Health Secretary Kennedy Responds to Cassidy’s Claims
In Washington, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has pushed back against accusations from Senator Bill Cassidy that he broke a promise connected to his confirmation votes from Louisiana Republicans. Kennedy firmly stated, “what he is saying is not true.”
Kennedy claimed, “I have fulfilled and kept every promise I made to them,” during an interview with News Nation on Monday.
“I’m not going to speculate about why Sen. Cassidy is saying the things he is saying. I think anyone can make such speculations. But what he’s saying is not true,” he added.
Senator Cassidy, who heads the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, expressed concerns during his appearance on CBS News’ “Face the Nation.” He suggested it was “pretty clear” that Kennedy had not upheld his commitments regarding the promotion of vaccine effectiveness.
The debate intensified when Cassidy mentioned to Margaret Brennan that he felt the trust he had placed in the secretary was broken, remarking, “once you lose someone’s trust, you never know what to believe in the future.” He also indicated that certain statements should be reconsidered in light of what he described as “evidence that suggests otherwise.”
Interestingly, the CDC’s website states that “vaccines do not cause autism,” yet there’s a footnote referencing an agreement between Kennedy and Cassidy to keep that language on the site.
Cassidy argued, “if you build public health on a basis of lies, you lose good public health. Everything in life should be built on truth.”
Despite Kennedy’s views on vaccination, Louisiana Republicans supported his nomination, both in committee and on the Senate floor.
Cassidy explained his decision, saying, “Bobby Kennedy was going to get the president’s ear. The president seems fascinated by the Kennedy family,” suggesting that it was better to have Kennedy in a position with “guardrails” rather than without oversight.
These guardrails included a commitment to operate “within the current vaccine approval and safety monitoring system.” However, last year, Kennedy dismissed the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee and appointed his own members.
It’s worth noting that Cassidy recently lost his bid for a third Senate term and is set to retire in January.
