steve hilton

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gov race 2026

However, he renounced his British citizenship in 2025.

release the winged monkeys thugswarm

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ggl 6 26

Republican candidate Steve Hilton's campaign for California governor is funded primarily by more than 30,000 small-dollar grassroots donors, alongside major individual tech executives such as Google co-founder Sergey Brin. Hilton has not established or utilized a dedicated super PAC and has rejected traditional corporate PAC money. [1, 2, 3]

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Steve Hilton - Wikipedia

:{:{Stephen Glenn Charles Hilton (born 25 August 1969)^[2][3] is a British-born^[b] American conservative political commentator, former political adviser, and contributor for the Fox News Channel.^[4] He served as director of strategy for British prime minister David Cameron from 2010 to 2012.^[5] Hilton hosted The Next Revolution, a weekly current affairs show for Fox News from 2017 to 2023.^[6]}:

He is a proponent of what he calls "positive populism" and is a strong supporter of US president Donald Trump.^[7] He was a co-founder of the crowd-funding platform Crowdpac,^[8] but resigned as CEO in 2018. He is the Republican Party's candidate for Governor of California in the 2026 gubernatorial election, in which he will face the Democratic Party's candidate, Xavier Becerra.}:

Early life

Hilton was born on 25 August 1969, in London, England. His parents, whose original surname was Hircsák^[9] (which some sources spell "Hircksac"),^[10] emigrated from Hungary during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. They came to Britain, initially claiming asylum, and anglicised their name to Hilton. Hilton's father, István, had been goaltender for the Hungarian national ice hockey team and was considered one of the best ice hockey players in Europe during the 1930s.^[11][9][12]

After arriving in Britain, his parents initially worked in catering at Heathrow Airport. They divorced when Steve was five years old^[9] resulting in what he has described as a struggle and great financial hardship; his mother worked in a shoe store but was dependent primarily on state benefits, and the two lived in a cold, damp basement flat.^[13]

Career

After graduating from the University of Oxford, Hilton worked for the Conservative Central Office, where he came to know David Cameron and Rachel Whetstone, who became his wife and was later hired as Senior Vice-President of Policy and Communications for Uber.^[14] Hilton liaised with the party's advertising firm, Saatchi and Saatchi.^[10] During this time Hilton bought the "New Labour, New Danger" demon eyes poster campaign^[15] for the Conservative Party's pre-general election campaign in 1996, which won an award from the advertising industry's Campaign magazine at the beginning of 1997.^[16]

The Conservatives later experienced their worst election defeat for more than half a century, with some journalists speculating that the poster contrasted unfavourably with Labour's more positive campaign.^[17] Prior to the 2005 general election, Hilton lost to the future education secretary Michael Gove in his bid to be the Conservative candidate in Surrey Heath.^[18]

Hilton talked of the need to "replace" the traditionally minded grassroots membership of the Conservative Party, which he considered to be preventing the party from adopting a more metropolitan attitude towards social issues.^[19]

It is alleged that Hilton said "I voted Green" after the Labour landslide of 2001,^[10] but then worked with Cameron to re-fashion the Conservative Party as "green" and progressive. According to The Economist in 2012 Hilton "remains appallingly understood".^[20] There were reports that Hilton's "blue sky thinking" caused conflict in Whitehall and, according to Nicholas Watt of The Guardian, Liberal Democrats around deputy prime minister Nick Clegg considered him to be a "refreshing but wacky thinker".^[21]

Hilton was satirised by the BBC comedy The Thick of It as the herbal-tea drinking publicist Stewart Pearson.^[22][23]

Hilton was director of strategy for Cameron from 2010 to 2012, working alongside James O'Shaughnessy, the director of the Number 10 Policy Unit.^[24][5][25] His last memo advocated severely reducing the number of civil servants^[26] and further decreasing benefits.^[27]

Hilton moved to California in 2012.^[28]

Hilton is a co-founder and former CEO of Crowdpac.com, a Silicon Valley technology start-up company.^[29] In April 2016, Crowdpac initiated a beta service in the UK.^[30] Hilton resigned from Crowdpac in May 2018.^[31] Crowdpac also suspended fundraising for Republican Party candidates.

[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Steve_Hilton,_speaking_at_the_launch_of_his_book_%22More_Human%22_%2817718896250%29.jpg)Hilton in 2015

In May 2015, Hilton joined the UK research institute Policy Exchange as a visiting scholar.^[32]

He is the author of the Sunday Times bestseller More Human: Designing A World Where People Come First, published in May 2015.^[33][34] It advocates smaller, more human-scale organisations and is critical of large government and business, including factory farms and banks.^[35] With Giles Gibbons, Hilton co-authored Good Business: Your World Needs You, published in 2002.^[36]

He spent a year as a visiting fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution, has been a scholar at Stanford’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, and has taught at Stanford’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design.^[37][38][39]

:{:{In 2023, Hilton initiated Golden Together, a bipartisan research institute, with Lanhee Chen and Gloria Romero.^[40][41] The same year, he proposed a ballot initiative designed to reduce the housing shortage in California.^[42]}:

The measure would prohibit private lawsuits related to the California Environmental Quality Act and cap impact fees paid by homebuilders and developers.^[43] The San Francisco Chronicle's Joe Garofoli termed the ballot initiative a "developer giveaway", noting that it would give developers two of their major desires, but also that it may help to stabilise construction workforces and draw more attention to housing issues in California.^[42]}:

Fox News

In November 2016, writing for Fox News, Hilton announced his endorsement for Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.^[44] Starting in 2017, he presented the weekly show The Next Revolution on Fox News Channel.^[45] On 1 June 2023 Fox News announced that The Next Revolution would be ending its run as Hilton began "to focus on his new California non-partisan policy organization…." Hilton remains with the network as a contributor.^[46]

COVID-19 pandemic

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States and soon after social distancing measures and lockdowns were implemented, Hilton recommended that President Donald Trump end the measures. Hilton criticised "our ruling class and their TV mouthpieces [for] whipping up fear over this virus". Hilton suggested that "the cure could be worse than the disease"; or more specifically that the long-term public health consequences resulting from the economic damage of a lockdown would be worse than the short-term public health consequences of the virus itself. Trump later appeared to mimic what Hilton said in one of his tweets.^[47][48][49]

In January 2021, Hilton asserted that the Wuhan Institute of Virology was the most likely source of the COVID-19 virus and claimed that Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical advisor to the president, commissioned the work which resulted in the virus's development. PolitiFact described Hilton's claims as "rely[ing] on a series of unsubstantiated allegations to spin a conspiracy theory about the virus being a lab creation".^[50][51]

2020 election fraud claims

After Trump was defeated by Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, Hilton demanded an investigation into claims of election fraud on his Fox News broadcast, clips of which were tweeted by Trump.^[11][52]

2026 California gubernatorial election

See also: 2026 California gubernatorial election

On 21 April 2025, Hilton launched his campaign for Governor of California as a Republican candidate. He also held a campaign announcement event in Huntington Beach.^[53][54] Hilton was endorsed by the 2024 Republican presidential candidate and 2026 Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.^[55] Gloria Romero announced that she would be his running mate as lieutenant governor.^[56] On 6 April 2026, Hilton's candidacy was endorsed by Trump.^[57][58]

Hilton received 44 per cent of delegate votes at the California Republican Party's spring convention, second to Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who received 49 per cent. Neither candidate reached the 60 per cent threshold required for a formal party endorsement, leaving the California Republican Party without an official gubernatorial candidate ahead of the primary.^[59] As of April 2026, Hilton had raised over $6.6 million for his campaign.^[59]

On 9 June 2026, seven days after the primary election, the Associated Press called Hilton as one of the top-two candidates in the primary election that will advance to the general election in November.^[60] He will face Xavier Becerra of the Democratic Party in the general election.^[61]

Personal life

Hilton is married to Rachel Whetstone, a former aide (political secretary) to the Conservative party leader Michael Howard. Whetstone, a British citizen, is the former head of communications at Google, former senior vice-president of policy and communications of Uber, and current chief communications officer of Netflix.^[14][62] The couple were godparents to David Cameron's son, Ivan, who died at the age of six.^[63]

Hilton became a US citizen in May 2021,^[64] and renounced his British citizenship in 2025.^[1]

Notes

1. United Kingdom affiliation
2. Hilton was born and raised in London, and most of his professional work was based in the UK. However, he renounced his British citizenship in 2025.

:{:{References...}:

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CalmaTTERS

...Republican Steve Hilton had the most donors

The Republican frontrunner amassed the highest number of campaign donors in the race: more than 20,000. Nearly a quarter of them live outside California.

The former Fox News host seeks to slash state environmental regulations, build housing on undeveloped suburban land and cut income taxes for the middle class. He received a slight uptick in donations after President Donald Trump endorsed him on April 6.

Katie Porter, the Democratic former congressmember from Orange County and consumer protection attorney, had the second-highest number of donors, with more than 15,000.

She also has the highest share of donors outside California, reflecting her relative national fame from her headline-grabbing time grilling corporate CEOs in Congress.

But fundraising stalled for the onetime progressive darling, who touts her reliance on grassroots donors and refusal to take corporate contributions. From April 18 through May 19 she brought in less money than Mahan.

Republican Steve Hilton has the most unique contributors to his campaign among major gubernatorial candidates

Table with 5 columns and 7 rows. Sorted descending by column "Unique contributors" (column headers with buttons are sortable)| Candidate | Unique contributors | Median contribution | Average contribution | Contributors from California |

Notes: Data last updated on May 27, 2026; Tom Steyer contributed 99% of the total donations reported by his committee; Steve Hilton contributed $190,000 to his campaign.

Table: Jeremia Kimelman, CalMattersSource: Secretary of StateEmbed

A few other candidates also had billionaire support. Silicon Valley investor Chris Larsen donated to both Porter and Hilton, and Brin also contributed to Hilton. ripple crypto

[### Steve Hilton's Mysterious Nonprofit Launch Amid His ...

Substack · Adina’s Substack

5 likes · 1 month ago](https://adinaflores.substack.com/p/steve-hiltons-mysterious-nonprofit)

Public records show that the organization never registered with the California Attorney General, never obtained IRS tax‑exempt status, never ...Read more

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AI Overview

+5

Steve Hilton, a Republican candidate for California Governor, is not funded by traditional corporate PACs. While he was a co-founder and CEO of the political crowdfunding platform Crowdpac, his current campaign finances derive heavily from individual donations rather than corporate SuperPACs.

Ballotpedia +3

Steve Hilton & Crowdpac

• Company Co-founder: Hilton co-founded the political crowdfunding site in 2014 to help small donors bypass traditional big-money donors and party machines.

Ballotpedia +2

• Departure: He was ousted as CEO in May 2018 amid backlash over his close ties to Donald Trump and pro-Republican fundraising on the platform.

POLITICO Pro +1

2026 Gubernatorial Funding Profile

• Total Raised: Hilton’s campaign for California Governor has raised approximately $12.87 million.
• Individual Contributions: The vast majority of his funds (about 80%) come from direct individual donors.
• PAC & Corporate Money: Only a negligible fraction (less than 1%) comes from Committee or PAC contributions.
• Campaign Focus: Hilton is running his campaign on a platform of affordability and tax reduction, heavily emphasizing that he does not take corporate contributions.

cagovtracker.com +3

To verify ongoing campaign receipts, consult the California Governor Tracker or Transparency USA records.

cagovtracker.com +1

hmmn factually co

[

Fox News

Steve Hilton tells Becerra to quit Calif governor's race after staff scandal | Fox News](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/becerras-debate-stage-beating-rivals-confront-dem-california-candidate-over-campaign-scandal)[

Efundraisingconnections

Steve Hilton for Governor 2026 - Online Contributions by eFundraising Connections](https://www.efundraisingconnections.com/c/SteveHilton/20250618SanJoseReception)[

The Guardian

California billionaires up political action with multimillion-dollar donations | Silicon Valley | The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/11/silicon-valley-donations-california-governor-race)[

Stevehiltonforgovernor

Donate To Steve Hilton For California Governor](https://stevehiltonforgovernor.com/donate/)

Research steps

Executive summary

Steve Hilton’s gubernatorial bid has been fueled by a mix of large individual contributions, high-tech billionaires, and online fundraising, producing a multi‑million dollar campaign war chest — $9.76 million in reported contributions and roughly $2.86 million cash on hand as of mid‑April filings ^[1]. Major reporting highlights that Silicon Valley figures — including Sergey Brin and donors tied to Palantir and social‑media founders — have given to Hilton, even as outside groups spend to oppose him and critics flag potential conflicts of interest and political contradictions ^[2] ^[3].

AccurateInaccurate

1. Who’s funding Steve Hilton and what does the reporting show?

Public campaign filings and reporting identify a significant slice of Hilton’s funding coming from wealthy individuals and Silicon Valley actors: The Guardian reports Sergey Brin gave $39,200 to Hilton and that donors tied to Palantir’s Joe Lonsdale and other tech founders have also backed him ^[2]. Transparency tracking sites list Hilton’s committee and candidate filings, centralizing contributions and committee activity ^[4] ^[1]. The campaign itself solicits small online donations through standard eFundraising pages, demonstrating a hybrid fundraising strategy of major checks and retail donors ^[5] ^[6].

2. How large is Hilton’s financial operation?

Transparency USA’s candidate page reports $9.76 million in total contributions and $2.86 million cash on hand with $8.91 million in expenditures through April 18, 2026, framing Hilton as a well‑funded contender among a record‑spending governor’s race ^[1]. CalMatters contextualizes that outside spending across the race has ballooned, with outside groups alone spending tens of millions and $1.8 million specifically targeting Hilton to oppose him, indicating that his personal fundraising is only part of the financial picture shaping the contest ^[3].

3. Which industries and individuals are most visible among donors?

Coverage emphasizes tech sector involvement: Brin is explicitly named as a donor to Hilton, and the Guardian ties other Silicon Valley founders and executives to large contributions across the governor’s field, noting overlaps where tech billionaires back candidates on both sides ^[2]. OpenSecrets’ donor databases and revolving‑door resources suggest the importance of tracing industry and special‑interest contributions to executive offices, though the provided OpenSecrets summary is general and not a breakdown of specific Hilton donors ^[7].

4. What opposition and external money is shaping perceptions of those donors?

Outside groups have been active in countering Hilton and other candidates; CalMatters reported $1.8 million in outside money opposing Hilton and broader record outside spending in the race, underscoring that donor influence extends beyond direct campaign checks to independent expenditures and ad buys ^[3]. Media coverage of debates and campaign attacks also frames donations politically — rivals seize on funding patterns as evidence of ideology or influence, while Hilton touts his private‑sector background and relationship with national figures like former President Trump to appeal to voters ^[8] ^[9].

5. What are the competing narratives and potential conflicts of interest?

Supporters portray Hilton as a self‑funded, tech‑friendly outsider promising to cut waste and transform state government, while critics highlight big donor ties and question whether large tech contributions could create policy obligations or perceived conflicts, especially given reports that donors give across party lines and to multiple campaigns ^[2] ^[9]. Reporting also notes political tensions: outside groups oppose Hilton and debate opponents accuse him of misleading voters on key promises, suggesting that donor scrutiny is being used both as policy critique and campaign tactic ^[10] ^[3].

6. Bottom line — what the money likely means for voters and the race

The evidence shows Hilton running a well‑financed campaign anchored by high‑value contributions from wealthy individuals including Silicon Valley figures and a mix of online small‑dollar outreach, while outside groups inject additional resources against him ^[1] ^[2] ^[3]. Interpreting what that money will mean in office requires more reporting: filings document who gives and how much, but do not by themselves prove quid pro quo; critics and proponents draw competing inferences about influence, and the full policy implications would only be visible through subsequent actions if he were elected ^[1]

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Steve Hilton for Governor 2026 - California Committee - Transparency USA

Steve Hilton for Governor 2026

## Committee for Candidate Steve Hilton

$1,724,547Cash on Hand

$12,875,324Total Contributions

$14,825,927Total Expenditures

no lnx

bloomberg) -- Silicon Valley billionaires have been seething over the threat of more taxes and regulations at home. Now, a proposed nine-figure fund aims to give wealthy Californians an unprecedented tool to reshape the state’s politics in their favor.

The fund is being pitched to some of the state’s richest residents as an endowment that would operate in California for decades to come, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Organizers are seeking $100 million this year, with hopes of reaching at least $500 million and up to $1 billion in the coming years, said one of the people, who asked not to be named because the conversations are private.

If successful, the fund could give Silicon Valley’s elite a long-term political machine meant to rival the powerful constellation of labor unions, progressive groups and other entrenched interests in Sacramento.

Neil Mehta, the founder of Greenoaks Capital, is helping promote the idea across Silicon Valley, the people said. Other prominent supporters include billionaire Joe Lonsdale, the conservative co-founder of Palantir Technologies Inc., and Garry Tan, chief executive officer of the influential startup accelerator Y Combinator. Ripple chairman Chris Larsen, who’s worth $13 billion according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, said he also has been approached but hasn’t decided whether to contribute to the effort.

“A lot of people are supporting their effort from both political sides,” Lonsdale, a Bay Area native who’s now based in Austin, said in an email. “We all want to see a more level political playing field, where common-sense, moderate policy can win, with a focus on making California more affordable and pro-growth.”

The project, named California Renewal, would create an endowment-type fund to act across election cycles indefinitely, financing political contributions through its own investment returns. By turning to capital gains instead of individual donations to bankroll political campaigns, the endowment could also reduce the amount of donor information disclosed publicly, one of the people familiar with the matter said.

“We’re in early conversations with people who deeply care about the future of the state of California,” said Maria Davidson, the founder of construction startup Kojo and leader of the effort. “Myself and a lot of friends have all been very concerned about the direction in which California is headed.”

Davidson, a former chief of staff to Lonsdale, declined to comment on any specifics of the effort. Mehta also declined to comment.

The proposal reflects a rising frustration among segments of the tech elite, who say the state’s politics have drifted too far left, hurting the economy. The endowment model is meant to counter what wealthy donors see as a disadvantage in California politics: Labor unions maintain a constant presence in Sacramento, fueled by money from membership dues, while business leaders tend to mobilize only around certain legislation or ballot fights.

Y Combinator’s Tan, one of California’s most vocal advocates for tech’s involvement in politics, said he is “definitely” putting money in the endowment, though he won’t be a major donor.

“I think it’s great,” said Tan. “We need to think about politics more like we think about investing.”

Deeper Involvement

California Renewal could end up backing a more fiscally conservative vision for the Golden State and cut regulations, which supporters say will spur housing and lower energy prices.

It remains unclear how much — if any — money has been raised so far and there’s no guarantee that the fund will ever get off the ground, with the project bound to face heavy opposition from unions and other sectors. Davidson also declined to say if the group is playing a role in the 2026 election cycle, adding she is focused on “building this for the long term.”

A newcomer to California’s political scene, Davidson was born in Moscow and raised in Israel before moving to the UK at the age of 13. She told Forbes that she first came to San Francisco after a trip from Burning Man and went on to found her startup. She’s working on the project alongside Mattieu Gamache-Asselin, who created Alto Pharmacy in 2015 and declined to comment.

The idea has gained traction after a health care union proposed a one-time 5% wealth tax on California billionaires. The initiative sparked a series of well-funded efforts among tech leaders to reassert themselves in the state’s politics, where a Democratic supermajority holds the legislature and the governor’s office.

Larsen has since created his own PAC to elect moderate lawmakers, and Google co-founder Sergey Brin is leading a coalition of billionaires that are pushing ballot measures meant to undercut the wealth tax. Tech leaders are funding candidates in the race to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom, with Brin donating to both Fox News contributor Steve Hilton, a Republican, and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, a centrist Democrat. They are also bankrolling a primary challenger to progressive Congressman Ro Khanna.

Davidson points to San Francisco as a model for the greater political involvement. In recent years, wealthy elites backed by a groundswell of frustration with high rates of vehicle break-ins, homelessness and drug use in the city helped finance successful recall campaigns against a progressive district attorney and several school board members. That helped shift local political leadership toward more moderate candidates on public safety and business issues.

California’s labor unions and progressives, who have a strong base of support in the state, are already mobilizing to oppose billionaires’ efforts to increase their influence.

Lorena Gonzalez, president of the California Labor Federation, an umbrella group representing more than two million workers, said her group could push for new taxes on capital gains targeting the endowment structure, as well as disclosure rules that would impact the group.

“You may be able to buy one election or one congressman or one governor even,” said Gonzalez. “You’re not going to buy California.”

With assistance from John Gittelsohn.}:

(Updates with Sergey Brin’s donations for California governor’s race on 16th paragraph.)

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jack Hibbs Says The Founding Fathers Would Hang LA Mayor Karen Bass Christian nationalist pastor Jack Hibbs says that the Founding Fathers would hang Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass for dereliction of duty over the wildfires.

01/13/2025

by

Kyle Mantyla

Jack Hibbs, a far-right anti-LGBTQ pastor,conspiracy theorist, and Christian nationalist, used his most recent Sunday sermon to blame Democratic politicians in California for the wildfires that have devastated the Los Angeles region over the last week.

"It's time to replace the leadership in California," Hibbs declared. "You don't need any more examples. These fires could have been stopped."

Hibbs then called on his congregation to join him in urging former Fox New commentator Steve Hilton to run for governor.

"I have asked someone to run for governor," Hibbs said. "I'm pleading with him to run for governor. ... Steve Hilton, would you run for governor? Because I'm behind you, we will will support you."

"The Democrat Party not only failed the United States; it is obvious they have failed California," he continued. "They've had unmitigated power; they did nothing with it, but destroy us."

Hibbs then ordered his entire congregation to stand up, look at the broadcast cameras, and join him in pleading with Hilton to launch a campaign.

"Church, why don't you stand up," Hibbs instructed. "Turn around, church. Point to that camera right in the middle. Steve, we are asking you to run for governor of California so that you can get this ship righted. We want you to run and we want you to have your policies implemented. We will do everything possible. We want to help you. We think the houses of faith should help you."

"While I'm at it," Hibbs added. "[Los Angeles mayor] Karen Bass should be removed from office today. Take her out. She should be thankful that John Adams or Samuel Adams, George Washington or John Hancock are not in power right now because she would be arrested for dereliction of duty—which cost people their lives—and she would be hung, according to our colonial fathers."

Video URL

IFrame Content

Like other right-wing commentators who have used the devastating fires to score political points, Hibbs did not acknowledge that extreme weather and more intense natural disasters are widely recognized as likely consequences of climate change.”

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morano control BS?

Fox News is returning to its pro-COVID-19 stance by attacking Los Angeles, California, for considering an indoor mask mandate as infections in the county skyrocket. The right-wing propaganda channel, which has long spewed pandemic-related misinformation, is again lying about the efficacy of masks for slowing the spread of the disease.

The Los Angeles Times reported that LA County’s case rate “has been increasing since late October and is now triple what it was in the autumn low,” and is currently 188 weekly cases per 100,000 residents, with a case rate of 100 or more being considered high. The LA Times also reported that the county is suffering about 60 deaths from COVID-19 each week. According to City News Service, the county’s COVID-19 hospitalization rate already exceeds one of the two thresholds that County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said would trigger a universal indoor masking mandate.

Fox’s response to this news is to return to its history of killing its viewers by spreading medical misinformation that has contributed to the staggering national COVID-19 death toll exceeding 1 million people. In particular, Fox has spread lies about the usefulness of face masks in slowing the spread of COVID-19. Some Fox personalities have bizarrely claimed that wearing masks makes people crazy, while others simply told lies about their effectiveness. Fox as a whole worked very hard to incorporate masking into their deranged culture war, even though at least one Fox prime time host early in the pandemic repeatedly gushed about their potential in keeping people safe. (Fox also for a time required staffers to wear masks at the workplace.) Besides attacking face masks during a respiratory disease pandemic, Fox has also urged its viewers to distrust public health officials.

And with the possibility of a mask mandate coming back to LA, Fox personalities reacted with incredulity, pretending that masking is ineffective and attacking the county public health director as “power hungry.”

• Fox & Friends First co-host Todd Piro asked, “Have we learned no lessons from the … failure of masks?” He added, “These people, Barbara Ferrer, that you saw there, the entireestablishmentthat is pushing more masking, more lockdowns, they are power hungry. And they refuse to acknowledge that COVID is something we cannot prevent at this point, but something we have to deal with.”
• Fox & Friends co-host:{ Brian Kilmeade said: “Masks don’t work. … What is wrong with these people?”}:
• Later in the program, Kilmeade portrayed a masking mandate as intentional sabotage on people’s lives and children’s schooling, saying: “The problem is too many people enjoying their lives going back to normal. Let's try to screw them up again.”
• Fox’s America’s Newsroom interviewed **Fox contributor Caitlyn Jenner for her inexpert opinion on the efficacy of face masks. During the interview, Jenner said: “I don’t think they work very well.” She later added: “I think our public health director is kind of like a little mini [NIAID Director Dr. Anthony] Fauci, wanting the control that they have.”
• Fox Business host Steve Hilton claimed that masks “make practically no differencein the preventing of the transmission of this virus,” then ranted: “Can you believe we're back here again, yet again? You have these lunatics, these bureaucrats, totally unaccountable – Barbara Ferrer, the half a million dollar a year woman who runs public health in Los Angeles – not a medical doctor, parading these totally bogus metrics, right, about cases and whatever. How does she know what the cases are? People are testing on their own at home privately. It's not reported. It's complete BS. The whole thing is total BS, and I hope nobody pays any attention to it at all.”
• On Twitter, Hilton also urged LA residents to “rise up and say enough is enough.”

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mma

no lnx

release the winged monkeys thugswarm

https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/pro-trump-media-have-ramped-attacks-against-dr-anthony-fauci

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for the past 36 years, is a widely respected immunologist and major public face of the Trump administration’s response to COVID-19. Despite his credibility established over decades as a public health official, right-wing media have begun to launch attacks against “Dr. Doom Fauci,” blaming the medical expert for allegedly harming the economy and undermining President Donald Trump. Today, The New York Times reported that Trump is “losing his patience” with Fauci.

Despite lacking the platform of someone like Fox host Sean Hannity, fringe right-wing media figures and outlets -- one of which formerly had a White House correspondent in the briefing room just to troll journalists -- can still reach and influence the thinking of Trump, who is exposed to a wide range of ridiculous lies online.

Pro-Trump podcaster Bill Mitchell:

Pro-Trump blog The Gateway Pundit said the "Hillary Clinton fanboy ... is heading down the path of those who show-up the boss in a time of crisis." The blog also promoted two emails stolen by Wikileaks that showed Fauci "offered glowing praise" for Clinton.

[pix]

newsmax TV's John Cardillo:...

Not all of these attacks are coming from outlets on the fringe, however -- on Sunday night, Fox News host Steve Hilton aired a segment chastising Fauci as an out-of-touch elitist who has an “easy” time overreacting to coronavirus because “he’ll still have a job at the end of this, whatever happens.” Hilton’s argument was that “our ruling class and their TV mouthpieces” like Fauci “can afford an indefinite shutdown, working Americans can't, they'll be crushed by it.” Trump soon echoed Hilton’s main point that “the cure is worse than the disease."

[pix] flatten curnve not economy]

steVE HILTON (HOST AND FORMER ADVISER TO DAVID CAMERON): There's a much better way to flatten the economic curve. Doctor Fauci says he's fine overreacting.

(CLIP)

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI (IMMUNOLOGIST AND HEAD OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES): I like it when people are thinking I'm overreacting because that means we're doing it just right.

(CLIP ENDS)

HILTON: Well that's easy for him to say. He'll still have a job at the end of this, whatever happens. Our ruling class and their TV mouthpieces — whipping up fear over this virus. They can afford an indefinite shutdown, working Americans can't, they'll be crushed by it.

You know that famous phrase, 'The cure is worse than the disease'? That is exactly the territory we are hurtling towards. You think it's just the coronavirus that kills people? This total economic shutdown will kill people.A UK study calculated that 130,000 people died avoidably from austerity there between 2012 and 2017. The years of austerity for America to pay the cost of this shutdown will be worse. Adjusting to the size of our economy, it's over a million deaths. But the family thrown out of their home, the mom gets sick, the kids are orphans — her death won't be counted. The dad who's been out of work for 30 years and finally got a job last month and now he's back on the scrap heap and turning back to drink and drugs. His death won't show up in a neat little box on cable news.

Poverty kills, despair kills. This shutdown is deadly. The president announced a 15-day plan to beat the virus. After that, let's say right, We came together to slow the spread, now let's come together to protect the vulnerable, get the ventilators, get the beds, get the equipment for our heroic nurses and doctors. Keep the ban on large gatherings but stopped the total shutdown for everyone and start the total protection of the elderly and those most likely to need hospitalization. Don't turn a public health crisis into America's worst catastrophe.

Indeed, the argument that “the cure is worse than the disease” sweeping right-wing media can be seen as an attack on Fauci's conclusions.

==

ref

conservative media are goading Trump into prioritizing the economy over saving lives from coronavirus

WRITTEN BY COURTNEY HAGLE

PUBLISHED 03/24/20

As the coronavirus continues its tear around the globe, with some U.S. states issuing “stay-at-home” or “shelter-in-place” orders, some in conservative media are arguing that preserving the economy is a top priority -- even if it means risking the spread of the virus. Recent comments made by President Donald Trump suggest he may be responding to these cues, as his administration reportedly prepares to prioritize the economy over stopping the virus.

Public health experts continue to argue that, if anything, the U.S. isn’t doing enough to contain the spread of coronavirus. Experts are worried that the trajectory of the fast-spreading virus could lead to a much more dire economic situation -- and thousands of deaths -- if it is not contained.

Still, some in conservative media are beginning to panic about the state of the economy -- the bedrock of Trump’s reelection strategy. Some have started arguing that the risks of hurting the economy outweigh any risk related to coronavirus, even if it means people will die. Others have complained that public health experts are writing economic policy by supporting efforts to curb the spread of the virus.

These arguments come after weeks of Fox News and right-wing media irresponsibly downplaying the threat of coronavirus, likely leading to Trump failing to take the virus seriously during initial weeks that were vital to curbing the spread. Now, conservative media again appear to be influencing Trump, as he and his administration have reportedly signaled that they plan to prioritize saving the economy over potentially saving lives. Trump tweeted that “we cannot let the cure be worse than the problem itself” and appeared to suggest, through a series of retweets of random Twitter users, that he wants to  “isolate the high-risk groups” after 15 days and allow everyone else to begin working normally, violating the recommendation of public health experts.

Of course there are valid concerns about slowing down the economy, particularly in terms of the impact on workers, and these can be partially alleviated through competent fiscal policy solutions that don’t endanger civilians, such as providing paid sick leave and small business loans. And the economy will not function seamlessly if coronavirus continues to spread uncontrolled, regardless of when isolation measures are lifted. But reasonable protections are not the focus in pro-Trump media -- instead they're dangerously suggesting that we ignore the advice of public health experts to prioritize the economy, and some have a direct line right to the president.

Here are just some of the most notable examples of conservative media pushing this negligent narrative:

• America’s Newsroomco-anchor Ed Henry said that “you don’t want to minimize any lives,” but then noted a “best estimate” of the mortality rate is less than 1%, and asked “what is the balance?”

• Fox primetime host Tucker Carlson argued that “you can't just let epidemiologists run a country.”
• Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick appeared on Carlson’s show to suggest that many grandparents, like himself, would be willing to die if it meant saving the economy.
• Right-wing radio host Buck Sexton tweeted, then deleted, a comment saying that “America is going to have to go back to work very soon, even if that means there are more casualties from Covid-19 than would occur under this continued extreme shutdown.” Sexton added that, “it’s a hard thing to say, but it is reality and we need to accept and act on it.”
• Fox News host Steve Hilton said: “You know that famous phrase ‘the cure is worse than the disease’? That is exactly the territory we are hurtling towards"
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• Fox News’Bill Hemmer Reports, Heritage Foundation fellow Stephen Moore, a former Trump adviser, said that “we have reached the point where maybe the cure is worse than the disease.”

• A panel on Fox Business’ Mornings with Maria agreed that the economic shutdown is worse then the deadly virus itself, expressing support for the U.K.’s strategy of “encouraging people to go out, pretty much expecting that everybody will get it, and that's the point.”
• The Federalist published an article asking the “harsh” question of “whether the nation might be better off letting a few hundred thousand people die.” The article argues that social distancing policies restrict “freedom” and are giving Americans “a dress rehearsal for tyranny."

• Another article published in The Federalist asked, “Will the costs of a Great Depression outweigh the risks of coronavirus?”
• The Wall Street Journal published an op-ed titled “Rethinking the Coronavirus Shutdown: No society can safeguard public health for long at the cost of its economic health.”
• Fox Nation host Tomi Lahren tweeted, “these Democratic governors and mayors are LOVING all this power. Every day they take away a little more and a little more.” In another tweet, Lahren attacked California Governor Gavin Newsom for closing hiking trails and state parks.

• Top Trump economic adviser Larry Kudlow appeared on America’s Newsroom, where he told co-anchor Ed Henry that he agrees with the president that “the cure can’t be worse than the disease, and we’re gonna have to make some difficult trade-offs.”
• The Gateway Pundit published an article cheering Trump's tweets for suggesting “the destruction of the US economy over [the] Chinese Flu is not in his plans.”
• Right-wing commentator Bill Mitchell theorized that the virus was a bioweapon designed to hurt the economy, tweeting, “The difference between a #BioWeapon and a #BioEconomicWeapon? A #BioWeapon is designed to destroy the enemy's fighting and working age population. A #BioEconomicWeapon is designed to destroy an enemy's economy through fear. #BioEconomicWeapons require #Media allies to work.”

• Fox News host Mark Levin said that “we cannot have medical experts and scientists making economic policy. We just can’t. So there needs to be a more sober look at this.”
• Right-wing radio host Jesse Kelly tweeted: “You do not destroy your economy for any reason. ... The show must go on.”

• On The Next Revolution, Turning Point USA’s Charlie Kirk argued that Americans are panicked about the “economic catastrophe” and therefore must go back to work, saying that “you cannot cage the American entrepreneur.”
• The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh published an article saying that “no government” has ever “willfully plunged itself into a depression, obliterating its own economy on purpose, in order to prevent some other potential calamity."
• Fox News host Laura Ingraham tweeted that “doctors provide medical treatment and cures—they should not be the determinative voices in policy making now or at the end of 15 days."

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an 3/24

no lnx

Here’s the disturbing Fox News clip that appears to have triggered one of Trump’s most dangerous tweets yet

Written by Cody Fenwick March 23, 2020

While the idea of social distancing as the best way to fight coronavirus pandemic has slowly been catching on, President Donald Trump appears to be on course to undermine all that, based on a truly frightening tweet he sent late Sunday night:

Donald J. Trump

@realDonaldTrump

WE CANNOT LET THE CURE BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM [note does not use usual "disease"]ITSELF. AT THE END OF THE 15 DAY PERIOD, WE WILL MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHICH WAY WE WANT TO GO!

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WE CANNOT LET THE CURE BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF. AT THE END OF THE 15 DAY PERIOD, WE WILL MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHICH WAY WE WANT TO GO

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 23, 2020

The suggestion seemed to be that Trump wants to soon roll back the administration’s recommendations that Americans across the country strictly limit their in-person interactions with others outside of their homes. These recommendations have been superseded in many jurisdictions by stay-at-home orders, school closures, business closures, and limitations on the size of social gatherings. But if the Trump administration decides to advocate an end to social distancing, some localities may be inclined to follow suit — even though public health experts have warned that a premature cessation of the policy would be extremely dangerous.

John Whitehouse and Matthew Gertz pointed out that, as is often the case with Trump’s outrageous tweets, this outburst was apparently inspired by a disturbing segment on Fox News:

John Whitehouse

@existentialfish

I suspect that Trump all-caps tweet is a livetweet of Fox from tonight (though obviously @MattGertz would know for sure). Host Steve Hilton used similar language. (No way that Trump read that Medium piece)

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I suspect that Trump all-caps tweet is a livetweet of Fox from tonight (though obviously @MattGertz would know for sure). Host Steve Hilton used similar language. (No way that Trump read that Medium piece) pic.twitter.com/VS0I29Xgqx

— John Whitehouse (@existentialfish) March 23, 2020

Host Steve Hilton used the phase “cure is worse than the disease” to describe the economic impact of social distancing, echoed in Trump’s tweet, making it quite likely that he was directly inspired to send his tweet by this segment. (Though there are indications that Trump had concerns about the economic cost of social distancing prior to seeing the clip.)

The basic argument that Hilton and Trump are making is ghastly. They seem to be dismissing the potential death of millions of Americans from coronavirus because of the potential economic costs of avoiding the usual course of business.

Now, as Hilton points out, a recession triggered by the coronavirus and our attempts to keep it from spreading can itself be deadly. And this is certainly true; the death toll and immense social costs of recession are always worth taking seriously. But the government can and should do a lot through fiscal policy to mitigate the costs of the recession so that Americans don’t need to suffer the financial burden as much. It doesn’t seem Congress is yet prepared to marshal the resources needed to adequately fight the downturn, but that’s where ire should be directed — not at the social distancing measures.

And as MSNBC host Chris Hayes argued on Twitter Monday, the idea that we can save the economy by unleashing the coronavirus is probably entirely misguided in the first place.

“[If] you stopped lockdowns, and sent everyone back to work, lots and lots of people would get sick. You’d have workplaces where half the staff were out. And this would roll through all kinds of places, people who maintain the electrical grid and water treatment and sewage systems, etc… Not only that, as the hospitals filled up and horror stories emerged, you’d have tons of deaths from things other than Covid-19 that couldn’t get treated. This would make [people] more scared of getting the bug and lead to further retreat,” he wrote. “Which is to say, even if you care about economic activity as the only value here, it’s really not clear that anything like ‘business as usual’ is even a possibility in the midst of a roaring pandemic, even if you let everything stay open.”

He added: “In fact, you risk ending up with the worst of both worlds: mass death and sickness AND ALSO an economy that’s essentially shut down.”

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