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The firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez Wednesday night is the most predictable thing ever.
Monarez reportedly refused to be a rubber stamp for Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. when it came to his preferred vaccine policies at CDC. And so, she is gone.
Who could have seen this coming?!??! Only everyone.
Let me remind you that RFK Jr. came to prominence over the last two decades for voicing considerable skepticism about accepted medical wisdom on the efficacy of vaccines. He was deeply involved in the movement aimed at tying vaccine usage to autism — despite the current lack of evidence to make that linkage.
It’s his championing of — ahem — alternative science on vaccines (plus his famous last name) that got him the sort of attention that led to his failed 2024 presidential run and eventual latching on with the Trump campaign. It’s at the core of who the guy is.
Just to remind myself, I went back and looked at the coverage of RFK Jr.’s confirmation hearings to be HHS Secretary in late January. And it’s clear from even a cursory skimming of that coverage that Kennedy was going to do exactly what he is now doing on vaccines — which includes not only firing Monarez but also ousting every member of a 17-person panel charged with vetting and approving vaccines for the American public.
Kennedy’s vaccine skepticism was on FULL display in his testimony before the Senate. Consider this writeup from NPR:
Throughout the Senate HELP (Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions) Committee hearing, Kennedy called for a return to "gold standard science" and said he would support vaccines if shown data backing their safety. But when presented with such data, Kennedy said he wasn't familiar with it or cited reasons to doubt it.
When [Louisiana Senator and medical doctor Bill] Cassidy pointed to a 2014 meta-analysis of 1.2 million children that concluded there is no link between autism and vaccines, Kennedy responded: "You show me those scientific studies, and you and I can meet about it — and there are other studies as well, and I'd love to show those to you”….
…"[Can a] 71 year-old-man who spent decades criticizing vaccines, and who's financially vested in finding fault with vaccines — can he change his attitudes and approach now that he'll have the most important position influencing vaccine policy in the United States?" Cassidy asked. "I got to figure that out for my vote."
Is there ANY doubt from those Kennedy quotes that he would seek to overturn accepted medical practices on vaccines if confirmed? The whole “well we all have studies” BS is a perfect indicator that RFK Jr. simply did not — and does not — believe in the established science on vaccines!
Which Cassidy — judging by his own quote — knew. And yet, amazingly, Cassidy voted for Kennedy — the key vote in RFK Jr.’s confirmation by a narrow 52-48 margin.
In a floor speech explaining his vote for Kennedy, Cassidy said this:
Regarding vaccines, Mr. Kennedy has been insistent that he just wants good science and to ensure safety. But on this topic, the science is good, the science is credible. Vaccines save lives. They are safe. They do not cause autism. There are multiple studies that show this. They are a crucial part of our nation’s public health response.
Uh, what? Why did you vote for him then!
The answer, of course, is politics. Cassidy is up for reelection in 2026. He faces a primary challenge from a former Congressman who insists Cassidy isn’t supportive enough of Donald Trump. Cassidy already has a black mark against him in that regard because he was one of a handful of GOP Senators who voted to impeach the president after January 6. He calculated that tanking RFK Jr.’s nomination would likely end his political career. So he went against what he knew and voted to confirm Kennedy.
Actions have consequences. And literally everyone could see — from the day Cassidy cast that vote — that we would likely end up right here.
