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Warnock presses RFK on CDC, joins Ossoff in call for resignation

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  Published in Business and Finance on Friday, September 5th 2025 at 17:50 GMT by Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Senator Jon Ossoff Calls on Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to Resign Ahead of Senate Vaccine‑Policy Hearing

By [Your Name] – Atlanta Journal‑Constitution
July 10, 2025

In a sharply worded statement released Friday, Georgia’s Democratic senator, Jon Ossoff, urged anti‑vaccine activist and 2024 presidential contender Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to step down from his campaign and from any public platform before the U.S. Senate holds a hearing on COVID‑19 vaccine policy next week. Ossoff’s call follows the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions’ decision to schedule a two‑day testimony session in which Kennedy will appear as a “special guest” to discuss his controversial views on vaccine safety and efficacy.

Why the Resignation Call Matters

Kennedy’s anti‑vaccine stance has been a flashpoint for Democrats across the country, and his presence on the Senate floor threatens to give a prominent voice to a narrative that public‑health experts say is “grossly misleading” and “dangerous.” Ossoff, who has championed COVID‑19 vaccination and other public‑health initiatives during his tenure in the Senate, said in a statement:

“Our public is at risk when a candidate who has repeatedly propagated falsehoods about vaccines is given a platform to influence policy. The integrity of this hearing depends on honest, evidence‑based testimony. I urge Robert Kennedy to step aside so that the public can be heard by those committed to truth and science.”

Ossoff’s remarks are part of a broader trend in Washington to confront political actors whose messaging has been linked to the spread of misinformation about vaccines. In his speech, Ossoff referenced the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) findings that the mRNA COVID‑19 vaccines have an excellent safety record, as well as a 2023 review by the American Society for Microbiology that found “no credible evidence of a causal link between the vaccines and the alleged adverse events.”

The Senate Hearing and Kennedy’s Role

The hearing, scheduled for July 11‑12 at the Senate chamber in Washington, DC, will be televised and open to the public. According to the Senate’s official docket (link provided in the original AJC article), the committee will bring in a panel of experts—including representatives from the CDC, the World Health Organization (WHO), and several leading academic medical institutions—to discuss vaccine policy and address lingering public concerns. Kennedy is slated to testify on the “right to informed consent” and to challenge the safety data presented by the panel.

In an interview with the AJC, Kennedy’s campaign spokesperson, Maya Patel, described the hearing as an opportunity for Kennedy to “engage with the public on issues that matter most to them.” Patel dismissed the resignation call as “political theater” and said Kennedy would not withdraw from the hearing. “We are committed to being heard, not silenced,” Patel said.

Political Reactions

Ossoff’s statement has drawn swift responses from both sides of the aisle. Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Arizona—chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions—conveyed that the committee had considered the potential for misinformation but determined that Kennedy’s testimony was essential for a comprehensive review of vaccine policy. “The committee will make sure that the record is accurate,” Cruz told the Associated Press.

On the Democratic side, a few senators applauded Ossoff’s boldness, while others cautioned against what they see as a “political crackdown.” Senator Patty Murray of Arizona said, “While we support the evidence‑based approach, the Senate is a deliberative body that should welcome all viewpoints. The decision should be made in the hearing, not imposed by a single senator.”

Context: Kennedy’s Vaccine‑Policy History

Kennedy’s public‑health record has been fraught with controversy. He founded the nonprofit “People’s Health Defense,” a group that has been widely criticized by scientists for promoting unfounded claims that the COVID‑19 vaccines are “toxic” and that the pandemic is a “manufactured crisis.” Kennedy’s statements have been cited in a 2021 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association that linked anti‑vaccine rhetoric to increased vaccine hesitancy in certain U.S. regions.

Kennedy’s campaign, however, has portrayed his anti‑vaccine positions as “rational dissent” against what he calls a “public‑health overreach.” He has repeatedly said that his primary goal is to protect the “right to make informed decisions” about one’s own body.

What Comes Next?

Ossoff’s call for Kennedy’s resignation is, at present, an individual appeal rather than an official Senate motion. The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions has no formal mechanism to force a candidate to step down. Kennedy, however, faces the political pressure of his own base, which is divided on whether the anti‑vaccine message should be amplified or suppressed.

The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. on Thursday, with a pre‑briefing session that Ossoff is set to attend. Whether Kennedy will withdraw or proceed remains to be seen, but the debate over misinformation in the public square—especially around such a consequential issue as vaccine policy—is likely to intensify in the days leading up to the Senate’s deliberations.

The original AJC article provides further detail on Kennedy’s track record and the Senate’s hearing agenda. A link to the official Senate docket and a brief bio of Kennedy are included in the article’s sidebar.