Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spent the weekend speaking with Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., who could effectively stop his confirmation process for secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) in its tracks.
The Louisiana senator’s office confirmed Sunday evening that the two men had been speaking that day.
Cassidy is a doctor and also one of the few remaining Republican senators who voted to convict President Donald Trump for allegedly inciting the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.
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His vote on the 27-member Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday could decide whether Kennedy’s nomination to be Trump’s HHS secretary moves forward to the Senate floor or is left to potentially die in committee.
Cassidy has yet to indicate how he plans to vote on the nomination. During one of Kennedy’s hearings last week, he admitted, « I have been struggling with your nomination. »
He explained that there are areas of alignment between them, but that his criticism and claims regarding vaccination have given him pause.
« But if there is someone that is not vaccinated because of policies or attitudes you bring to the department and there is another 18-year-old who dies of a vaccine-preventable disease, helicoptered away, God forbid dies, it’ll be blown up in the press, » Cassidy said.
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« The greatest tragedy will be her death, but I can also tell you an associated tragedy that will cast a shadow over President Trump’s legacy, which I want to be the absolute best legacy it can be. »
He added that this was his « dilemma, » and foreshadowed their conversations, saying, « you may be hearing from me over the weekend. »
Representatives for Cassidy and Kennedy did not divulge specifics of their conversations.
Whether he was decided yet on how he will vote, Cassidy’s office declined to comment.
Kennedy has managed to get the support of other sometimes hesitant lawmakers, such as Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., who said on X, « [Kennedy’s] unique leadership on healthy lifestyle choices will benefit countless Americans, and he understands the critical importance of rebuilding trust in our public health institutions. »
« I’ve also received assurances from him that strong pro-life policies will continue to be reinstituted at HHS under his leadership, » Young wrote. « We spoke extensively about the importance of supporting innovation in health care to both bring down costs and improve treatment. I look forward to working with him to make positive changes for the American people. »
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Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., did not fully endorse Kennedy either but said he was pleased with his hearing and indicated the nominee was on the right track.
Kennedy will likely need the support of every Republican on the committee, assuming he does not receive any Democratic support. No committee Democrats have come out to say they will back him. The committee vote will take place Tuesday morning.
Source link : https://www.foxnews.com/politics/rfk-jr-spent-weekend-talking-key-senator-who-could-make-break-his-confirmation
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Publish date : 2025-02-03 16:19:00
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