RFK Jr. Confronted About Refusal to ‘Take Sides’ on 9/11
“Do you find it hard to tell what is a conspiracy theory and what isn’t?” Sen. Tim Kaine asked Kennedy.
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Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine hammered Donald Trump’s Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for his former comments that he “won’t take sides on 9/11” during a heated confirmation hearing on Thursday.
Kaine, acknowledging the tragic plane crash in the D.C.-area on Wednesday, sounded the alarm on Kennedy’s refusal to dismiss conspiracy theories surrounding the attack on the World Trade Center during a heated exchange.
Sitting in front of a large sign displaying Kennedy’s July 2024 post on X stating “it’s hard to tell what is a conspiracy theory” and asserting he would “open the files and usher in a new era of transparency” during his presidential campaign, Kaine blasted his remarks and said his comments are cause for concern, asserting his Virginia constituents “take that kind of stuff pretty personally” while asking him to explain his remarks.
My take on 9/11: It's hard to tell what is a conspiracy theory and what isn't. But conspiracy theories flourish when the government routinely lies to the public. As President I won't take sides on 9/11 or any of the other debates. But I can promise is that I will open the files…
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) July 5, 2024
“We don’t need folks giving oxygen to conspiracy theories about 9/11,” Kaine said. “As a general matter, do you find it hard to tell what is a conspiracy theory and what isn’t? Is that a general deficit that you find in your analytical ability?”
Kennedy refused to back down from his stance, responding: “Senator, I haven’t investigated it. Things I investigate, I take sides on.”
Senators have been grilling Kennedy in back-to-back hearings on Wednesday and Thursday on a slew of controversies including allegations of sexual harassment, animal abuse and anti-vaccine remarks.
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Kennedy is one of multiple controversial cabinet nominees who has faced some bipartisan pushback, with senators voicing their concerns about his shift on abortion policy and remarks on unsubstantiated links between vaccines and autism.
Proponents of his nomination have argued he will work toward medical transparency, with Republican Sen. Roger Marshall strongly endorsing him in the hearing “I believe for such a time as this that you’re not just one of 300 million people, I think that you are the person to lead HHS to make America healthy again, that God has a divine purpose for you,” the Kansas senator said. “And I look forward to your confirmation in working with you to make America healthy again.”
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