Summary
- Dem. Rep. Haley Stevens is drafting articles to impeach RFK Jr.
- Accuses him of causing "health care chaos" and cutting research.
- Criticizes Kennedy's unfounded vaccine-autism claims and conspiracy spread.
A Democrat has stated she is preparing articles of impeachment against HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. amid a barrage of misinformation and non-scientific medical warnings from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Over the years, Kennedy has promoted a number of myths about vaccinations, such as incorrect claims about their safety and effectiveness and the spurious association between vaccines and autism.
He eliminated every member of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advisory council on vaccination when he was secretary of HHS, and he primarily appointed conspiracy theorists and anti-vaxers to fill the vacancies.
More recently, Kennedy, President Donald Trump, and other health officials declared that the White House's official stance was that pregnant women who take acetaminophen may give birth to children who have autism. However, research investigating the potential causal relationship between the two contradicts this claim. Medical professionals have denounced the recommendations as misleading, pointing out that serious consequences might arise if fevers or pains are not treated during pregnancy.
Kennedy laid off thousands of HHS employees when he took office. He then declared that many of the fired employees will be rehired by his department, although this was never done.
In response to these and other controversial actions under his short tenure, more than 1,000 current employees at HHS wrote an open letter calling for Kennedy, who has zero experience in the health field, to step down.
Several weeks later, Kennedy is still in his post. Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Michigan) said that, because he remains a threat to Americans’ health, she is drafting articles of impeachment against Kennedy.
“Health care chaos. Reckless cuts. Rising costs. Michiganders and families across the country are paying the price for RFK Jr.’s agenda,”
Stevens wrote in a post on X Thursday morning.
“Enough is enough, which is why I’m drafting articles of impeachment against @SecKennedy.”
Stevens claimed in her complaint that Kennedy had slashed life-saving research for a number of programs, including studies on addiction, cancer, and SIDS. She pointed out that he has also halted mRNA vaccine research and spread false information that has increased public vaccine skepticism.
According to Stevens' press statement, Kennedy "made promises to Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-LA), which he has not upheld." (The HHS secretary may have committed perjury during his confirmation hearings, according to some critics.)
“Secretary Kennedy has violated his oath of office and proven himself unfit to serve the American people,”
Stevens added.
“Congress must act to hold him accountable, and I intend to lead the charge to remove him from office.”
Given the Republican dominance in both chambers of Congress, Stevens has little to no chance of impeaching Kennedy, let alone removing him from office.
Just 39% of respondents indicated they were "very confident" or "somewhat confident" in Kennedy's recommendations when asked whether they had any faith in the medical data he mentioned. Of those who saw him speak, 57% indicated they were "not so confident" or "not at all confident."
The poll was conducted between September 18 and 21, before Kennedy and Trump propagated their unfounded allegations about acetaminophen, even though it was released on Wednesday.
What specific charges are in the impeachment articles against RFK Jr?
Creating "health care chaos" by making irresponsible budget cuts to helpful cancer research, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome programs, addiction treatment, and vaccine programs.
Reducing vaccine access while spreading false conspiracy theories questioning vaccines' safety and effectiveness, such as claiming vaccines cause autism.
Firing all 17 members of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and replacing them mostly with skeptics and conspiracy theorists. Ending $500 million in contracts for mRNA vaccine research and canceling studies on vaccine hesitancy.