Government officials owe paramount loyalty to the public. The Governing Board of PVPUSD must ensure that their personal or private financial dealings are not a factor in their decision-making process in voting on various Agenda Items.
All School Board Members are legally required to submit Form 700 to the California Fair Political Practices Commission and follow their agency's conflict of interest code according to Government Code 87200.
School Board Members whose 700 Reports show a conflict of interest with investments and policies has a moral obligation to recuse themselves from voting on policies that pose a conflict of interest.
The Federal Government has spent trillions of dollars in the WAR against COVID. Like all wars, the Government won't stop trying to get shots in arms until they receive a return on their investments. Billions of dollars went to schools with one condition; schools would use testing to promote vaccines. The Health Care Industry is also making a killing off of COVID products, pun intended. The Guardian reported, "Five of America’s largest health insurers reported more than $11bn in profits in the second quarter – a decline from the same period last year when the Covid-19 pandemic helped drive sky-high profits."
Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine was launched in late 2020 and became the drugmaker's top-selling product. Since the two shots weren't effective in kids under five, Pfizer leaders said they expect to submit to regulators by early June data on a smaller, three-shot combination of their vaccine in children under age 5. Pfizer, The U.S. pharmaceutical giant, reported revenue of $81.29 billion for 2021, mainly thanks to its Covid-19 vaccine. Companies making COVID-19 test kits are also raking in billions and billions of dollars.
According to Board Member, Rick Phillips' 700 reports, he is the Managing Director and Investment Banker of Focal Point, a leading middle-market investment bank focusing on mergers and acquisitions.
One of Focal Point's many mergers and acquisitions includes Planet Pharma, which specializes in the sales of pharmaceuticals and is a leading provider of biotechnology.
In addition to the potential conflict of interest with his financial statement, Phillips is also a direct financial recipient of the health care industry. Specifically, his source of income is from his wife, a clinical pharmacist at Torrance Memorial Medical Center. Torrance Memorial's peak revenue in 2021 was 3.9 BILLION DOLLARS.
To maintain trust in the Governing Board of PVPUSD, Phillips has a moral and legal obligation to recuse himself from all Board Votes and decisions related to Health Care, Pharmaceutical Industry, and COVID-19 testing.
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