Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell issued a stern warning to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after a report revealed how one of his associates tried to revoke the approval of the polio vaccine. .
“Efforts to undermine public trust in proven treatments are not only uninformed, they are dangerous,” McConnell, a polio survivor, said in a statement.
He did not name Kennedy, a vaccine skeptic whom President-elect Trump chose to lead the department, but said, “Anyone seeking Senate consent for a mission in the next administration must have ties to such efforts.'' It would be wise to avoid even the appearance of such a thing,” he added. Department of Health and Human Services.
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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) answers questions from reporters during a press conference following the weekly Senate Republican Policy Luncheon on November 19, 2024 at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Mr. McConnell's statement is as follows: New York Times coverage Friday's report highlighted how Aaron Siri, President Kennedy's personal lawyer, represented clients in lawsuits seeking to rescind approvals of products such as the polio vaccine.
“Like millions of families before them, my parents knew the pain and fear of watching a child suffer a life-altering diagnosis of polio. “For me, it was possible because of a miraculous combination of things. But for the millions of people who came after me, the real miracle was the saving power of the polio vaccine.” said.
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks to reporters at Nassau County Supreme Court on August 21, 2024 in Mineola, New York. (Photo/Stephen Jeremiah)
“For decades, I have worked with dedicated supporters, from Rotary International to the Gates Foundation, to use my position in public life to pursue cures for generations to come. I've never flinched from standing up for the disinformation that threatens society, and that's not the case today.
Republican leaders were joined by Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who called on RFK Jr. to clarify his position on the polio vaccine.
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Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D.Y.) speaks after a policy luncheon at the Capitol on September 24, 2024 in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
“This is definitely going to make America sick again,” Schumer said while sharing the Times' report on X. “For those in the Trump transition, it is outrageous and dangerous to try to eliminate the polio vaccine that virtually eradicated polio in America and saved millions of lives,” RFK Jr. said in his own statement. I have to state my position. ”
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Asked for comment, a spokesperson for Trump's transition team said, “Mr. Kennedy believes that the polio vaccine should be made available to the public and thoroughly and properly studied.”
