Robert F Kennedy Jr., the man who could upend the incestuous relationship between big pharma and big government as head of Donald Trump's Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), will appear today at 10AM ET for a confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Finance, which oversees HHS.
Then on Thursday, Jan. 30, Kennedy - a former Democrat and independent presidential candidate - will attend a forum hosted by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
After he passes through both gauntlets, the Senate Finance Committee will vote on whether to advance him to a full Senate floor vote, where he must get a simple majority to gain confirmation. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the chamber.
Watch Live:
According to Fox News, Kennedy will emphasize that he's not "anti-vaccine," and plans to say in his opening statement:
"I want to make sure the Committee is clear about a few things. News reports have claimed that I am anti-vaccine or anti-industry. Well, I am neither; I am pro-safety."
If confirmed, Kennedy would have control over 18 powerful federal agencies, including the CDC, the FDA, the NIH, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Kennedy is also expected to emphasize that he's not "the enemy of food producers. American farms are the bedrock of our culture and national security … I want to work with our farmers and food producers to remove burdensome regulations and unleash American ingenuity."
Kennedy has served as the chair / chief legal counsel for Children's Health Defense - a nonprofit organization he founded that advocates against unsafe vaccinations. Through CHD, Kennedy has sued the federal government numerous times - including a challenge over the authorization to administer the COVID vaccine for children.
Given the threat RFK Jr. poses to the aforementioned special interests, it's no surprise they've been coming after him tooth and nail.
(Click into the tweet for the rest of the thread)
"There are a series of industries that actually make money from keeping us sick," Kennedy told Dr. Phil last year, which the host re-shared this week (per The Federalist). "You would think they want us healthy but they actually make more money if we get sicker. And of course, with the pharmaceutical companies, if you have a chronic illness then you’re a lifetime patient."
As The Federalist notes further:
Kennedy said the diabetes drug Ozempic in particular is being relied on to induce weight loss for a nation where more than two-thirds are overweight and 40 percent are obese. In November, the Biden administration proposed an 11th-hour rule to cover the medication under federal insurance programs. If confirmed as HHS secretary, Kennedy would decide whether to approve the $35 billion handout for drug manufacturers or terminate the proposal. Kennedy, however, has been a consistent critic of the medications now recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for obese children as young as 12.
“A sick child,” Kennedy said in his August endorsement speech of Trump, “is the best thing for the pharmaceutical industry. When American children or adults are sick with a chronic condition, they’re put on medication for their entire life.”
Kennedy’s persistent antagonism of the pharmaceutical giants led to a shock in their stocks upon his nomination to lead the nearly $2 trillion agency in charge of regulating the drug industry. HHS holds jurisdiction over the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), making HHS a primary recruitment ground for the industry’s revolving door of influence, which Kennedy has pledged to eliminate.
The outlet further points out that during today's hearing, Kennedy will face questions from lawmakers on the Senate Finance Committee who have received roughly $7 million from drug companies between 2019 and 2024, according to a Federalist analysis of donations compiled by OpenSecrets.
Members of the Senate Health Committee, who will question Kennedy Thursday, have received more than $5.6 million in contributions from the pharmaceutical industry, or nearly $4.4 million around a similar timespan once excluding Sens. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn, who also serve on the Finance Committee. -The Federalist
Click here to read more about lawmakers who take money from big pharma...
Even Kennedy's niece came out against him, donning those little round rim glasses authoritarians seems to love.
That said, his former running mate, billionaire Nicole Shanahan, has his back - and has vowed to fund primary challenges to 13 US Senators who refuse to support Kennedy's confirmation.
Stay tuned for updates...