There are national associations for all professions. It makes sense that similar organizations exist for elected officials. Generally, at least one of these groups is bipartisan or non-partisan. Or they used to be. Increasingly, rifts are erupting in these groups as America becomes increasingly polarized.
Recent examples include the National School Boards Association. It was comprised of 25 state associations or half of America. This happened after its leaders teamed up with the White House and the Department of Justice to try and silence parents’ protests against racialized and sexualized curricula. According to estimates, state chapters were paid their dues. The NSBA had lost over 40% of its revenue and half of America was involved in politics.
Another example can be found here. On May 5, 2022, three attorneys general from Texas, Missouri, and Montana wrote letters to NAAG, expressing similar concerns. In 2021, Alabama AG Steve Marshall resigned.
According to O.H. Skinner, Alliance for Consumers executive director, the current wave of criticism has been building for more than a year. Because NAAG is under liberal control, there has been increased scrutiny of how the organization manages large amounts of money from different settlements. He explained that NAAG is the center of one of the most urgent consumer protection issues consumers face: the diversion of money from settlements to consumers toward special interests.
Skinner specifically cited McKinsey’s consent judgment, in which they settled for their consulting role in OxyContin marketing. NAAG filed a multi-state suit, based on misleading advertising laws in multiple jurisdictions. According to the settlement terms McKinsey was responsible for $15 million payment to NAAG. Originally, the NAAG funds were used to reimburse the states for expenses incurred in investigating the case. These funds seem to be a continuing source of contention.
Four AGs had already been expelled, so Kentucky AG Daniel Cameron (R.Ky.), wrote a letter to Chris Toth, the NAAG Executive Director on May 24, Cameron’s concerns were signed by seven other state attorneys general. They called for structural changes to increase bipartisanship within the organization’s management. They also demand transparency in how settlement funds are received, held, and spent by NAAG. Cameron specifically mentioned the McKinsey Settlement.
“NAAG’s McKinsey Settlement of $15 Million is almost twice what some states got and nearly 40% more than Kentucky. Cameron pointed out that NAAG had assets of $280 million between its entities, and that these funds are only held for the states.”
As in other states, the Kentucky legislature is responsible for appropriate funds. For example, Kentucky law requires that any public funds due to Kentucky be deposited in state funds promptly and efficiently. They must also be used for public purposes.
Cameron pointed out that Republican members are in minority on two funds committees that allocate settlement funds. Cameron claimed that these funds are used to fund left-wing programming instead of going to victims of fraud.
Cameron requested a response from NAAG by June 6. Elizabeth Kuhn (Communications Director) stated that Cameron had not received a substantive response from NAAG until June 10.
The medical industry is another example of a recent fracture. Pierre Kory is a dissident from COVID’s narrative on vaccines and early treatment. He has been doing so for over two years. He published an opinion piece in Newsweek.
These policies are now enforced by medical boards to restrict opinions. Mis- and disinformation is defined by medical boards as speech that is not consistent with the current progressive party movement. This could lead to censorship, cancellation, or even loss of licensure. This is worse than being banned on Twitter.
Doctors who can think critically face difficult choices. You can either join the mob to support policies that many people believe are not scientifically sound or you can stand up and risk losing your job.
Doctors with valid, scientifically-based opinions are eligible to be licensed by medical boards. This is due to the ideological divide in medicine.
School boards must share a common interest and be open to discussion about student needs. Doctors and researchers need to have open discussions about how best to care for patients in a rapidly-changing world like a pandemic.
America is becoming more divided by the disintegration and fracture of national political associations. To reunite America, it will take more than President Biden screaming unity and demanding compliance.