During a Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing for President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a tense confrontation took place between Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. The exchange focused on the influence of the pharmaceutical industry in Washington and the potential for conflicts of interest.
Warren opened the exchange by acknowledging a shared belief between herself and Kennedy—namely, that “Big Pharma has too much power in Washington.” She cited Kennedy’s past statements where he expressed a commitment to “slam shut the revolving door between government agencies and the companies they regulate.”
Elizabeth Warren Presses Kennedy on Future Financial Commitments
Warren, seeking to hold Kennedy accountable for his past rhetoric, asked a direct question: “Will you commit that when you leave this job, you will not accept compensation from a company, a medical device company, a hospital system, or a health insurer for at least four years, including as a lobbyist or a board member?”
Kennedy responded, initially with confusion, but ultimately stated, “I’m happy to commit to not taking money from drug companies. I don’t think any of them wants to give me money, by the way.”
However, Warren wasn’t satisfied with the response and shifted the focus to Kennedy’s recent activities. She accused him of encouraging individuals to join lawsuits against vaccine manufacturers, pointing to his financial ties with the law firm Wisner Baum.
Elizabeth Warren Accuses Kennedy of Profiting from Lawsuits Against Vaccine Makers
“In the past two years, you’ve raked in two and a half million dollars from a law firm called Wisner Baum,” Warren stated. “You go online, you do commercials to encourage people to sign up with Wisner Baum to join lawsuits against vaccine makers. And for everyone who signs up, you personally get paid. And if they win their case, you get 10 percent of what they win.”
Warren emphasized the potential financial windfall, noting, “If you bring in somebody who gets ten million, you walk away with a million dollars.”
She continued, pressing Kennedy on his commitment to refrain from profiting from lawsuits against drug companies. “Mr. Kennedy, will you also agree that you won’t take any compensation from any lawsuits against drug companies while you are secretary and for four years afterward?”
Kennedy Denies Conflict of Interest, Refuses to Relinquish Right to Sue
Kennedy, visibly frustrated by the line of questioning, denied the implication that he was profiting off of such lawsuits. “You’re making me sound like a shill,” he remarked. Despite this, he confirmed that he would not take fees from drug companies during his tenure as secretary.
The back-and-forth between the senator and Kennedy grew more heated as Warren’s questioning continued. She pushed again for a commitment regarding lawsuits against drug companies, to which Kennedy retorted, “You’re asking me to not sue drug companies.”
Warren, exasperated, clarified, “No, you can sue drug companies as much as you want.” She then outlined numerous potential ways Kennedy could exert influence over vaccine-related lawsuits if confirmed as HHS Secretary.
Senator Warren Highlights Potential Conflicts of Interest
“If you get confirmed, you can influence every one of those lawsuits,” Warren said. She detailed various hypothetical scenarios in which Kennedy, as secretary, could influence public health policies and lawsuits, including using government resources to support anti-vaccine rhetoric, altering vaccine schedules, and modifying compensation rules related to vaccine injuries.
She further suggested that Kennedy could leverage his position to assist the law firm Wisner Baum in ways that would benefit their lawsuits, including turning over FDA data and changing vaccine labeling and information rules.
Kennedy Responds, Insists on Following Ethical Guidelines
Despite Warren’s claims, Kennedy reiterated his commitment to comply with all ethical guidelines. “I will comply with all the ethical guidance,” he said, but Warren was not satisfied with this answer.
“That’s not the question,” she fired back, her frustration mounting.
As the exchange became more contentious, Kennedy attempted to clarify his position once more, “Senator, you’re asking me not to sue vaccine companies—” but was immediately interrupted by an outraged Warren, who sharply retorted, “No, I am not!”
Who Is Senator Elizabeth Warren?
Senator Elizabeth Warren has represented Massachusetts in the United States Senate since 2013. She serves on several key Senate committees, including Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP); Energy and Natural Resources; and the Special Committee on Aging.
A leading expert on bankruptcy and the financial challenges facing middle-class families, Senator Warren played a pivotal role in establishing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Appointed by President Barack Obama as Assistant to the President and Special Advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury, she was responsible for setting up the agency to hold financial institutions accountable and safeguard consumers from deceptive financial practices. Following the 2008 financial crisis, she also chaired the Congressional Oversight Panel (COP) for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP).
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