In Emotional Rebuke Of RFK Jr, Maggie Hassan Tears Apart Anti-Vax Conspiracy Theories | EUROtoday

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WASHINGTON ― Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) delivered a fiery rebuke Thursday of President Donald Trump’s well being and human companies nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and his historical past of fanning conspiracy theories about vaccines, turning into emotional as she described elevating a son with cerebral palsy and the necessity to construct on settled science.

During Kennedy’s affirmation listening to, Hassan known as it “disturbing” that some Republicans have accused Democrats of opposing Kennedy’s nomination for partisan causes. In reality, she stated, Democratic senators take their function severely in terms of vetting potential Cabinet secretaries, and plenty of have issues about Kennedy’s mistrust of science.

“You may not know that I am the proud mother of a 36-year-old young man with severe cerebral palsy,” Hassan stated, choking up. “A day does not go by when I don’t think about, ‘What did I do when I was pregnant with him that might have caused the hydrocephalus that has so impacted his life?’”

The New Hampshire Democrat condemned the suggestion that any senator, in both social gathering, doesn’t wish to know what causes autism.

“Do you know how many friends I have with children who have autism?” she requested, her voice rising. “The problem with this witness’ response on the autism cause and the relationship to vaccines is because he’s relitigating and churning settled science. So we can’t go forward and find out what the cause of autism is and treat these kids and help these families.”

Directly addressing Kennedy, Hassan referenced a widely known and now-debunked 1998 examine linking vaccines and autism, saying it “rocked my world” and left her fearful “like any mother” about whether or not vaccines had “done something” to her son. In reality, that examine, which solely concerned 12 kids and went on to be extensively reviewed, turned out to be mistaken. The medical journal that initially printed it retracted it.

“Sometimes science is wrong. We make progress,” stated the New Hampshire Democrat. “When you continue to sow doubt about settled science, it makes it impossible for us to move forward. So that’s what the problem is here.”

Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) tore into Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s history of fanning conspiracy theories linking autism and vaccines.
Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) tore into Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s historical past of fanning conspiracy theories linking autism and vaccines.

Kennedy didn’t say something in response as Hassan moved on with questions on Medicaid. When she wrapped up, folks within the viewers clapped.

It’s not clear if Kennedy has the votes to be confirmed. His report of spreading vaccine misinformation and his shaky understanding of how federal well being applications work have alarmed senators in each events. He additionally has to clear two Senate panels: the Finance Committee, which held its affirmation listening to Wednesday, and the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which held Thursday’s listening to.

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Kennedy didn’t accomplish that effectively in Wednesday’s listening to, flubbing fundamental questions from Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who’s a doctor, about how Medicaid works. And on Thursday, he raised eyebrows along with his responses to questions on vaccine security from Cassidy, who chairs the well being panel. The Louisiana Republican has been mum on whether or not he’ll assist Kennedy’s nomination.

Trump first started contemplating Kennedy for the Cabinet put up after Kennedy dropped his presidential bid in opposition to him in August.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/maggie-hassan-rfk-vaccines-autism_n_679bbbcce4b07c3c82196919