EXCLUSIVE: Trump’s $300M-plus ad blitz to “defeat despair” on coronavirus involves celebrities like Dennis Quaid — and contractors who are business associates of a top political appointee. https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/25/trump-hhs-ads-coronavirus-421957">https://www.politico.com/news/2020...

For those asking “why Dennis Quaid?” – this is one reason why.

To fund the ad blitz, officials abruptly took $300 million from the CDC — mid-pandemic — with little explanation.

CDC experts were subsequently frozen out of the campaign’s development, despite the agency paying for it.

Meanwhile, HHS recommended that firms bidding to work on the campaign use a subcontractor called DD&T.

DD&T is run by the business partner of HHS’ top communications official.