Progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont took Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump’s choose to guide the Division of Well being and Human Providers, to activity at his affirmation listening to on Wednesday. Sanders grilled Kennedy over two kids’s onesies offered by Kids’s Well being Protection, the anti-vaccine nonprofit Kennedy based.
Sanders displayed pictures of the onesies, which function the slogans “Unvaxxed Unafraid” and “No Vax No Problem.”
“You’re coming before this committee and say you are pro-vaccine—just want to ask some questions—and yet your organization is making money selling a child’s product to parents for $26 which casts fundamental doubt on the usefulness of vaccines,” Sanders stated.
The senator then requested Kennedy if he would demand the nonprofit to take the product off of the market. Kennedy asserted that he had “no power” over the group after resigning from the board, however Sanders famous that he nonetheless had affect that he may wield over the administration.
“Are you supportive of this clothing, which is militantly anti-vaccine?” Sanders requested.
“I am supportive of vaccines,” Kennedy responded, with out committing to opposing the onesie gross sales.
Kennedy’s declare to be in favor of vaccination additionally doesn’t line up together with his lengthy historical past as a public determine. He has repeatedly lied and misinformed the general public as a part of his campaign towards childhood vaccination.
Kids’s Well being Protection has been a key a part of Kennedy’s anti-vaccination efforts. The group has bought anti-vaccination promoting, promoted anti-vaccination coverage in a number of international locations, and has campaigned towards public well being initiatives. Kennedy and his group have usually embraced junk science and totally discredited conspiracy theories.
Kennedy has been criticized for his function in accelerating a lethal measles outbreak in Samoa, which killed greater than 80 individuals, after he advocated towards vaccination throughout talks with native authorities leaders.
On account of his actions and rhetoric, a coalition of greater than 25,000 physicians (up from 17,000 simply two weeks in the past) on the Committee to Shield Well being Care have referred to as on the Senate to reject Kennedy’s nomination.
Kennedy’s views meld nicely with Trump, who has promoted the debunked idea that vaccines trigger autism in kids.
Along with issues about Kennedy being a supply of scientific misinformation, his cousin Caroline Kennedy despatched a letter to the Senate that described him as a “predator.” She stated he’s “addicted to attention and power” and referred to as on the Senate to vote towards his nomination.
Senate Republicans just lately gave a move to Trump nominee Pete Hegseth, ignoring issues of misogyny, racism, and public drunkenness as they confirmed him to be secretary of protection.
Will Kennedy obtain the following rubber stamp?
