CHR - Breaking News Hunter Biden Pardon

BREAKING NEWS 

First we start with the breaking news that President Biden has pardoned his son for felony gun and tax convictions.

After assurances that no pardon was forthcoming….

The White House statement Sunday night is also questionable based on our recent reporting with the IRS whistleblowers.

In their first joint interview after Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to felony tax charges and faced jail, IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler called out a double standard for “sensitive” investigations including the President’s son.

Case agent Ziegler also explained what he calls “the biggest misconception” about the case.

TOP LINE

Now to our update on COVID-19 vaccine injury in the US military. This is accountability journalism that corporate newsrooms strive for, and we are achieving at CatherineHerridgeReports.

As Thanksgiving weekend comes to a close, I want to acknowledge and thank you for supporting independent journalism. It is changing lives.

DEEP DIVE:

I first heard the story of Army SPC Karoline Stancik in October 2023. We met at CBS News in Washington D.C. with other veterans who also brought legitimate evidence of D0D wrongdoing. Jeremy Sorenson, from the veterans advocacy group at USJAG.ORG, led the group. 

Stancik’s debilitating heart condition, based on Army records, was linked to the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. Just 23 years old when we met, Stancik had suffered three heart attacks, a mini-stroke and was diagnosed with POTS or Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. 

In layman's terms, Stancik’s heart and blood pressure were out of sync.  In a severe episode, Stancik blacked out and fell down a flight of concrete stairs in her Florida condo, permanently injuring her spine.

I felt that a story about Stancik and allegations she had been abandoned by the Army and National Guard were newsworthy. It would shine a light on the thousands of service members who believed they were injured by the Defense Department COVID-19 vaccine mandate. 

When I initially broached the story with CBS producers, I was warned that COVID vaccine injury was not a topic senior executives at the network were open to covering.  There was apparently a reluctance to take on reporting that they perceived fueled COVID vaccine hesitancy. 

I felt these concerns missed the mark.  Stancik’s personal story underscored how the Army and National Guard cast aside these soldiers. I believed the Army and National Guard had a special responsibility to care for service members who had evidence they were COVID-19 vaccine injured. It upheld the most sacred military pledge to leave no service member behind.

After my position as a senior investigative correspondent at CBS News in Washington was terminated in February, I made the decision to go independent, so I could tell the stories that I could not tell before.  

I chose the Stancik story for our first investigation and called the project, “The Cost of Following Orders. COVID Vaccine Injured In the US Military.”  We chose X to launch the video documentary, instead of other platforms, because we did not fear censorship.

With Stancik’s permission, we posted this October 2023 internal Army memo that linked her “debilitating heart condition” to the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. Moderna, the vaccine’s manufacturer, did not respond to our requests for comment.

The military records also confirmed Stancik’s heart injury was “In Line of Duty” or “ILOD.” This important designation guarantees medical care and a paycheck while the service member recovers or until a permanent disability rating is made.

Based on the documents, Stancik was wrongly released from active duty, lost two years of pay and medical benefits, accrued medical debt in excess of 70k and, for a time, was homeless. 

We interviewed Stancik in June, just days before she received a pacemaker at the age of 24.  The investigation had broad reach with nearly 4 million views.  On the day of its release, we were overwhelmed and grateful to see Stancik’s story trending on X!

To their credit, the Army and National Guard listened and acted.  The military board that reviews service records acknowledged Stancik’s heart condition as “In Line of Duty” and granted Stancik approximately 80k for back pay. 

But there is still a fight ahead to resolve Stancik’s medical debt. When she was wrongly released from active duty, she also lost her medical insurance. According to Sorenson of the advocacy group USJAG, “the Army and National Guard refuse to reimburse SPC Stancik for over $50,000 of medical care and expenses she paid out of pocket due to the military unlawfully discharging her in 2022, citing that her care was not “authorized prior to treatment.”

While we are not finished fighting for Stancik, the reporting shone a light on a broken bureaucracy that crushes sick veterans. It’s the kind of impact journalism corporate newsrooms strive for and our team is achieving it with your support!

Looking ahead, we are working on new investigations that reveal the catastrophic fallout of the Biden administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, whistleblowers who were prosecuted for revealing alleged wrongdoing against children, as well as the untold stories of January 6.

While this content is free, consider becoming a monthly member to support independent journalism and access future exclusives.

We are partnering with you to call ‘balls and strikes’ – what authentic journalism is about. Thank you! Catherine

Inside the SCIF

This week, there were so many questions about the Hunter Biden reporting at CBS News

One of the most common questions — why was the forensic review of Hunter Biden’s laptop held by CBS until after the midterm elections? I’ll answer that, and many more of your questions in the days ahead.

The ultimate compliment came from Steve in Idaho:

“I have followed and greatly appreciated your work for years.  Glad to see you’re embracing the new media world.  I don’t typically pay for subscriptions.  But am making an exception for you because of your track record, work quality, and want to support you on X.”