Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) strongly criticized Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, during a confirmation hearing on Wednesday. Bennet brought up many of Kennedy’s past controversial statements, making it difficult for him to respond.
Bennet warned his fellow senators that this hearing was unusual. He started by saying he agreed with Kennedy on some public issues, such as diet, healthcare access, and mental health. He also criticized the big social media companies that were given a special role at former President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
However, Bennet then attacked Kennedy’s history, accusing him of spreading false or misleading information for 50 years. He claimed that Kennedy had made statements that caused doubt about things that are proven to be safe.
As a former teacher, Bennet criticized Kennedy for promoting vaccine skepticism. He pointed out that Kennedy’s views led some parents to avoid vaccinating their children, while Kennedy made sure his own children were vaccinated.
Bennet said, “It’s not that every vaccine is unsafe, or that no one can have a bad reaction, but he made parents and children believe they would be better off without vaccines. Yet, his own children are vaccinated, and so were the guests at his party in Los Angeles. But for everyone else, he spreads half-truths.”
Bennet then started asking Kennedy a series of direct “yes or no” questions about past statements, leaving Kennedy little time to explain.
BENNET: Mr. Kennedy, did you say that Covid-19 was a bioweapon that targets Black and white people but spares Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people?
KENNEDY: I didn’t say it was deliberately targeted. I just quoted an NIH-funded study…
BENNET: Did you say it targets Black and white people but spares Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people?
KENNEDY: I quoted an NIH study that showed… certain races…
BENNET: I’ll take that as a yes. I have to move on. Mr. Kennedy, did you say Lyme disease is likely a militarily engineered bioweapon?
KENNEDY: I probably did say that.
As Kennedy tried to explain, Bennet interrupted: “I want my colleagues to hear it. You said yes.”
Bennet continued with more questions.
BENNET: Did you say that exposure to pesticides causes children to become transgender?
KENNEDY: No, I never said that.
BENNET: Okay, I have the record and will give it to the chairman. Did you write in your book that African AIDS is an entirely different disease from Western AIDS? Yes or no?
KENNEDY: I’m not sure…
BENNET: Okay, I’ll give that to the chairman too. One last question. Did you say on a podcast, ‘I wouldn’t leave [abortion] to the states. I believe it should be left to the woman, even if it’s full term’?
KENNEDY: Senator, I believe every abortion is a tragedy.
BENNET: Did you say it, Mr. Kennedy? This matters! What you say here today doesn’t erase what you’ve been saying for decades. This job is about life and death for kids and families across the country who can’t get basic healthcare. It’s too important for these games, Mr. Kennedy. I hope my colleagues tell the president that out of 330 million Americans, we can find someone better for this role.
