Lawmakers call for criminal probe, ouster of Health Secretary RFK Jr. over alleged lies to Senate

The calls for action escalated this week following the emergence of documents that lawmakers claim contradict sworn testimony Kennedy gave to the Senate in 2025. The documents, whose exact contents have not been publicly detailed in the reports, are said to show that Kennedy misrepresented his involvement with anti-vaccine activism and his views on vaccine safety.

Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) issued a statement accusing Kennedy of a deliberate pattern of deception. "This is a pattern, not a slip," Markey said. "RFK Jr. has lied to the Senate, lied to the American people, and jeopardized the health of children to advance his anti-vaccine agenda."

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) went further, posting on social media Friday that the documents were "Proof we got RFK lying on the record during his confirmation hearing (a crime)." Wyden called for the matter to be referred to the U.S. Department of Justice for a criminal investigation. In a separate statement to The Guardian, he added: "RFK's platform is built on lies and grifts that leave a trail of dead children in their wake. There are consequences for lying to Congress."

Kennedy, a longtime anti-vaccine activist, was confirmed as Health and Human Services Secretary last year after a contentious confirmation process. The White House and HHS have not yet responded to the latest allegations. No formal referral to the DOJ has been announced as of this writing.

Why This Matters

The allegations strike at the core of democratic accountability: if a cabinet secretary lied under oath to secure confirmation, it undermines the integrity of the Senate's advice-and-consent role.
Kennedy oversees the nation's public health agencies, including the CDC and FDA. Trust in those agencies could be further eroded if the head of HHS is seen as having misled Congress about his anti-vaccine record.
A criminal referral would force the Justice Department to decide whether to investigate a sitting Cabinet member, a politically charged move with no modern precedent for a health secretary.

Background

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a member of the prominent political family, has long been a leading voice in the anti-vaccine movement, promoting debunked links between vaccines and autism. Despite opposition from medical and public health groups, he was confirmed as Health and Human Services Secretary in 2025 after a series of contentious hearings. During those hearings, he reportedly assured senators that he would follow scientific evidence and would not undermine vaccination programs. The newly surfaced documents, whose origin is not yet fully public, allegedly contradict those assurances.

Key Perspectives

Sen. Edward Markey and other Democratic lawmakers: They argue that Kennedy deliberately misled the Senate, and that his continued leadership poses a direct threat to public health. They demand his resignation or removal. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.): He is pushing for a criminal investigation, asserting that lying under oath to Congress is a felony. His language is unusually harsh, accusing Kennedy of leaving "a trail of dead children." Kennedy and HHS: As of the latest reports, neither Kennedy nor the Department of Health and Human Services has issued a response to the new allegations. The White House has not commented.

What to Watch

Whether the documents are released publicly or remain in Senate hands. Their full content will determine the strength of the case.
A formal referral to the DOJ, which would force Attorney General to decide whether to open a criminal investigation against a sitting Cabinet member.
Any move by the White House to ask for Kennedy's resignation or to defend him, which would signal the administration's posture on the matter.

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