(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) — Today, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is taking his MAHA clown show back on the road, speaking at the City Club of Cleveland in Ohio tonight. Ahead of his speech, 314 Action President Shaughnessy Naughton released the following statement:
“We need to stop sane-washing RFK Jr. No matter how they try to dress him up, RFK Jr.’s dangerous pseudoscience agenda has done nothing but make Americans sicker, unhealthier and more vulnerable to public health threats. Giving him a platform to elevate his disproven, anti-science theories isn’t advancing democracy and dialogue, it’s the opposite. Democracy depends on fidelity to facts and the truth–RFK Jr. is not capable of either.
“As HHS Secretary, RFK Jr. has managed to deliver wins for pesticide manufacturers and anti-vaccine organizations at the expense of public health. He’s continuously abandoned activists in the MAHA movement who propelled him to power in exchange for loyalty to the president’s agenda—which is often at odds with his own. But voters see right through him—it’s why over half of Independents and swing district voters say MAHA isn’t delivering on its promises.
In April, 314 Action and Data for Progress released a national poll, showing that the MAHA movement is weak and collapsing. The poll found that less than 1 in 6 voters identify with the MAHA movement, while roughly one-third outright reject it. It also showed that support towards RFK Jr. and MAHA-aligned candidates sharply dropped among every demographic after learning more about his record, signalling serious vulnerabilities as Republicans approach the midterms.” Read the polling memo here. “
Under RFK Jr.:
- 1.5 million Americans lost their health insurance, with millions more to come
- 446 hospitals at risk of closing due to Trump and RFK Jr.’s funding cuts
- Americans experienced the worst measles outbreak in 25 years
- Supported Trump’s executive order boosting the production of glyphosate as the U.S. Supreme Court considers a case granting chemical manufacturers total immunity
- Pushed for deregulation for minors’ use of tanning beds promoting known carcinogens
- FDA approved flavored vapes, which appeal heavily to minors
- Blocked the publication of a study on effects of the COVID-19 vaccines showing their safety
- Attempted to reduce routine childhood vaccine recommendations from 17 to 11 and undermined confidence in U.S. vaccine schedule
Naughton continued, “RFK Jr.’s rhetoric doesn’t match reality. No matter what he says tonight, it won’t change the fact that he’s betrayed his base over and over again. He’s way out of his league and should resign.”
Last year, 314 Action launched RFK Jr. Watch to serve as a rapid response hub for holding Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr. accountable. 314 Action was the first to oppose RFK Jr.’s confirmation last year, launching a pressure campaign to highlight his role in the Samoa measles outbreak and his financial ties to vaccine injury lawsuits.
Since then, 314 Action has been on the front lines working to recruit, train and elect a new wave of doctors, nurses and public health experts to combat his MAHA agenda and restore funding for health care and research with our Guardians of Public Health initiative. Today, 314 Action is working with over 250 candidates running for office, one-third of them are doctors, nurses or healthcare professionals.
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314 Action is the only national organization working to recruit, train and elect Democratic scientists across all levels of government—from the Senate down to local school boards. The organization is powered by a grassroots community of over six million people supporting scientists and health care professionals who will use science and facts to address the most urgent issues facing our generation.