Examining A Questionable Big Pharma Influence in Connecticut Law and Politics

Exploring the individuals, and individual entities, that are really behind the actions taken by government, whether local, state, federal, or global, is a constant theme here at TheGoodmanChronicle.com, and one such organization that will continue to come up, when researching events taking place in Connecticut, as well as across the country, is the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF).

The RWJF is one of the largest private foundations in the country, with a stated goal to "improve the health and health care of all Americans."  Important to note, as we trace the RWJF's involvement in Connecticut legislative policy, is that the RWJF was established with a bequest of shares of Johnson & Johnson (J&J) from its late chief executive, Robert Wood Johnson.  Johnson & Johnson is one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies.  This connection is important because many legislative actions, and programs, supported, and funded, by the RWJF, would seemingly benefit the pharmaceutical industry.  Let us explore some of these programs, and legislation, supported by the RWJF, in the state of Connecticut.

In March 2014, I published an article titled Forced Mental Health Assessments Being Proposed For All Children In Connecticut, which discussed legislation that was being presented in the state legislature of Connecticut, which would have required "each pupil enrolled in public school at grades 6, 8, 10 and 12 and each home-schooled child at ages 12, 14 and 17 to have a confidential behavioral health assessment."  This legislation was lobbied for by the president of the board of directors for the CT Association of School
Based Health Centers, JoAnn Eaccarino.  The CT Association of School Based Health Centers receives funding and support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

There is also a program in operation in Connecticut, that has received millions of dollars from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, called "Child First", which is an "evidence-based model that uses home visits and a network of community services to prevent the devastating effects of early childhood adversity."  The founder of Child First, Darcy Lowell, regularly submits testimony to the state legislature, usually in favor of legislation that would use the state to increase the number of children being examined for "mental health".

In a presentation to the state Commission on Children, Lowell discussed the Child First program, where she listed situations that her organization deems "environmental risks" to children.  The list includes obvious risks to children, such as physical abuse, and lack of food, but it also includes questionable risks such as "single parenthood", and "unemployment".  The DCF, or Department of Children and Families, is listed as the leading agency of the Child First program.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation connection to these type of programs should be scrutinized.  It is important to understand how these home-visitation programs and behavioral mental health assessments can be used to increase the number of children on pharmaceutical drugs, thus profiting big pharmaceutical companies like Johnson & Johnson.  Former veteran Congressman Dr. Ron Paul, in 2011, was speaking out against this push for mandatory health screenings, calling it "a persistent lobbying effort, funded by pharmaceutical companies, to increase the number of these (drug) prescriptions to even more children."  If you are thinking that you have nothing to worry about, because neither you, or your children, have a mental illness, keep in mind that the list of mental disorders is ever-growing, and includes illness' such as "Oppositional Defiant Disorder", which you can be labeled with for "disagreeing with someone in a position of authority".  Also, some studies, like the one put out by the Children’s Services Working Group, suggest that the number of people that have a mental illness, many of whom unknowingly, may be as high as 20%, in a state like Connecticut.

CPS May Take Your Child If You Question Your Doctor

A couple in Sacramento, California got their baby taken away from them, by Child Protective Services (CPS), after questioning the doctor! There is video (above) of the police letting themselves into the couple's home and saying "I'm going to grab you're baby, and don't resist, and don't fight me."

What kind of society are we allowing to form around us?

Why are even good parents scared to death of the DCF/CPS?

Why are these government agencies allowed to take your child, with no trial or jury, and not give out any information under the guise of "privacy" concerns for the child?

In a recent article I wrote, concerning Connecticut Department of Child and Families, titled, "Connecticut DCF Commissioner Makes $274,134 a Year and Parks Sports Car In State Parking Lot For The Winter", I pointed out that one study by Johns Hopkins University found that the rate of sexual abuse within the foster-care system is more than four times as high as in the general population.  Also, studies have revealed that youth in foster care are force medicated with psychotropic medicine at a rate three times higher than of children not in foster care.

Even though there are extreme cases of abuse, that may, in some peoples minds, justify a DCF, or a CPS, I believe these agencies need to eliminated. Even if 9 out of 10 children that you separate from their parents, are justified, just having that one child unjustly separated from their parents, by government, is too much. We have regular criminal courts, with juries, to handle allegations of abuse.

Connecticut DCF Commissioner Makes $274,134 a Year and Parks Sports Car In State Parking Lot For The Winter

Joette Katz, Connecticut DCF commissioner

Joette Katz, commissioner of Connecticut's Department of Children and Families, was using a state-owned parking lot, to store her BMW Z4 convertible for the winter.  Parked next to her convertible, was the Ford Escape SUV, state vehicle, that was assigned to her, which she drives an estimated 1,800 miles a month, though she admittedly hasn't been keeping proper mileage logs.  Katz makes $153,831 a year as a DCF commissioner, and $120,303 a year as a retired Supreme Court justice.  Apparently tax-payers funding this woman for $274,134 a year, and providing her a vehicle with a parking spot, isn't good enough for her, Katz also needs a spot to park her luxury vehicle.

The whistle-blower who exposed this abuse of power was the human resources director of the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), Antoinette Alphonse, who has to deal with parking issues as part of her job.  Alphonse noticed the BMW being stored at a state parking garage this past winter, and she eventually figured out that the German sports car belonged to Katz.  Alphonse then wrote a memo concerning the issue, and included Joette Katz in the list of recipients.  Alphonse says that her memo evoked a reaction, and believes her boss, DECD Commissioner Catherine Smith, may have suggested that Alphonse look for a new job, shortly after the memo was sent.

Katz removed the BMW in mid-March, about a week after the March 11 written complaint by Antionette Alphonse, and has since revealed some resentment towards Alphonse.  In an interview, last week, the DCF Commissioner had this to say:

"I can tell you that if this were my HR director – you know, it's not that she shouldn't be able to do what she does, etc. – but, personally I would be thinking, like, 'Don't you have better things to do?'"

Katz went on to say, "I would not be not a happy camper if my HR director went outside" normal channels with actions and statements, adding that her secretary told her Alphonse had called a TV station and the NAACP about the situation. Katz said that DCF's "HR people" have shown they can handle serious issues with appropriate action, while keeping her informed – and "they don't just go run amok."

Katz response, in my opinion, shows her hubris, and sense of entitlement, that many high-level public "officials" seem to convey.  She seems upset that someone would expose her abuses to the public, and not do it through the proper channels, which would allow it to be silenced, and never reach the public.  I believe everyone should be involved with exposing abuses of public power.  I make a regular habit of documenting the abuse of power by public "officials", and believe everyone should do the same.  It's our money, after all.

As an example, here is a recent video that I recorded of the low level tyranny that takes place everyday in a city like Waterbury, Connecticut, and continues to grow, and will get worse, until it is checked.  City "officials" using parking spaces, that us regular folk aren't allowed to use.

In my opinion, this is just another example of the royalty class that has been created in the American system of government.  Public SERVANTS, who now call themselves "officials", feeding off of the working class, exempting themselves from laws, and abusing their power.  Big, out-of-control, government will continue to grow, and suck the life out of it's host (the working class), until there is nothing to take from the people anymore, and the system destroys itself.  We must stop this growth as soon as possible.

As far as the state having the power, through child service programs like CPS and DCF, to take your children out of your home, I am not supportive.  I understand there are unique cases that may, in some peoples minds, justify a Department of Children and Families, however, cases of abuse are already criminal offenses, and could be handled through the regular justice system, with a jury, and trial.  To give some bureaucrats the power to take children out of a home, with no trial, or jury, is too much of a impediment on liberty, to be tolerated.  Not to mention the ridiculous cases involving the CPS/DCF taking children out of their parents' home, for things as small as marijuana possession.

Some important things to note about the Foster care system:

• Much higher chance of sexual abuse.  One study by Johns Hopkins University found that the rate of sexual abuse within the foster-care system is more than four times as high as in the general population
• Children are drugged.  Studies have revealed that youth in foster care are force medicated with psychotropic medicine at a rate three times higher than of children not in foster care.  
• Bloated bureaucracy.  In Connecticut, the DCF has an annual budget of nearly $1 billion and some 4,300 children in its custody on any given day.

Related Stories:

• Potential Conflict of Interest: 33% of Connecticut State Senators are Lawyers - April 12, 2013 (link)
• Connecticut Politicians Do Not Like Being Exposed As Corrupt - April 03, 2013 (link)
• CT State Senator Steve Cassano Wants Traffic Enforcement "Photographers" Taking Pictures Of You In Your Car - March 06, 2013 (link)
• CT State Representative Stripped of Title After Lewd Comment To 17-Year-Old Girl, During Committee Meeting - March 02, 2013 (link)
• Red Light Cameras In Connecticut; Corruption, Agenda 21 & the Rockefellers - March 01, 2013 (link)
• Connecticut: New Controversial Bill Proposing Mandatory Periodic Inspections for Cars Over 100,000 miles - February 22, 2013 (link)