Democrats hammered Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday over his past statements on vaccines. His response was a full denial.
Over and over at the Senate Finance Committee, the health and human services nominee brushed off Democrats who brought up his comments about vaccines. Kennedy was prepared for them.
“I want to make sure the committee is clear about a few things. News reports have claimed I am anti-vaccine or anti-industry,” he said in his opening statement.
At this point, a member of the audience stood up and shouted, “He lies,” before being escorted out.
Kennedy went on: “I am pro-safety. … I believe that vaccines play a critical role in health care. All of my kids are vaccinated.”
Sen. Ron Wyden, the highest-ranking Democrat on the committee, later pointed out that Kennedy previously said he “would pay anything to be able to” go back in time and not vaccinate his kids. Kennedy didn’t clarify.
Wyden also pressed Kennedy on his role in a deadly measles outbreak in American Samoa.
Kennedy denied any involvement.
“Clearly, I had nothing to do with the measles,” Kennedy said in response. “I will do nothing as HHS secretary that makes it difficult or discourages people from taking vaccines.”
Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia, where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are headquartered, questioned whether Kennedy believes the agency’s work is important.
“Mr. Kennedy, you have compared the CDC’s work to Nazi death camps,” said Warnock, calling such a characterization “disturbing.”
Kennedy denied comparing the CDC to Nazi death camps, leading Warnock to read comments Kennedy made in 2013. Kennedy said he was not comparing the CDC to death camps, but comparing the injury rate of childhood vaccines to “past atrocities.”
“I support the CDC,” said Kennedy. “My job is to empower the scientists.”
But Warnock didn’t back down, pointing to Trump’s ban last week on communications from the health agencies and asking if Kennedy supported it.
“I was not consulted on it,” said Kennedy, “but that’s pretty standard procedure for incoming administrations.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders began his questioning by saying that he “very much liked” Kennedy’s slogan, Make America Healthy Again. He then went on to ask Kennedy if he believes the U.S. should guarantee health care to all Americans.
Kennedy didn’t say yes or no, but said that “if you smoke cigarettes for 20 years and then get lung cancer, you’re taking from out of the pot.”
Sanders also asked if Kennedy believes that climate change is real.
“President Trump and I agreed to disagree on this issue,” Kennedy said.
Sanders then displayed large printouts of infant onesies that he said the organization Kennedy founded, Children’s Health Defense, is currently selling. The onesies read “UNVAXXED. UNAFRAID” and “NO VAX. NO PROBLEM.”
“Are you supportive of these onesies?” Sanders loudly asked Kennedy. He didn’t give a clear answer.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren began her questioning by highlighting a goal she and Kennedy share: reducing the influence of “big pharma” on the U.S. government. She asked Kennedy if he would accept money from pharmaceutical companies after leaving HHS.
“Who, me?” said Kennedy, to laughter. “No. I don’t think any of them want to give me any money.”
Warren went on to ask if Kennedy will commit to not taking any compensation from lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies he is a litigator on while he’s secretary and for four years afterward.
“You’re asking me to not sue drug companies?” said Kennedy, to more laughter.
Warren quickly moved in for the kill, saying that as health secretary, Kennedy would be able to influence those lawsuits in ways that might benefit him financially.
“Kids might die, but Robert Kennedy can keep cashing in,” Warren said.
Republican committee members stayed away from Kennedy’s vaccine record, choosing instead to question him on his views on PBMs, PEPFAR, access to mental health care and addiction treatment. It was an overall friendly reception.
“Mr. Kennedy, you represent a voice for an inspiring coalition of Americans who are deeply committed to improving the health and well-being of our nation, regardless of political parties,” committee Chairman Mike Crapo said in his opening remarks.
He did get pressed from some of the committee’s Republicans, though.
“I got a real quick question for you: Are you a conspiracy theorist?” Sen. Thom Tillis said.
“That is a pejorative that has been applied to me, mainly to keep me from asking difficult questions,” Kennedy replied.
“Is there any one where you’ve said, ‘you got me, that really was a conspiracy theory’?” asked Tillis.
Tillis also asked Kennedy about Operation Warp Speed, the 2020 project started by Trump to develop a COVID-19 vaccine.
Kennedy called Operation Warp Speed a “demonstration of leadership” from Trump, adding, “I want to empower scientists. I want to make sure science is unobstructed by vested economic interest.”
But Democrats were clearly frustrated by Kennedy’s denial of his past statements.
“It doesn’t matter what you come here and say. It isn’t the truth. It’s not reflective of what you really believe,” Sen. Michael Bennet said. “Unlike other jobs we’re confirming around this place, this is a job where it is life and death.”
Bennet asked Kennedy if he’d ever said that exposure to pesticides causes children to become transgender. (He suggested as much on a 2022 podcast.)
Kennedy was unfazed.
“I never said that,” he responded.
Kennedy made some news in what he did actually say during the hearing.
That was particularly true on abortion policy — Kennedy told senators Trump has asked him to “study” the safety of the abortion pill mifepristone.
Kennedy also said Trump is signing or has already signed an executive order on Wednesday supporting drug price negotiation under the Inflation Reduction Act. The White House has not yet advised such an order being signed, and no text has been made public.
His comments were made during an exchange with Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, during which Cortez Masto questioned Kennedy about his views on drug prices and the Inflation Reduction Act, which allowed Medicare to negotiate prices for some prescription drugs. Trump revoked a Biden executive order last week that gave Medicare more ways to negotiate drug prices.
“Are you there to be a rubber stamp?” Cortez Masto asked Kennedy.
“My understanding is that the White House issued an executive order today supporting drug prices under the IRA,” Kennedy said.
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Margaret Manto is a NOTUS reporter and an Allbritton Journalism Institute fellow.