A “Make America Healthy Again” event ended suddenly on Wednesday after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was pressed about a major donation from the owner of a kratom company against which the Justice Department had dropped a case.
As Kennedy wrapped up a roundtable with Florida Sen. Ashley Moody at an elementary school in Tampa, Florida, Sky News correspondent Martha Kelner questioned the health secretary about what he planned to do about natural-leaf kratom.
“The FDA is looking at that issue right now,” Kennedy said about kratom, a plant with opioid-like effects sold at gas stations across the country for personal consumption.
“The Justice Department dropped its case against Feel Free, and MAHA PAC received a $1 million donation,” the reporter said, referring to the PAC run by Kennedy ally Tony Lyons, before asking, ‘Does that have anything to do with the DOJ?’
Feel Free is a kratom-infused herbal tonic made by Botanic Tonics, a kratom company that Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin invested over $1 million in, according to The New York Times.
The tonic has been described by critics as “gas station heroin” thanks to its widespread availability and habit-forming nature, according to the Daily Beast’s sister publication, PunchUp.
The DOJ had previously sued Botanic Tonics for allegedly selling Feel Free without first establishing that it was safe. But in December, federal prosecutors abruptly dropped the case, according to The Kansas City Star.
“I don’t know anything about either of the things that you just said,” Kennedy replied.
Kelner said that the donation was from “Jerry Ross” of Feel Free—referring to the Botanic Tonics owner J.W. Ross—but Kennedy continued to say he knew nothing about it.
“Well, I don’t know anything about that, and I don’t make decisions for the Justice Department,” he said defensively before stepping away from the podium.
Kelner asked one final question, asking Kennedy if he was “in the pocket of Feel Free” before MAGA senator Moody intervened, ending the event and preventing further questions.
“Thank you very much for joining us today to talk about our kids and their healthy futures, and Florida is gonna continue to lead the way,” she said before she and Kennedy filed out of the room.
The Daily Beast has reached out to HHS for comment.
