When justice abandons the people, the people rise anyway

Op-ed views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

They were nurses, doctors, medical technicians—some with decades of experience. Heroes of 2020, they braved the unknown to treat COVID patients when little was understood and less was available. And yet, less than a year later, they were discarded by Massachusetts General Brigham (MGB)—the largest hospital system in the state and one of the most federally entangled institutions in American healthcare history.

Their crime? Refusing a COVID shot. Not for lack of knowledge, but because of sincerely held religious beliefs or legitimate medical concerns—many of them had already had COVID and developed natural immunity. But to MGB, federal mandates were more important than medical facts, more sacred than personal liberty.

In August 2021, MGB told its employees: get vaccinated or be terminated. Hundreds applied for exemptions. Most were denied. In response, 267 employees filed suit, alleging religious discrimination under Title VII and violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Over time, the system did what it always does: it wore them down. Over 200 plaintiffs settled—many for what appears to be as little as $15,000 each—a fraction of what many earned annually, and a pittance for the loss of a career, a calling, and constitutional rights.

But five plaintiffs refused to back down.

Now known as the Pro Se 5, they stand alone in a federal court case—Adams et al v. MGB (2021)—facing off against a $20 billion behemoth. They have no lawyers. They have no firm. They have no lobbyists or PACs. They only have the truth—and each other.

And somehow, that’s been enough to keep them standing.

To understand how this happened, you must understand what MGB really is.

Massachusetts is the nation’s top recipient of per capita National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding, currently home to $4.5 billion in active NIH-backed projects. In FY2024 alone, Mass General Brigham received $1.12 billion in NIH grants, making it the most federally funded hospital system in the country. It also receives hundreds of millions from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and other HHS programs. In fact, in fiscal year 2021 alone, it’s estimated MGB received between $6–$11 billion in total federal support.

That’s not a healthcare provider. That’s a government contractor in scrubs.

So when Rochelle Walensky, then-director of the CDC, was plucked from her post as head of infectious diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital, no one batted an eye. It was a lateral move—from one federal outpost to another.

As this case reveals, the corruption didn’t end with mandates—it extended into the very legal system designed to protect Americans.

In 2020, top law firms refused to take COVID-related cases. Attorneys who did speak out were targeted. One was subjected to a forensic audit and suspended from practice for a technical mistake. The Pro Se 5 contacted dozens of attorneys. Some were interested—until they spoke with the plaintiffs’ former counsel, who warned them off. Others refused outright, admitting it would “damage their practice” to take on MGB or a vaccine-related case. When 200+ plaintiffs were consolidated into one case, class action rules were ignored. There was no class certification under Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, just forced groupings for “judicial efficiency.” The plaintiffs were treated as a monolith—not individuals with distinct harms.

Their judge, F. Dennis Saylor IV, repeatedly warned the Pro Se 5 that proceeding pro se was dangerous. He’s right—but what he fails to acknowledge is that this wasn’t a choice. The legal system has become so compromised, they had no other option.

Most Americans would’ve walked away. The pressure. The rejection. The loneliness. But these five have held firm.

One of them was even rehired by MGB in 2023. Her flu vaccine exemption was approved. She worked two months. Then her COVID exemption was denied—again—and she was fired for the second time.

This alone merits an amended complaint—and the court has given them 30 days to file it.

Make no mistake: this case matters. It is not just about five people. It is about the weaponization of public health. The annihilation of informed consent. The merger of state power with private enforcement. The abandonment of justice by those sworn to uphold it.

The Pro Se 5 are not just plaintiffs. They are whistleblowers on the corruption of American jurisprudence.

In a huge turn of events, American-Made Action, DOGA, and the United Law Coalition are joining forces with them, offering legal research and strategic support. Amplifying their story across national media platforms. Investigating judicial misconduct in this case. Standing by these Americans who refused to bow to tyranny.

The judicial class can no longer shield itself with legalese and procedure. The People are pulling back the curtain and holding these criminals in black robes accountable for their actions personally and professionally.

The time has come for mass accountability. For truth. For The People.

Cases like these are not being allowed to die in the shadows. The Pro Se 5 are not alone anymore. They are very likely the tip of the spear.

If you are an attorney, journalist, whistleblower, or simply an American who still believes in liberty—now is the time to speak up. Submit your case to the United Law Coalition or contact them at: [email protected].

Godspeed to the Pro Se 5. May their story awaken a nation.

Maureen Steele is co-founder of the American Made Foundation is an organization that connects influential leaders and grassroots movements to drive real change.

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