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Into the Arena: Hostile Democrats, skeptical Republicans tear into Kennedy on the Hill
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Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. found himself in the arena Thursday morning.
Room 215 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building is not a conventional «arena.» It’s the hearing room for the Senate Finance Committee, but circumstances converted the room into such a venue.
Kennedy was due to appear before the Senate Finance panel long before August «happened,» but Kennedy’s «August» is what placed special focus on Kennedy’s appearance.
RFK Jr. sacked newly-confirmed Centers for Disease Control Director Susan Monarez – four weeks after senators greenlit her nomination – and issued new, stringent, controversial eligibility guidelines for people to receive a COVID-19 booster this fall.
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Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. faced a hostile Senate Finance Committee on Thursday. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
The forum was hostile. The hearing for Kennedy quickly devolved into a verbal judo match. He sparred with senators from both parties. They jousted over science and politics, but the heart of the conflict was internal turmoil at the CDC and vaccines.
«Do you accept the fact that a million Americans died from COVID?» asked Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., of Kennedy.
«I don’t know how many died,» answered Kennedy.
Warner was apoplectic.
«You’re the Secretary of Health and Human Services. You don’t have any idea how many Americans died from COVID?» asked an incredulous Warner.
«I don’t think anybody knows because there was so much data chaos coming out of the CDC,» replied Kennedy.
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This bewildered Warner.
«The Secretary of Health and Human Services doesn’t know how many people died from COVID? Doesn’t know if the vaccine helped prevent any deaths. And you are the sitting Secretary of Health and Human Services,» continued Warner. «How can you be that ignorant?»
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., tore into Kennedy after he claimed to not know how many Americans died of COVID-19. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)
That was only part of Democrats unloading on Kennedy.
«You’re so wrong on your facts,» the Secretary charged when tangling with Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.
The Washington Democrat wasn’t having it.
«You’re interrupting me. And, sir, you’re a charlatan,» said Cantwell. «You’re the one who conflates chronic disease with the need for vaccines.»
«You are putting America’s babies’ health at risk. America’s seniors’ health at risk. All Americans’ health at risk. And you should resign,» said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.
At one point, RFK Jr. tussled with Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo.
«You’re evading the question,» Kennedy yelled at the senator.
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Bennet wouldn’t allow the witness to flip the script.
«I’m asking the questions here! I’m asking the questions!» thundered Bennet. «I’m asking the questions on behalf of parents and schools and teachers all over the United States of America who deserve so much better than your leadership.»
Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., claimed he was asking questions on behalf of Americans «who deserve so much better than» Kennedy’s leadership. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)
But the secretary gave as good as he got.
«You’re making things up to scare people and it’s a lie,» alleged Kennedy when facing questions from Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H.
He went on to accuse Hassan of «crazy talk» and claimed she was «just making stuff up.»
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Kennedy’s new COVID jab guidelines roiled the hearing.
He told Warren that «anyone can get the booster.»
«So you’re saying that is now the official rule. Just anybody is eligible to get a booster by just walking into the pharmacy?» queried Warren.
«It’s not recommended for healthy people,» Kennedy said.
«No, no!» retorted Warren. «If you don’t recommend it, then the consequence of that in many states is that you can’t walk into a pharmacy and get one.»
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., got into it with Kennedy over booster guidelines. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., is an orthopedist, but even he was vexed by Kennedy’s vaccine vacillation.
«In your confirmation hearings, you promised to uphold the highest standards for vaccines,» said Barrasso. «Since then, I’ve grown deeply concerned.»
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who is no stranger to calling out the Trump administration, warned Kennedy to tread carefully on vaccines.
«We’re playing with fire here,» warned Tillis outside the hearing room. «If the death rates go up for children who aren’t vaccinated, they need to own it. Own it. Don’t say, ‘whoops, we got the science wrong.’»
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Senate Health Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy, R-La., is a gastroenterologist. He was skeptical of Kennedy’s qualifications for the job – before ultimately voting to confirm him. Cassidy seemed baffled by the secretary’s stance on vaccines.
«Do you agree with me that the president deserves a Nobel Prize for Operation Warp Speed?» asked Cassidy about the Trump administration’s effort to fast-track a COVID-19 shot in 2020.
«Yeah, absolutely, senator. It’s phenomenal,» Kennedy responded.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La, questioned Kennedy’s high praise of Operation Warp Speed, citing his testimony to Sen. Bennet. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
«But you just told Sen. Bennet that the COVID vaccine killed more people than COVID?» said Cassidy.
«Wait! I did not say that!» Kennedy fired back, but Cassidy wasn’t through.
«It surprises me that you think so highly of Operation Warp Speed, when as an attorney, you attempted to restrict access,» said Cassidy.
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During the hearing, Kennedy claimed on multiple occasions that he canned Monarez as CDC chief because she didn’t tell the truth.
«Are you telling us that the former head of CDC went to you and you asked, ‘are you a trustworthy person?’ And she said, ‘no, I am not a trustworthy person,’» questioned Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.
«She didn’t say ‘no. I’m not a trustworthy person.’ She said ‘no,’» said Kennedy.
«Wow!» exclaimed Sanders.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., grilled Kennedy over the firing of former CDC chief Susan Monarez. (Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., who is an OB-GYN, defended the firing – even though President Trump nominated Monarez and Marshall just supported her confirmation in July.
«I voted for her. I made a mistake. I thought she could do the job. But unfortunately, she’s not part of the President’s mission of Secretary Kennedy turning the CDC upside down,» said Marshall.
As we said, August «happened.»
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Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., criticized his colleagues who attacked Kennedy and he noted that each senator only scored five minutes to question the Secretary.
«Thank you for your willingness to serve and for putting up with this abuse,» Johnson said to Kennedy. «Five minutes isn’t even close to refute all of the falsehoods that have been confidently spewed during this hearing.»
Vice President JD Vance also rode to Kennedy’s aid, posting on social media that «Democrats are getting absolutely TORCHED by @SecKennedy.»
He added that Democrats were «full of sh*t and everyone knows it.»
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The turmoil isn’t over. Kennedy told senators he may fire other CDC officials. And one can imagine the questions about COVID-19 which might emerge this fall and winter if there’s yet another surge.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman, Michael Crapo, R-Idaho, granted Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., the top Democrat on the panel, a few extra questions at the end of the hearing. Crapo then asked Kennedy if he cared to add any closing remarks.
Kennedy declined the invitation.
«I’ll have mercy on everybody and let us adjourn,» he said.
Until there’s another foray into the arena.
congress,coronavirus,hearings,senate,robert f kennedy jr
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DNC staffers ruthlessly mocked for fuming over remote work reversal: ‘Get yourselves together’
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Democratic National Committee employees were mercilessly mocked this week after news came out that staffers were very unhappy with a recent directive from DNC Chairman Ken Martin end to remote work for employees who will now be required to show up to the office five days a week.
Leadership of the union representing DNC employees put out a statement following news of the new directive, describing it as «callous.» Reports from those on the staff-wide call also described an immediate flurry of thumbs-down emojis and other signs of anger upon news of the new requirement.
«It was shocking to see the DNC chair disregard staff’s valid concerns on today’s team call,» they wrote. «D.N.C. staff worked extremely hard to support historic wins for Democrats up and down the ballot last Tuesday, and this change feels especially callous considering the current economic conditions created by the Trump administration.» Martin reportedly told employees that if they don’t like the new policy, they should go find a job elsewhere.
And Martin wasn’t the only Democrat who had some harsh and pointed words for the Democratic Party staffers. Neera Tanden, former President Joe Biden’s domestic policy advisor, had a similar message for DNC staffers, suggesting there were many eager folks waiting in line who would likely be more than willing to go into the office.
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Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin speaking from the DNC’s home studio. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
«If you think democracy is on the line – working in the office is not a big ask,» Tanden wrote in a post on X. «And there are plenty of other people willing to step up. Get yourselves together people.»
A left-wing group, the Center for New Liberalism, echoed the view that the staffers «should look elsewhere» if working from home is a «must-have.»
«When you accept a job on a campaign, or with an org like the DNC, DCCC, etc, your single purpose is to win the election. It is a demanding job that requires long hours & sacrifices,» the group wrote on X. «The other part of this is that I suspect [work from home] staff are probably losing opportunities for themselves by not being in the office. Campaigns require a lot of personal sacrifice, but the people who are good at their job and work to make themselves noticed in the office usually tend to go on to do big things!»
One Florida-based Democratic strategist, Steve Schale, who led Barack Obama’s statewide efforts in Florida in 2008 and returned to help his campaign in 2012, said the DNC should implement a «requirement» to ensure those who want to work at the DNC really have what it takes.
«There should be a requirement that to work at the DNC that you’ve done at least two cycles on an actual battleground campaign, where terms like flex hours & hybrid work don’t exist,» Schale wrote on X.
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A man is seen walking in front of the Democratic National Committee’s headquarters located in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Republicans did not spare the opportunity to slam Democratic Party staffers as well.
«You can’t make this up — the DNC union is pissed that the Chairman is calling staff back into the office 5 days a week,» former Trump White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, said after learning of the anger. GOP strategist, Matt Gorman, quipped that the image of DNC staffers logging onto a Zoom call in their pajamas amid all the chaos of Biden’s reelection «is hilarious.»
«The best part is that they still get two full months before they actually have to get out of bed 5 days week,» GOP National Press Secretary Kiersten Pels said. «Is this a political committee or a daycare?»
Martin reportedly told his employees that the work-from-home policy the DNC implemented during COVID was never meant to be permanent, describing it as a «Band-Aid» that has long needed to be ripped off. He did say that remote work would still be allowed on a case-by-case basis, however.
Neera Tanden, one of former President Joe Biden’s top advisors in the White House, was among those Democrats who slammed DNC staffers for being upset of having to go back into the office full-time, as opposed to remote work. (Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images)
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The staffer’s union said it is considering all options in terms of challenging the measure. The group previously ratified a collective bargaining agreement with the DNC over the summer that «reaffirms its commitment to making hybrid work available,» but also includes language that allows for a full return to in-person working as long as there is a 60-day notice period, according to the New York Times.
Earlier this year, the Congressional Progressive Staff Association sent a letter to top House and Senate leaders proposing a rotating 32-hour work week for congressional staffers, arguing it would be a more «sustainable approach to work on a national level.»
The proposal was widely mocked, however.
«Why not be bold and ask for a 0-hour workweek?» quipped Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., at the time. «I wonder how blue-collar Americans would feel about white-collar workers demanding a 32-hour workweek.»
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Persecución en Cuba: la dictadura acusó a un medio digital independiente de “tráfico de divisas” y “evasión fiscal”
El primer ministro de la dictadura de Cuba, Manuel Marrero, acusó este jueves al medio digital no oficial El Toque de tráfico de divisas y evasión fiscal, en el contexto de un creciente enfrentamiento con la prensa independiente. La denuncia se realizó en redes sociales y siguió a la emisión, el miércoles por la noche, de un documental en la televisión estatal que acusa al medio —con sede en Miami— de recibir fondos de Estados Unidos y de buscar la desestabilización del país.
En medio de la campaña oficial contra El Toque, Marrero aseguró: “Se trata de un programa integral de guerra económica organizado, financiado y ejecutado directamente por el gobierno de EEUU”.
Las autoridades cubanas han intensificado las críticas contra El Toque, conocido por publicar diariamente la tasa de cambio del mercado informal, muy distinta a la establecida oficialmente por el régimen cubano y utilizada como referencia mayoritaria para operaciones monetarias en la isla. Según Marrero, la tasa de cambio informada por El Toque es “una farsa” y el resultado de “una burda manipulación”, declaraciones recogidas durante esta ofensiva mediática.
Mientras tanto, los medios del régimen enlazaron la acusación de Marrero con críticas al funcionamiento del propio sitio, al que señalaron de “mercenarismo”, “enriquecimiento ilícito”, “manipulación cambiaria” y de operar “en contra del bienestar del pueblo”. La controversia surge en un contexto en el que la tasa oficial, instaurada en 2022, es de 1 dólar estadounidense (USD) por 24 pesos cubanos (CUP) para entidades jurídicas y de 1 USD por 120 CUP para personas físicas, mientras que El Toque posicionó este jueves el cambio en 1 USD por 460 CUP.
La información publicada por El Toque se ha vuelto central en la vida cotidiana de los cubanos, ya que la mayoría de las transacciones informales en la isla toman como base la cotización de este medio.
La coexistencia de tres tasas de cambio provoca severas distorsiones en la economía local, dificultando la lucha contra la inflación, el descenso del poder adquisitivo, el proceso de dolarización, las carencias de productos básicos, el déficit y la descapitalización de los bancos estatales. Según expertos citados por EFE, esta situación sin precedentes convive con una crisis sistémica que afecta al país desde hace más de un lustro, sin señales claras de recuperación a corto o mediano plazo.
El régimen cubano ha anunciado en varias ocasiones, la última vez hacia finales de 2023, la intención de introducir reformas para corregir las distorsiones cambiarias. Entre ellas, la introducción de una tasa de cambio “flotante” para la segunda mitad de 2024. Sin embargo, hasta la fecha, ni el modelo ni la implementación han sido esclarecidos públicamente. Ante la escasez crónica de divisas, el Estado aceleró la dolarización parcial de la economía abriendo decenas de tiendas que sólo aceptan moneda extranjera y habilitando el cobro en divisas de diversos servicios estatales, prácticas justificadas por la necesidad de recapitalizar el país que importa el 80% de lo que consume.
Frente a los señalamientos, El Toque ha negado en múltiples ocasiones toda acusación oficial, argumentando que su tasa de referencia surge de un algoritmo que recopila anuncios de compraventa de divisas en foros y redes sociales, filtrando valores anómalos bajo supervisión del economista Pavel Vidal. Varios especialistas cubanos, consultados por EFE, admitieron la confiabilidad relativa del método, aunque reconocen que se basa en ofertas y no en transacciones reales, y utiliza la mediana como parámetro, no la moda.
La presión sobre El Toque ha resultado en campañas oficiales contra su personal e incluso provocó la emigración de una gran parte de sus periodistas, luego de ser interrogados por la Seguridad del Estado.
Este clima se ha visto reforzado por la reciente acusación de “espionaje” y “corrupción” contra Alejandro Gil, ex ministro de Economía cercano al presidente Miguel Díaz-Canel, reviviendo el debate sobre las purgas políticas al más alto nivel. Gil, de 61 años, permanece fuera de la vida pública. La reacción oficialista ha sido comparada con anteriores expulsiones repentinas de figuras clave dentro del Estado cubano, como las de Felipe Pérez Roque y Carlos Lage en 2009, o el fusilamiento del general Arnaldo Ochoa en 1989 tras un proceso judicial por narcotráfico, hechos que han marcado la historia política reciente del país.
(Con información de AFP y EFE)
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