‘None of That is True!’ Senate Democrat Accuses RFK Jr. of Lying About Vaccines in Explosive Hearing Clash
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) got into a heated clash with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after accusing Kennedy of lying about his vaccine views.
At a Thursday Health and Human Services budget hearing, Murphy accused Kennedy of previously misleading Congress on his vaccine views, arguing he has shown he’s anti-vaccine through his actions. Kennedy has long held controversial vaccine opinions, though he’s maintained his criticism of shots like the Covid vaccine would not lead to any sort of bans of vaccines.
“You told us, quote, I will not work to impound, divert, or otherwise reduce any funding appropriated by Congress for the purpose of vaccination programs. That’s not the truth,” Murphy told Kennedy, going on to cite $12 billion in federal grants to “track and administer” vaccines had been canceled under Kennedy’s watch.
“When did I do that?” Kennedy asked.
Murphy is referring to $12 billion in grants being canceled in March. The federal grants were allocated during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Murphy continued laying into Kennedy over vaccines.
“You also promised Chairman Cassidy that the FDA would not change vaccine standards from quote, historical norms. But what happened as soon as you were sworn in? You announced new standards for vaccine approvals that you proudly referred to in your own press release as a radical departure from current practice. And experts say that that departure will delay approvals,” the senator said.
He went on to accuse Kennedy of “undermining” the measles vaccine, a seeming change in position from his confirmation process.
“You told the public that the vaccine wanes very quickly. You went on the Dr. Phil show and said that the measles vaccine was never fully tested for safety. You said there’s fetal debris in the measles vaccine. And this morning—” Murphy began.
“All true! All true!” Kennedy shot back. “You want me to lie to the public?”
As Murphy told Kennedy he was wrong, the health official told the senator, “you do not know what you are talking about.”
Murphy compared Kennedy’s measles vaccine criticism to recommending someone swim in a lake with snakes and alligators, possibly referencing a recent photo Kennedy posted where he was taking a dip in a contaminated creek.
“Senator, if I advise you to swim in a lake where I knew there to be alligators, wouldn’t you want me to tell you there are alligators in it?” Kennedy asked.
Murphy pressed Kennedy on whether he would recommend the measles vaccine or not, though Kennedy did not offer a direct answer.
“So are you recommending are you recommending the measles vaccine or not?” Murphy asked.
“What I’ve said and what I said—” Kennedy started before Murphy jumped back in.
“It doesn’t sound like you are,” the senator said.
“Are you going to let me answer or are you going to keep interrupting?” a frustrated Kennedy asked.
Kennedy insisted he’s kept with his pledge for “radical transparency” in his department.
“What I pledged before this committee I during my confirmation is that I would tell the truth, that I will have radical transparency. I’m going to tell the truth about everything we know and we don’t know about vaccines,” Kennedy said.
Asked yet again if he would recommend the measles vaccine, Kennedy added, “I am not going to just tell people everything is safe and effective if I know that there are issues. I need to respect people’s intelligence.”
Watch above via CSPAN.
