During a House hearing on Thursday, Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent figure in the anti-vaccine movement, falsely claimed that he was not opposed to vaccinations. The hearing, which focused on allegations of the “weaponization” of the federal government against conservatives, quickly turned into a political spectacle.
Kennedy complained about being censored during the hearing, which was broadcast nationally on C-SPAN, while Democrats attempted to have his testimony held behind closed doors. Republicans showed support for Kennedy, while Democrats sought to belittle him and questioned him about his controversial statements regarding the COVID-19 virus.
Kennedy, who has been criticized for his views and statements, denied accusations of racism and anti-Semitism. He insisted that he had never made any racist or anti-Semitic comments throughout his life.
As a presidential candidate, Kennedy appeared at the hearing with several individuals, including a politics editor from Breitbart News, an assistant Louisiana state attorney general, and a leader of a civil rights group. However, due to his status as one of the most prominent skeptics of vaccinations in the country, Kennedy drew the most attention.
Kennedy attempted to clarify his stance on vaccines, claiming that he was not anti-vaccine and that he was up to date on his vaccinations except for the COVID-19 vaccine. However, Kennedy has a long history of promoting anti-vaccine rhetoric and has made controversial statements encouraging others not to vaccinate.
Kennedy’s conspiracy theories go beyond vaccines, as he recently claimed that the coronavirus was “ethnically targeted.” He suggested that the virus was designed to affect certain races more than others, specifically targeting Caucasians and Black people.
Throughout the hearing, Kennedy defended himself against accusations, stating that he was being censored, misrepresented, and falsely associated with racist and anti-Semitic remarks. However, Democratic lawmakers criticized Kennedy for his appearance and accused him of being a political pawn in an attempt to discredit President Joe Biden.
In conclusion, the House hearing served as a platform for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to address allegations of censorship and defend his views on vaccinations and other conspiracy theories.