RFK Jr.’s Family Members Warn He Is Ill-Equipped To Lead HHS
Confirmation hearings for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. begin today in the Senate. The Boston Globe explores a key area where Kennedy has largely been silent: entitlement programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.
Stat:
Private Emails From RFK Jr. Revealed On Eve Of Confirmation Hearing
On the eve of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation hearings, his physician niece has shared a trove of private emails in the hopes of derailing his nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. The exchanges show RFK Jr. making false claims about Covid-19 vaccines at the height of the pandemic, citing online articles by fellow vaccine skeptics, linking childhood immunizations to autism, and raising doubts about the flu shot. (Berke and Owermohle, 1/28)
The Independent:
'He Cheats His Way Through Life': The Five Biggest Bombshells From Caroline Kennedy's Open Letter About RFK Jr
Robert F. Kennedy is addicted to “attention and power” according to scathing letter revealing some of his darkest moments, penned by his cousin Caroline Kennedy. Kennedy, 71, who is Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, is a hypocritical “predator” who is “addicted to attention and power”, his cousin warned senators ahead of the confirmation hearing in the senate - which will confirm his control over a $1.7 trillion budget as the top health official. (Croft, 1/29)
The Hill:
Advocacy Group Uses Trump's Criticism Against RFK Jr.
An advocacy group founded by former Vice President Mike Pence is escalating its fight against Robert F. Kennedy Jr., this time with an ad that uses President Trump’s past criticisms of Kennedy to argue against his nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The 60-second ad from Advancing American Freedom, which was obtained first by The Hill, consists almost entirely of footage from a May video in which Trump lambastes Kennedy, then an independent White House candidate, as a “Democrat plant” and “radical liberal.” (Samuels, 1/28)
Also —
The Boston Globe:
RFK Jr.’s Hearings Will Spotlight His Familiarity Of Key Health Programs
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has ventured a staggering number of opinions on public health, from casting doubt on vaccines and fluoride to claiming COVID was engineered to spare some races. There’s one area, however, where the notoriously voluble Kennedy has been relatively quiet. It happens to concern the biggest responsibilities of the federal agency he could soon run. (Brodey, 1/28)
NBC News:
Autism Community Fears RFK Jr. Would Set Back Decades Of Progress
For decades, the scientific community has worked to dispel a thoroughly debunked theory that vaccines cause autism and finally shift its focus to find true potential causes. But now, autism advocates say they are fearful that if Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is confirmed as health and human services secretary, it could undermine years of progress in unlinking autism and vaccines, while potentially diverting precious research dollars to a theory already discredited by hundreds of studies worldwide. They warn he would wield vast influence over who sits on committees and steer policy. (Korecki, 1/29)
KFF Health News:
Led By RFK Jr., Conservatives Embrace Raw Milk. Regulators Say It’s Dangerous
In summertime, cows wait under a canopy to be milked at Mark McAfee’s farm in Fresno, California. From his Cessna 210 Centurion propeller plane, the 63-year-old can view grazing lands of the dairy company he runs that produces products such as unpasteurized milk and cheese for almost 2,000 stores. Federal regulators say it’s risky business. Samples of raw milk can contain bird flu virus and other pathogens linked to kidney disease, miscarriages, and death. (Armour, 1/29)
The nominee for science adviser is not a scientist —
The New York Times:
Why Trump Picked A Science Advisor, Michael Kratsios, Who Isn’t A Scientist
President Trump last week formally nominated Michael Kratsios, a member of the first Trump administration with no degrees in science or engineering, to be his science adviser. Science policy experts say that Mr. Kratsios’ wide experience in private and public technology policy and management is what makes him an attractive candidate. His expertise includes a central role in early federal efforts to speed the rise of artificial intelligence and to compete with China in its development. He will join a cohort of White House advisers on the fraught topic. (Broad, 1/29)
