US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr is facing calls for a criminal investigation from a senior Democratic senator. This follows reports indicating he provided false information during Senate confirmation hearings last year.
Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon stated he would press Republican colleagues to refer Mr Kennedy Jr to the Department of Justice for investigation. Mr Wyden also said that if Democrats gain a Senate majority, Mr Kennedy Jr would be a priority for accountability.
The Guardian's reporting, based on letters obtained through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, suggests Mr Kennedy Jr's testimony about a 2019 trip to Samoa was contradicted by these newly acquired documents. During his confirmation hearings, Mr Kennedy Jr testified that his visit to Samoa had "nothing to do with vaccines", despite letters showing he explicitly told the Samoan prime minister he wanted to study the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
Separately, the government watchdog group American Oversight has sent a letter to the Department of Justice, requesting an immediate investigation into whether Mr Kennedy Jr violated the law by making false statements to Congress. Other Democratic officials and Hawaii's governor have also called for Mr Kennedy Jr to resign or be removed from office.