- Kennedy's visit immediately preceded a deadly measles outbreak; his nonprofit Children’s Health Defense spread misinformation, tanking Samoa’s vaccination rate from 60-70 percent to 31 percent.
- In 2019, Samoa reported 5,707 cases of measles and 83 deaths, mostly children under five, following Kennedy's visit.
- Documents indicate Kennedy lied about his trip to Samoa.
- A Democratic senator demands a criminal probe into RFK Jr. over a 'trail of dead children'.
- Samoa had not seen a severe measles outbreak since 1985 (1,095 cases), but in 2019 after Kennedy’s visit, the country reported 5,707 cases and 83 deaths, mostly children under five.
- Other Democratic officials called for Kennedy’s removal: Senator Ed Markey said he “cannot be trusted to run HHS for even one more day,” Governor Josh Green demanded resignation, and Senator Angela Alsobrooks tied the current measles outbreak to his leadership.
Oregon Senator Ron Wyden has demanded a criminal probe into Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for his anti-vaccine rhetoric, which he claims contributed to a 2019 measles outbreak in Samoa that resulted in 83 child deaths. Wyden stated, “RFK’s platform is built on lies and grifts that leave a trail of dead children in their wake.”367
Documents reveal that Kennedy misled Congress about his trip to Samoa, asserting it had “nothing to do with vaccines.” However, correspondence shows he informed the Samoan prime minister of his intent to study the MMR vaccine efficacy. His visit coincided with a drastic drop in vaccination rates, plummeting from 60-70% to just 31%, leading to 5,707 measles cases and a significant number of fatalities among children under five.
Wyden plans to push for a criminal referral to the Justice Department, emphasizing that Kennedy's actions have endangered American families. “When Democrats retake the majority in the Senate, RFK will be at the top of the list of Trump officials the Finance Committee will hold accountable,” he stated. Other officials, including Senator Ed Markey and Hawaii Governor Josh Green, have echoed calls for Kennedy's resignation, citing the ongoing risks posed by his leadership.89
The fallout from Kennedy's actions has also been felt in the U.S., where vaccination rates for kindergartners have dropped from 95.2% to 92.4%, falling below the herd immunity threshold of 95%.
“Wyden, top Democrat on the Finance Committee, warns RFK will be 'at the top of the list' for accountability when Democrats retake the Senate. Kennedy's anti-vax nonprofit tanked Samoa's vaccination rate from 60-70% to 31%, preceding 5,707 measles cases and 83 deaths.”
The New Republic
