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In a federal budget measured in trillions of dollars, a spending initiative that consumed a “mere” $267 million isn’t likely to get much notice, but when those tax dollars were for empowering censorship, the consequences go way beyond the financial.
The$267millionisthetotalamountspentbyPresidentJoeBiden’sadministrationsincetakingofficeinJanuary2021onresearchgrantsinwhichthesolicitationincludedtheword“misinformation,”accordingtothelatestreportfromOpentheBooks(OTB).
Thesparkforthisfloodoffederaltaxdollarsgoingtoresearchersclaimingexpertiseinthesourcesofdisinformationandhowbesttocombatit—thatis,censorit—wastheCOVID-19pandemic.Butwhatwasbarelyaripplein2020underthen-PresidentDonaldTrumpbecameaseverestormunderBiden.
Federalspendingrecordsshowatleast$127milliontaxdollarsfundinganti-misinformationeffortsdirectlyrelatedtoCOVID-19foravarietyofactivities,fromon-the-groundadvocacyworkingtodispelvaccinemisinformation,toscientificstudiesonhowsupposedmisinformationisspreadonline. (emphasisint
