RFK Jr Accused of 'Lying Under Oath' After Firing Entire Vaccine Advisory Committee: 'Charge RFK Jr. With Perjury'

Int'l Business Times

2 days ago

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is being accused of lying under oath before Congress after announcing that he will be "retiring" all members of a vaccine advisory committee.
Kennedy took to the Wall Street Journal, publishing an op-ed in which he revealed that he made the decision to remove all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. The Committee, which consisted of independent vaccine experts, was often tasked with advising the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"Without removing the current members, the current Trump administration would not have been able to appoint a majority of new members until 2028," Kennedy wrote, defending his decision.
Social media users reacted with outrage at Kennedy's actions, stating that he previously lied to Congress when he insisted that he was not anti-vaccine at his confirmation hearing.
"Scary stuff. He said he wouldn't do this during his confirmation hearing," said one user.
"Oh great @BillCassidy! Talking to RFK Jr seems like a perfectly good plan. How bout impeach the liar?" said another, responding to a post from Senator Bill Cassidy acknowledging fears of officials who oppose vaccinations being tapped to serve on the renewed ACIP.
"It is time to fire @SecKennedy and prosecute him. He is intentionally harming Americans," said a third.
"@RobertKennedyJrYou're a f--king liar and a dumbass. Why should anybody take advice from an uninformed, self righteous, opportunistic skank like you? F--k you, RFK Jr," said a fourth. "Let's play RFK's confirmation testimony where he swore this was not his plan. Lying under oath is perjury," another outraged user wrote.
"This is ignorant and not true! Vaccines were one of the greatest health advancements in the 20th century! Vaccines saved countless lives. You are harming Americans with your lack of scientific knowledge and blatant ignorance. Shame in you!" added another. Others called for officials to "charge RFK Jr. with perjury."
"The committee has been plagued with persistent conflicts of interest and has become little more than a rubber stamp for any vaccine. It has never recommended against a vaccine—even those later withdrawn for safety reasons," RFK Jr. continued in the op-ed.
"It has failed to scrutinize vaccine products given to babies and pregnant women. To make matters worse, the groups that inform ACIP meet behind closed doors, violating the legal and ethical principle of transparency crucial to maintaining public trust."
Kennedy has made numerous other moves suggesting that he is not an advocate of vaccines, including forcing the resignation of the Food and Drug Administration's top vaccine scientist, hiring a vaccine skeptic who was disciplined for practicing medicine unlicensed to review CDC vaccine safety data and undermined the importance of a measles vaccine during one of the worst outbreaks in American history.
"Today's action to remove the 17 sitting members of ACIP undermines that trust and upends a transparent process that has saved countless lives," Bruce A. Scott, the president of the American Medical Association, said in a statement. "With an ongoing measles outbreak and routine child vaccination rates declining, this move will further fuel the spread of vaccine-preventable illnesses."
Originally published on Latin Times