⚡️ NIMITZ HEALTH NEWS FLASH ⚡️ 

“Voices of the Vaccine Injured”

Senate Homeland Security & Government Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations

July 15th, 2025 (recording linked here)

WITNESS & TESTIMONY

• Robert Sullivan, M.D.: Anesthesiologist, Vaccine Injured

• Brian Hooker, PH.D.: Father of Steven Hooker, Witness’ Son is Vaccine Injured

• Polly Tommey: Mother of Billy Tommey, Witness’ Son is Vaccine Injured

• Emily Tarsell: Mother of Christina Tarsell, Witness’ Daughter Died Following Gardasil Vaccination

• Krystle Cordingley: Mother of Corbyn Cordingley, Witness’ Son Died Following Quadrivalent Flu Vaccination

• Serese Marotta: Mother of Joseph Marotta, Witness’ Son Died Following Flu Illness

• Eric Stein: Brother of Jessica Stein, Witness’ Sister Died of Influenza

HEARING HIGHLIGHTS

MEMBER OPENING STATEMENTS

• Chair Johnson argued that faith in vaccination had become ideological, impeding objective cost-benefit analyses and silencing dissent. Johnson recounted the legislative history that gave pharmaceutical companies immunity from liability, leading to a dramatic increase in vaccine doses. He emphasized the importance of hearing directly from those impacted and entered vaccine-critical materials into the record to underscore his concerns.

• Ranking Member Blumenthal emphasized how vaccines had eliminated deadly diseases like smallpox and polio. Blumenthal warned that declining vaccination rates had led to resurgences of preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough. He entered into the record six scientific studies refuting a link between vaccines and autism and advocated for continued reliance on proven scientific evidence.

WITNESS OPENING STATEMENTS

• Ms. Tarsell testified about the death of her daughter, Christina, after receiving the Gardasil HPV vaccine. She described how Christina developed troubling symptoms after each dose, culminating in sudden death after the third shot. Tarsell said medical authorities failed to connect the vaccine to her daughter’s symptoms or follow up meaningfully. After years of investigation and litigation, the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program conceded that the vaccine caused her daughter’s fatal arrhythmia.

• Mr. Stein shared the story of his sister Jessica, who died from the flu at age four. He recalled how Jessica seemed to recover from illness but quickly relapsed and died suddenly of cardiac arrest. His family turned their grief into advocacy, helping change CDC vaccine guidelines to include young children. He stressed that vaccines, like seatbelts, may not prevent illness entirely but significantly reduce the risk of severe complications or death.

• Dr. Hooker testified about his son Steven’s vaccine-induced regression into severe autism. He detailed Steven’s exposure to high levels of mercury from thimerosal-containing vaccines and a worsening of symptoms after being vaccinated while ill. He described Steven’s rapid developmental regression and lifelong disabilities, including complete loss of speech and severe dyspraxia. Dr. Hooker criticized the vaccine court system for dismissing his son’s case and argued that families like his have been censored and gaslighted.

• Dr. Sullivan recounted developing pulmonary hypertension shortly after receiving her second COVID mRNA vaccine dose. Once physically active, she became breathless from minor exertion and was later diagnosed with serious, irreversible lung damage. She reported the case to VAERS but never heard back from the CDC or FDA and collaborated with the BMJ to expose systemic failings. Sullivan warned of widespread, unrecognized harm from spike protein-related vascular damage and called for transparency and informed consent.

• Ms. Tommey shared how her son Billy developed seizures and later severe autism following the MMR vaccine. She described their family's initial faith in the vaccination system and how their perspective changed after Billy’s injury. Tommey co-produced the film Vaxxed and traveled across the country documenting similar parental experiences. She criticized pediatricians for receiving bonuses for vaccinations and called for independent safety studies and reform of vaccine policy.

• Ms. Marotta spoke about the death of her five-year-old son Joseph during the H1N1 pandemic before the flu vaccine was locally available. She described the devastation of losing a healthy child to a preventable disease and the trauma of informing his sister. Since Joseph’s death, she has become an advocate for childhood immunization to prevent similar tragedies. Marotta emphasized that while personal stories differ, the science overwhelmingly supports the safety and effectiveness of vaccines.

• Ms. Cordingley testified about the sudden death of her 13-month-old son Corbin, who had received a flu shot earlier that day. She described discovering his lifeless body and the emotional trauma that followed, including being dismissed by medical professionals who denied any vaccine link. Later research suggested brain damage consistent with SIDS, despite Corbin being beyond infancy and previously healthy. Cordingley called for better informed consent, more rigorous safety data, and parental empowerment in medical decisions.

QUESTION AND ANSWER SUMMARY

• Chair Johnson asked for a description of a CDC whistleblower case alleging data manipulation and document destruction in an MMR-autism study involving African American boys. Dr. Hooker claimed senior CDC officials ordered the shredding of data, while one researcher preserved evidence showing a significant increase in autism risk.

  Chair Johnson explored allegations of pediatricians receiving financial incentives for maintaining high vaccination rates; Dr. Hooker said HMOs may pay $200–$600 per fully vaccinated patient. Ms. Tommey and Dr. Sullivan confirmed that adverse events like seizures were often downplayed by doctors, and training on vaccine injury recognition was inadequate.

  Chair Johnson pressed on spike protein toxicity, mRNA persistence, and lipid nanoparticle risks, highlighting evidence that modified mRNA may remain in the body for months and trigger autoimmunity. Dr. Sullivan said animal studies and early SARS research predicted these harms.

  Chair Johnson criticized the lack of placebo-controlled trials for childhood vaccines and short trial windows that missed adverse reactions. Citing the Harvard Pilgrim study, Dr. Hooker claimed only 1% of vaccine injuries are reported to VAERS and estimated serious adverse events occur in 1 in 39 injections.

  Chair Johnson also cited correlations between autism and vaccination trends post-1986 and referenced studies of the Amish to underscore vaccine-autism concerns.

• Chair Johnson called for bans on pharmaceutical ads, and Ranking Member Blumenthal agreed to co-sponsor future legislation on it

• Ranking Member Blumenthal opened by condemning any destruction of scientific documents and expressing skepticism toward blanket legal immunity for vaccine manufacturers. He questioned about measles risks and recent outbreaks, to which Ms. Marotta emphasized the value of vaccination and shared the story of a young adult hospitalized after contracting measles, which he believed he had been immunized against.

  Ranking Member Blumenthal pushed back on claims that doctors profit from vaccines, citing the American Academy of Pediatrics’ assertion that most physicians lose money on them. He acknowledged the role of pharmaceutical funding in politics and reiterated support for legislation he’s introduced targeting drug pricing and patent abuse. While defending FDA standards, he also criticized past agency inaction and offered to work with the chair on reforms. He concluded by affirming the broader societal risks of vaccine hesitancy, while not dismissing the pain of those affected by injuries.

• Senator Moreno framed the issue as a crisis of government overreach and censorship during the COVID-19 era, citing mandates, job losses, and social media bans against those questioning vaccines. He criticized the Biden administration’s 2024 extension of vaccine manufacturer immunity through 2029, calling it undemocratic and opaque.

  Senator Moreno advocated for “medical freedom” and held that individuals, not the state, should decide their health choices with full transparency.