The Washington Post editorial board launched a diatribe against Robert F. Kennedy Jr., arguing that his “poor sense of ethics makes him unfit to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.”
The outlet, owned by billionaire Amazon mogul Jeff Bezos, released a scathing opinion piece on President Donald Trump’s pick for HHS shortly after his Senate confirmation hearings began Wednesday.
“More reason to oppose RFK Jr.’s nomination,” the article is titled, followed by the subheadline “His poor sense of ethics makes him unfit to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.”
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Claiming that Kennedy, who has popularized the “Make America Healthy Again” tagline, is “not qualified” to lead the U.S.’s chief health department “for many reasons,” the paper’s editorial board pointed to his “years-long unscientific campaign against essential vaccines” and his “conflict of interest.”
According to the Post, Kennedy’s “conflict” is that he will retain his financial stake in a lawsuit filed by the law firm Wisner Baum, where he formerly served as a consultant, against Gardasil vaccine manufacturer Merck.
The HHS hopeful made that disclosure last week in filings with the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), NPR reported.
However, Kennedy will only be paid if his ex-firm wins, and only for cases that aren’t against the U.S. or in which the U.S. isn’t a party and doesn’t have “a direct or substantial interest,” according to the filings.
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“Pursuant to the referral agreement, I am entitled to receive 10% of fees awarded in contingency fee cases referred to the firm,” Kennedy wrote in his ethics agreement. “I am not trying these cases, I am not an attorney of record for the cases, and I will not provide representational services in connection with the cases during my appointment to the position of Secretary.”
Kennedy addressed his critics who attacked his skepticism of certain vaccines before the Senate Committee on Finance, telling them Wednesday that he is simply “pro-safety,” and acknowledging that he “often disturbed the status quo by asking uncomfortable questions.”
David Ignatius, an associate editor and columnist for the Washington Post, argued in another opinion piece that Trump’s administration is beginning a “hostile health-care takeover.”
The article, titled “A week of pain and confusion for medical researchers,” makes the claim that doctors’ “do no harm” oath “sadly doesn’t apply to the Trump administration officials.”
While establishment media continue to harp on Kennedy as his hearings kick off, “MAHA” supporters have gathered in Washington, DC, to back him, Breitbart News reported.
Social media videos show crowds of Kennedy fans holding signs and waiting in the Senate overflow to watch the proceedings:
