Senator Cassidy, who played a pivotal role in securing RFK Jr.'s position, initiates reconciliation efforts
In a recent Senate Health Committee hearing, the actions of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have come under scrutiny. The focus of the scrutiny revolves around his involvement with a vaccine advisory committee and the subsequent firing of Susan Monarez, a CDC official.
Senator Bill Cassidy, the committee chair, expressed concern about Kennedy's handpicked vaccine advisory committee potentially altering CDC's recommendations on childhood vaccinations. This concern was compounded by the firing of Monarez, who was dismissed just 29 days into her job at the CDC. Dr. Debra Houry, the CDC's former chief medical officer, resigned in sympathy with Monarez.
The hearing also revealed that Monarez was asked to fire CDC personnel that Kennedy did not like. Additionally, there was a dispute over the existence of a recording of the RFK-Monarez meeting. Initially, Sen. Markwayne Mullin claimed that such a recording existed. However, he later admitted his mistake, stating that there is no recording of the conversation in question.
Senator Mullin did accuse Monarez of lying about the conversation with Kennedy, but there is no publicly available information indicating that any specific senators possess a recording of the conversation.
The controversy surrounding Kennedy's actions was further fuelled by his anti-vaccine claims. Before the hepatitis B vaccine was approved for newborns, as many as 20,000 babies were infected per year. The hepatitis B vaccine, recommended for newborns, reduces newborn infections by 68%. As a result, fewer than 20 babies per year now get hepatitis B from their mothers.
Senator Cassidy, a liver specialist, stated that he has seen people die from hepatitis and that infected babies can develop chronic, lifelong infections, leading to deadly liver conditions. He urged Kennedy's agency to release any recordings related to the Monarez-Kennedy meeting to clear up the confusion.
Monarez was fired due to her refusal to endorse the findings of Kennedy's handpicked vaccine advisory committee without seeing them. This refusal led to her dismissal and raised questions about the transparency and integrity of Kennedy's actions.
The Senate Health Committee hearing provided a platform for these issues to be discussed openly, with Senator Cassidy taking steps to distance himself from Kennedy's actions during the hearing. The outcome of the investigation into Kennedy's actions remains to be seen.
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