More than 750 current and former federal health employees on Wednesday accused the health and human services (HHS) secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, of fueling harassment and violence directed at government healthcare staff.
In a letter sent to Kennedy and members of Congress, the group accuses RFK Jr of contributing to “the harassment and violence experienced by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) staff”, citing decisions such as removing members from a CDC vaccine advisory panel, questioning the safety of the measles vaccine, and firing key CDC staff as actions that sow distrust in federal medical professionals.
The group says Kennedy’s rhetoric played a role in the 8 August attack at the CDC’s headquarters in Atlanta, where a Georgia man opened fire on four CDC buildings, firing dozens of shots and killing a police officer. Law enforcement officials said the gunman blamed a Covid-19 vaccine for making him feel depressed and suicidal.
After the attack, Kennedy refused to confirm the motive of the shooter in an interview. He described political violence as “wrong” but neither he nor Donald Trump have spoken publicly about the motive, despite law enforcement officials making clear the shooter targeted the CDC over the vaccine.
The health workers are now asking Kennedy to “cease and publicly disavow the ongoing dissemination of false and misleading claims about vaccines, infectious disease transmission, and America’s public health institutions”.
The workers further accused Kennedy of being “complicit in dismantling America’s public health infrastructure and endangering the nation’s health by repeatedly spreading inaccurate health information”.
The letter urged the HHS to “acknowledge and affirm that CDC’s work is rooted in scientific, non-partisan evidence focused on improving the health of every American” and “ensure that the HHS workforce can carry out its duties in an environment free from imminent threats of harm”.
Additionally, it asks Kennedy to take “vigorous action” to eliminate online content that targets federal employees, including “DEI watchlists”. The workers asked for a response from the health secretary by 2 September.
In response to the Guardian’s request for comment, the HHS said: “Secretary Kennedy is standing firmly with CDC employees – both on the ground and across every center – ensuring their safety and wellbeing remain a top priority. In the wake of this heartbreaking shooting, he traveled to Atlanta to offer his support and reaffirm his deep respect, calling the CDC ‘a shining star among global health agencies’.”
The statement continues: “For the first time in its 70-year history, the mission of HHS is truly resonating with the American people – driven by President Trump and Secretary Kennedy’s bold commitment to Make America Healthy Again. Any attempt to conflate widely supported public health reforms with the violence of a suicidal mass shooter is an attempt to politicize a tragedy.”
The letter comes a day after the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) took a stance against the HHS, urging that children as young as six months and up to 23 months receive the Covid-19 vaccine, a position that diverges from the current federal guidance given by the Trump administration’s health agencies.
Kennedy responded to the AAP’s updated guidelines on social media by accusing the organization of failing to sufficiently disclose conflicts of interest.
