Phoebe Judge
👤 SpeakerAppearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
Did anyone actually try to vote for her?
Did anyone actually try to vote for her?
Hi, it's Phoebe. I wanted to let you know that on Tuesday, April 8th, I'm hosting a trivia night on Zoom along with Lauren Spohr. Our whole team is putting together questions. And of course, there'll be prizes. If you'd like to be there, join Criminal+. You can learn more about it at thisiscriminal.com slash plus. Here's the show.
Hi, it's Phoebe. I wanted to let you know that on Tuesday, April 8th, I'm hosting a trivia night on Zoom along with Lauren Spohr. Our whole team is putting together questions. And of course, there'll be prizes. If you'd like to be there, join Criminal+. You can learn more about it at thisiscriminal.com slash plus. Here's the show.
Between 1962 and 1971, the United States government sprayed more than 19 million gallons of herbicides in Vietnam. Parts of Cambodia and Laos were also sprayed. The military wanted to strip the leaves from trees, making it hard for the Viet Cong to hide from U.S. military airplanes, and to kill all the crops, eliminating sources of food.
Between 1962 and 1971, the United States government sprayed more than 19 million gallons of herbicides in Vietnam. Parts of Cambodia and Laos were also sprayed. The military wanted to strip the leaves from trees, making it hard for the Viet Cong to hide from U.S. military airplanes, and to kill all the crops, eliminating sources of food.
It was called Operation Ranch Hand, and its informal motto was, Only you can prevent a forest. The most common herbicide was Agent Orange, produced for the U.S. government by several companies, including the Monsanto Corporation and Dow Chemical. Agent Orange got its name because its barrels were marked with an orange line. And it makes people very sick.
It was called Operation Ranch Hand, and its informal motto was, Only you can prevent a forest. The most common herbicide was Agent Orange, produced for the U.S. government by several companies, including the Monsanto Corporation and Dow Chemical. Agent Orange got its name because its barrels were marked with an orange line. And it makes people very sick.
By some estimates, 400,000 Vietnamese people died from exposure. The Vietnamese Red Cross estimates that 3 million people were harmed, including hundreds of thousands of babies born with birth defects. In 1988, an Air Force researcher wrote a letter to Senator Tom Daschle, quote, We were aware of the potential for damage.
By some estimates, 400,000 Vietnamese people died from exposure. The Vietnamese Red Cross estimates that 3 million people were harmed, including hundreds of thousands of babies born with birth defects. In 1988, an Air Force researcher wrote a letter to Senator Tom Daschle, quote, We were aware of the potential for damage.
However, because the material was to be used on the enemy, none of us were overly concerned. We never considered a scenario in which our own personnel would become contaminated with the herbicide. But a lot of U.S. soldiers were exposed, an estimated 2.6 million. In 1991, Congress began to offer funding and treatment to American soldiers who served in Vietnam and had certain diseases.
However, because the material was to be used on the enemy, none of us were overly concerned. We never considered a scenario in which our own personnel would become contaminated with the herbicide. But a lot of U.S. soldiers were exposed, an estimated 2.6 million. In 1991, Congress began to offer funding and treatment to American soldiers who served in Vietnam and had certain diseases.
And they later introduced a special program to help children whose parents were deployed to Vietnam and whose exposure may have caused the child to be born with spina bifida, a condition where the backbone and spinal cord don't properly develop. Those children can get benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs. One of them was Kelly Wriston.
And they later introduced a special program to help children whose parents were deployed to Vietnam and whose exposure may have caused the child to be born with spina bifida, a condition where the backbone and spinal cord don't properly develop. Those children can get benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs. One of them was Kelly Wriston.
Tom Dominski first heard about Kelly Wriston in 2017. He's the resident agent in charge at the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General in Pittsburgh. He was brought in because something didn't seem right with the way the health care worker, Julie Wheeler, was billing the government.
Tom Dominski first heard about Kelly Wriston in 2017. He's the resident agent in charge at the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General in Pittsburgh. He was brought in because something didn't seem right with the way the health care worker, Julie Wheeler, was billing the government.