Washington DC - Several candidates seeking to work with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have been rejecting Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s controversial anti-vaccine views while Democrats turn their attention to a past vaccine lawsuit.
According to Politico, after the Senate declined to approve the appointment of Surgeon General nominee Casey Means back in April, nominees seeking various roles since then have endorsed vaccines as the best way to prevent infectious diseases and denied sharing Kennedy's unfounded claims that they cause autism.
The strategy appears to be working, as Erica Schwartz was confirmed as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and deputy health secretary nominee Chris Klomp and Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response nominee Sean Kaufman are awaiting floor votes.
It's worth noting that these candidates appear to be using meticulous language to avoid making promises they can't keep, and their remarks do not appear to reflect a willingness to stand up to President Donald Trump and Kennedy's rhetoric.
On Thursday, Heidi Overton, who is running to head the Food and Drug Administration, faced a tense Senate hearing in which she repeated the refrain that vaccines are "safe and effective according to the FDA."
In a stunning moment, Overton refused to say whether she believed President Trump could "ever be wrong about something," including his claims last month that a combined measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine is "quite lethal."
Overton, with a smirk, instead argued Trump simply "asks questions," and robotically repeated a line about the MMR vaccine being "the best tool we have."
RFK Jr. faces accusations of lying during his own hearing
Prior to his time in politics, Kennedy spent years as a prominent anti-vaccine activist and alternative health advocate. Since Trump tapped him to head HHS last year, he has gone to great lengths to remodel the department and the government's approach to health and vaccines to align with his views.
Kennedy has faced multiple accusations of lying during his own confirmation hearing, which is a federal crime.
Earlier this week, a group of Senate Democrats accused Kennedy of concealing a financial agreement from a settlement with a vaccine manufacturer despite pledging during his hearing to divest from the lawsuit.