Important Context reveals how right-wing dark money groups are manufacturing prestige for friendly academics. This investigation dives into a new group called the American Academy of Sciences and Letters (AASL), which has been giving out awards to prominent scholars alongside fringe figures from the right. The goal appears to be boosting the latter through association with the former.

At his confirmation hearing, RFK Jr. defended the debunked vaccine-autism link using a study from a journal run by his anti-vax allies. The study’s author, its publisher, and its editorial board are deeply tied to Kennedy’s network. Despite claiming to be “pro-safety,” he’s pushing discredited research from his own camp.

Important Context dug into a new “academy” of public health complete with its own new medical journal. Behind the new publication are a number of COVID-19 contrarians, including two of Donald Trump’s public health picks, and a major right-wing dark money group funded by big money. The new venture promises to manufacture legitimacy for discredited pandemic policies and medical notions while limiting submissions to insiders.