarditis among minors; had reason to believe its COVID-19 vaccine would cause adverse events for pregnant women and their unborn babies in the first trimester, including miscarriage [and] thousands of reports of other adverse events including stroke and even death, especially among the elderly."
By Feb. 28, 2021, Pfizer's internal adverse event database already contained 158,893 adverse event reports and reports of 1,223 deaths linked to its COVID-19 shot, according to the complaint.
Pfizer by then also "possessed reports for 458 pregnant women exposed to its COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy" -- over half of whom sustained at least one adverse event. Of 52 miscarriages, most occurred during the first trimester, "many within days of vaccination."
Pfizer ended its COVID-19 vaccine trial involving pregnant women early, due to low participation, particularly among women in the early stages of pregnancy. But the drugmaker didn't disclose "material facts already in its possession showing the risks associated with its COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy."
Pfizer official admitted vaccine not tested for stopping transmission
Pfizer promoted its COVID-19 vaccine as a means of "protecting ... loved ones" through a "wide-ranging marketing campaign" which suggested that the vaccine would stop the spread of COVID-19, the suit alleges.
But Janine Small, Pfizer's president of international developed markets, said the vaccine was not tested on stopping the virus, according to a 2021 statement cited in the lawsuit.
Karl Jablonowski, Ph.D., senior research scientist for Children's Health Defense (CHD), said the "assurances of safety the company gave required knowledge Pfizer simply did not have."
He cited a February 2021 Pfizer "nonclinical overview" document listing an extensive range of safety studies Pfizer did not conduct.
"Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine may actually have been the least-studied approved product it has made this century," Jablonowski said.
The lawsuit alleges that Pfizer's misleading marketing claims translated into a financial windfall for Pfizer and Bourla. Between 2020 and 2023, Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine revenue exceeded $80 billion, and Bourla received nearly $102 million in compensation.
Legal liability shield may not protect Pfizer in Florida lawsuit
COVID-19 countermeasures, including vaccines, are protected by a legal liability shield under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act) of 2005.
Attorney Ray Flores, CHD's senior outside counsel, said these protections may not extend to state-level consumer protection cases.
"All states have consumer protection statutes that normally would allow individual consumers to bring suit for fraudulent practices. Under the PREP Act, however, only states have the potential for successful suits," Flores said.
Kansas and Texas have active lawsuits against Pfizer in the 10th and 5th U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals, respectively. The suits make similar claims to Florida's -- namely, that Pfizer violated state consumer protection laws by marketing its COVID-19 vaccine as safe and effective.
"All three cases are remarkably similar, as they are brought under parens patriae," a legal principle that allows states to file lawsuits to protect state residents, Flores said.
However, he said Florida's lawsuit may face obstacles, as Pfizer may seek to move the case from state to federal court "to invoke PREP Act protection" -- similar to what the company did in the Kansas and Texas lawsuits.
Flores said other states may be waiting on the sidelines for the outcomes of the Texas and Kansas cases.
"I wish more attorneys general would take such legal action," Flores said. "There was a rumor back in 2024 that Utah, Mississippi and Louisiana were also suing Pfizer. It sounded good, and got lots of press, but it was never true."
Flores also said he would like to see state attorneys general pressure U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to "flex his muscles" by ending the PREP Act's liability shield for COVID-19 vaccines.
Bourla defended the liability shield for vaccine makers in an interview last year.
Related articles in The Defender
* Texas Appeals Ruling in Lawsuit Against Pfizer, Challenges PREP Act Immunity Shield (https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/texas-appeals-ruling-pfizer-challenges-prep-act-immunity-shield/)
* Kansas Sues Pfizer Over Misleading COVID Vaccine Safety and Efficacy Claims (https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/kansas-sues-pfizer-misleading-covid-vaccine-safety-efficacy-claims/)
* Pfizer CEO: Vaccine Makers Need Liability Shield to Protect Against People Who Claim 'Accident in a Car Happened Because of a Vaccine' (https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/pfizer-ceo-albert-bourla-big-pharma-liability-shield-false-claims/)
* CDC Jeopardized Health of 'Millions of Americans' by Failing to Warn of Stroke Risk After Pfizer Vaccine (https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/cdc-jeopardized-health-millions-americans-failing-to-warn-stroke-risk-pfizer-vaccine/)
* Watch: Naomi Wolf Discusses 'Chilling' Revelations From Pfizer Documents (https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/naomi-wolf-the-pfizer-papers-reproductive-harm-death-defender-in-depth/)
* Pfizer's 'Crimes Against Humanity' -- and Legacy Media's Failure to Report on Them (https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/naomi-wolf-the-pfizer-papers-book/)
* Bill Gates, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla Ordered to Testify in Dutch COVID Vaccine Injury Lawsuit (https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/bill-gates-pfizer-ceo-albert-bourla-testify-dutch-covid-vaccine-injury-lawsuit/)
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Michael Nevradakis, Ph.D., based in Athens, Greece, is a senior reporter for The Defender and host of "The Defender In-Depth" on CHD.TV.
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Original text here: https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/florida-ag-james-uthmeier-lawsuit-pfizer-albert-bourla-deceptive-marketing-covid-vaccines/
[Category: Health Care]
Better Wisconsin Together: Over $24.7M in MAGA Billionaire Cash Doled Out to Republican State Legislative Candidates, GOP Campaign Committees in State
MONONA, Wisconsin, Oct. 3 -- A Better Wisconsin Together, a state-based research and communications hub for progressives, posted the following news release:
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October 2, 2026
Over $24.7 Million in MAGA Billionaire Cash Doled Out to Republican State Legislative Candidates, GOP Campaign Committees in Wisconsin
MADISON, Wis. - Newly filed campaign finance reports reveal that three MAGA billionaires have now spent more than $24.7 million in their efforts to buy a Republican state legislature in Wisconsin.
According to state campaign finance reports, between January 2025 and September 2026
... Show Full Article
MONONA, Wisconsin, Oct. 3 -- A Better Wisconsin Together, a state-based research and communications hub for progressives, posted the following news release:
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October 2, 2026
Over $24.7 Million in MAGA Billionaire Cash Doled Out to Republican State Legislative Candidates, GOP Campaign Committees in Wisconsin
MADISON, Wis. - Newly filed campaign finance reports reveal that three MAGA billionaires have now spent more than $24.7 million in their efforts to buy a Republican state legislature in Wisconsin.
According to state campaign finance reports, between January 2025 and September 2026Illinois billionaires Dick and Elizabeth Uihlein and Wisconsin's richest person Diane Hendricks have doled out a combined total of $24,753,500 to the Republican Assembly Campaign Committee (RACC) and the Committee to Elect a Republican Senate (CERS). Then, using a loophole in the law created by the Republican controlled state legislature, the campaign committees are able to make unlimited transfers of campaign cash to Republican candidates and spend unlimited amounts on their behalf.
Hendricks and the Uihleins also made direct contributions to several of the candidates. The amount of MAGA billionaire cash flowing into GOP state legislative campaigns this cycle means only a small fraction of what certain Republicans have raised actually comes from the Wisconsinites they are running to represent.
"The state legislature should be a reflection of the people it represents," A Better Wisconsin Together said in a statement. "So when an elected official or someone seeking public office is getting sometimes less than even 1% of their campaign cash from the actual people they're supposed to represent, it certainly raises questions about who they're really looking out for."
Direct contributions, transfers from RACC and CERS, and RACC and CERS unlimited "in-kind" spending of billionaire cash on individual Republican state legislative candidates between January 2025 and September 2026 totals:
* $1,469,540.40 to Jim Croft, candidate in the 21st Senate District;
* $1,302,055.29 to Rep. Shannon Zimmerman in the 30th Assembly District;
* $791,322.46 to Michele Magadance Skinner, candidate in the 31st Senate District;
* $684,509.08 to Rep. Ben Franklin, in the 88th Assembly District;
* $665,201.55 to Rep. Pat Snyder in the 85th Assembly District;
* $645,094.56 to David Daniels, candidate in the 53rd Assembly District;
* $613,928.25 to Bobby Lindsey, candidate in the 89th Assembly District;
* $505,385.34 to Rep. Todd Novak in the 51st State Assembly District;
* $386,361.96 to Rep. Clint Moses in the 92nd Assembly District;
* $342,225.02 to Sen. Howard Marklein in the 17th Senate District;
* $274,583.29 to Dylan Pfaffenbach, candidate in the 21st Assembly District;
* $199,025.81 to Mike Roberts, candidate in the 5th Senate District
* $134,989.83 to Keith Purnell, candidate in the 94th Assembly District;
* $155,415.80 to Rep. Bob Donovan, in the 61st Assembly District;
MAGA state legislators and candidates have become so reliant on the checkbooks of the three billionaires and the special interests that they are raising shockingly small amounts of donations from individual Wisconsinites who aren't billionaires, or bundled conduit contributions, or affiliated with special interests PACs. The most recent campaign finance reports show that between July and September:
* Jim Croft, candidate in 21st state Senate District, raised only 0.8% of his total contributions from individuals;
* Rep. Shannon Zimmerman in the 30th Assembly District raised only 1.8% of his total contributions from individuals;
* Michele Magadance Skinner, candidate in the 31st Senate District raised only 2.7% of her total contributions from individuals;
* David Daniels, candidate in the 53rd Assembly District raised only 1% of his total contributions from individuals;
* Rep. Todd Novak, in the 51st Assembly District raised only 2.8% of his total contributions from individuals;
* Rep. Clint Moses, in the 92nd Assembly District raised only 7.8% of his total contributions from individuals;
* Sen. Howard Marklein, in the 17th Senate District raised only 20.2% of his total contributions from individuals;
* Mike Roberts, candidate in the 5th Senate District raised only 6.8% of his total contributions from individuals;
* Keith Purnell, candidate in the 94th Assembly District raised only 9.4% of his total contributions from individuals;
* Rep. Bob Donovan in the 61st Assembly District raised only 8.7% of his total contributions from individuals;
* Rep. Pat Snyder in the 85th Assembly District raised only 0.95% of his total contributions from individuals;
* Rep. Ben Franklin in the 88th Assembly District raised only 0.3% of his total contributions from individuals;
* Dylan Pfaffenbach, candidate in the 21st Assembly District raised only 0.7% of his contributions from individuals;
* Bobby Lindsey, candidate in the 89th Assembly District raised only 0.9% of his contributions from individuals.
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A Better Wisconsin Together is a state-based research and communications hub for progressives and is an affiliate of ProgressNow.
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Original text here: https://abetterwisconsin.org/over-24-7-million-in-maga-billionaire-cash-doled-out-to-republican-state-legislative-candidates-gop-campaign-committees-in-wisconsin/
[Category: Economics]
