Politics
RFK Jr. Confronts Bernie Sanders Over Big Pharma Donations in Fiery Confirmation Hearing
By Jake Beardslee · January 31, 2025
RFK Jr. and Bernie Sanders Clash Over Big Pharma Donations in Heated Senate Hearing
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Senator Bernie Sanders engaged in a heated exchange during Kennedy’s confirmation hearing for the role of Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). The confrontation revolved around pharmaceutical industry donations and healthcare policies, exposing deep divisions over campaign funding and access to medical care in the U.S. Jack Gruber / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Kennedy vs. Sanders: A Showdown Over Pharma Ties
During the hearing, Kennedy pledged to “make America healthier than other countries in the world.” Senator Sanders immediately challenged him, questioning how he could achieve this goal without committing to universal healthcare. Kennedy responded by accusing Sanders and other lawmakers of accepting “millions of dollars from the pharmaceutical industry and protecting their interests.”Sanders, visibly agitated, fired back: “I ran for president like you. I got millions and millions of contributions—they did not come from the executives, not one nickel of PAC money from the pharmaceutical [industry]. They came from workers.”
Despite Sanders’ denial, Kennedy insisted that Sanders was “the single largest receiver of pharmaceutical money” in 2020, allegedly accepting $1.5 million from the industry. Sanders countered that this amount was a fraction of his total campaign contributions, which exceeded $200 million. Jack Gruber-USA TODAY
Following the Money: Campaign Contributions and Allegiances
Campaign finance records from the 2020 election cycle indicate that President Joe Biden received the most contributions from the pharmaceutical and health products sector at $13 million, followed by Donald Trump at $6.9 million and Sanders at $1.4 million. Though Sanders insisted these donations came from industry workers, Kennedy used the data to frame the senator as benefiting from corporate interests.Despite these contributions, Sanders has been a long-standing advocate for lower drug prices and expanded healthcare access. He has spearheaded multiple initiatives to curb pharmaceutical price gouging, including bringing top industry executives before Congress to testify about the high costs of prescription drugs. Jack Gruber / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
A Broader Political Battle
The fiery exchange continued as Sanders attempted to press Kennedy on his stance regarding universal healthcare, but his allotted questioning time ran over. When another senator interjected, noting that Sanders was “literally three minutes over,” the Vermont senator protested: “I’m not battering the witness. I’m just trying to get an answer.”This was not the only tense moment between the two men during the hearing. A day prior, Sanders confronted Kennedy over anti-vaccine messaging on baby onesies sold by the nonprofit Children’s Health Defense, which Kennedy founded. The products featured slogans like “Unvaxxed, Unafraid” and “No Vax, No Problem.” Kennedy distanced himself from the organization, stating he had resigned from the board months earlier and had no control over its current activities. Jack Gruber-USA TODAY
