ICYMI: Blumenthal Delivers Opening Statement at PSI Hearing, Slams Trump Administration's Corruption of Science & Attacks on Americans' Health

[WASHINGTON, DC] - In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), delivered an opening statement at a Subcommittee hearing yesterday about medical research and vaccine policies. At the hearing, Blumenthal raised concerns about actions Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has taken that has corrupted science, undermined public health institutions, and put the health of American families at risk.

"This hearing is about, 'the corruption of science.' And I agree, we are witnessing the corruption of science, and it's happening before our eyes in real time. Maybe more accurately, it should be entitled, 'the denial and degrading of science,'" Blumenthal said.

Blumenthal continued, "When the Senate-confirmed Director of the CDC is fired because she refuses to fire officials who approve unscientific vaccine guidance without evidence, that is corruption of science. When the indisputable determination that greenhouse gases pose a threat to human health are rescinded and clean energy projects are canceled in favor of pollution heavy coal, that is corruption of science. When the CDC's measles risk forecast is suppressed in the middle of the worst measles outbreak in decades, that is corruption of science. Overriding ongoing corruption of science is to deny or spawn doubt about safe and effective vaccines that discourages people from making use of them to save lives and keep our kids healthy."

Prior to the hearing, Blumenthal released a minority staff report documenting the ways in which the Trump Administration has interfered with science, including at least 57 instances of baseless firings, cuts to research, or blatantly unscientific decisions that favor industry over public health.

Blumenthal entered this report into the hearing record, calling attention to Kennedy's reckless actions that have endangered people's health, "Since President Trump took office in January, Secretary Kennedy and other Administration officials have silenced scientists, halted research, crippled our public health infrastructure, and politicized institutions that were once renowned around the world for adherence to nonpartisan science-based recommendations. And they've also demonized vaccines and taken steps that will make it harder for Americans to access them, depriving Americans of basic public health tools…Secretary Kennedy is creating a public health system that puts allegiance to his dogma over health and safety."

Blumenthal also raised concerns about Kennedy replacing qualified experts on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) with his political allies who have displayed an unfathomable failure of judgment leading up to and in the wake of the shooting at the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, "Dr. Robert Malone, one of the new members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization, or ACIP, appointed by Secretary Kennedy after he fired all of the sitting members, made multiple statements that appear to threaten violence against scientists and public officials before and after that shooting. This is an image that Dr. Malone posted. This image, just hours before the shooting, a revolver loaded with a single bullet and the words, 'Five out of six scientists have proven that Russian roulette is harmless.' This was apparently not enough for Dr. Malone because less than 48 hours after the shooting had occurred, he posted several other violent images, including one apparently threatening politicians, and one seen here with an image of an automatic weapon with the words, 'The Second Amendment was not written in case the deer turn against us.'"

Malone, who the Majority later sworn in as a hearing witness, doubled down on his incendiary posts in an exchange with Blumenthal. When Blumenthal asked Malone if, as member of ACIP, he had considered how CDC workers would have reacted to his post in light of the shooting, Malone responded, "The truth is, no I didn't." When Blumenthal asked if Malone regretted his posts, he said, "I don't."

PSI's Minority staff report released prior to the hearing is available here. A video of Blumenthal's opening statement can be found here. The full transcript of Blumenthal's opening statement is available below.

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Welcome to everyone. Whether you agree or disagree, this hearing is not personal between Senator Johnson and myself, between any of you, and the witnesses. This hearing is about, "the corruption of science." And I agree, we are witnessing the corruption of science, and it's happening before our eyes in real time. Maybe more accurately, it should be entitled, "the denial and degrading of science." When the Senate-confirmed Director of the CDC is fired because she refuses to fire officials who approve unscientific vaccine guidance without evidence, that is corruption of science. When the indisputable determination that greenhouse gases pose a threat to human health are rescinded and clean energy projects are canceled in favor of pollution heavy coal, that is corruption of science. When the CDC's measles risk forecast is suppressed in the middle of the worst measles outbreak in decades, that is corruption of science. Overriding ongoing corruption of science is to deny or spawn doubt about safe and effective vaccines that discourages people from making use of them to save lives and keep our kids healthy.

The Trump Administration's corruption of science is unprecedented in our country's history. Our Committee has analyzed the ways in which the Trump Administration has interfered with science in just the first eight months and found 57 separate discrete instances of corruption of science. And if there is no objection, I would like this staff memorandum to be entered into the record Mr. Chairman.

U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI): No objection.

Blumenthal: Since President Trump took office in January, Secretary Kennedy and other Administration officials have silenced scientists, halted research, crippled our public health infrastructure, and politicized institutions that were once renowned around the world for adherence to nonpartisan science-based recommendations. And they've also demonized vaccines and taken steps that will make it harder for Americans to access them, depriving Americans of basic public health tools.

Less than two weeks ago, President Trump fired CDC Director Susan Monarez-barely a month after she was confirmed by this body, the United States Senate-because she refused to go along with Secretary Kennedy's demands about changing vaccination policy. This Administration not only wants to consult people who will tell it what it wants to hear, but it denies others who have accurate, fact-based words that should be heard. That is not science, it is zealotry. It is an obsessive distortion of facts and an adherence to conspiracy theories over science.

Secretary Kennedy is creating a public health system that puts allegiance to his dogma over health and safety. Just last week, more than 1,000 present and former HHS employees wrote an open letter calling for him to step down, stating that he is "endangering the nation's health by spreading inaccurate health information." Without objection Mr. Chairman, I would like to enter that letter into the record.

Johnson: No objection.

Blumenthal: I certainly concur with their conclusion. A charlatan like RFK Jr. has no place in the government or anywhere else near public health. I am deeply fearful of the consequences for our country if he remains in charge, and unscientific rhetoric, corruption of science, continue to rule the day and perpetuated by people in leadership positions.

So, I have some questions. How many preventable diseases will become out of control because people cannot or will be discouraged from getting vaccines? How many advances in science and medicine will we miss out on because the NIH is cut in funding and research is impeded? How many public health workers will lose their jobs? Public health workers who could save lives and help. I deeply fear for the future of public health in this country because of the corruption of science.

On August 8, a gunman fired nearly 200 rounds of ammunition into the CDC's headquarters in Atlanta, allegedly over his anger about the COVID-19 vaccine. One heroic police officer tragically lost his life. Dr. Robert Malone, one of the new members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization, or ACIP, appointed by Secretary Kennedy after he fired all of the sitting members, made multiple statements that appear to threaten violence against scientists and public officials before and after that shooting. This is an image that Dr. Malone posted. This image, just hours before the shooting, a revolver loaded with a single bullet and the words, "Five out of six scientists have proven that Russian roulette is harmless." This was apparently not enough for Dr. Malone because less than 48 hours after the shooting had occurred, he posted several other violent images, including one apparently threatening politicians, and one seen here with an image of an automatic weapon with the words, "The Second Amendment was not written in case the deer turn against us."

I wrote to Secretary Kennedy in the wake of these posts and demanded that he fire Dr. Malone. I would like my letter of August 13 to Secretary Kennedy to be entered into the record if there is no objection.

Johnson: No objection.

Blumenthal: Chairman Johnson, I would ask you to join me in my demand that Dr. Malone be fired. Violence and violent rhetoric should not be tolerated. That is corruption of science. Rhetoric has consequences. Misinformation has consequences. And the failure to respect real science will deprive all Americans of treatments and cures.

And before my time is up, Mr. Chairman, I want to acknowledge the study that will be discussed by the Majority at this hearing. Citing the fact that one deeply flawed study was not published as evidence of a cover-up ignores the thousands of others contradicting its findings. In fact, as you probably know, there have been 3000 published studies of vaccines-1000 since 2020-showing vaccines are safe and effective. The estimate is that thousands of lives have been saved by vaccines and illnesses prevented.

I'm looking forward to hearing from Dr. Jake Scott, an infectious disease specialist from Stanford-by the way, the only doctor on this panel-and why no reputable journal would or should publish that study. It pains me, frankly, it pains me that unscientific studies like this one are being promoted in this Committee purporting to be scientific fact, and I fear that this kind of hearing will only undermine our already shaken public health system. But in the meantime, I want to thank all of the public health workers at the federal and state level who continue to do your job day in and day out, despite the discouraging atmosphere here in Washington, and in some cases, despite these kinds of intolerable threats that should merit the firing of Dr. Malone. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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