Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is poised to chair the Senate's health committee next year, said in a new interview that he's open to impeaching Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The independent Vermont senator, who caucuses with Democrats, appeared on CNN's "State of the Union" with Dana Bash on Nov. 8 after a wave of Democratic wins in last week's midterms.
Bash asked Sanders if he agreed with South Carolina Sen.-elect Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, saying that Kennedy should be removed from his role as the nation's top health official.
"I am absolutely open to that," Sanders said of Andrews' view. "The bottom line is we need a secretary of HHS who is concerned about the health and well-being of our kids and all Americans, not
involved in crazy conspiracy theories."
He continued, "I'm open to all ideas from Dr. Andrews or anybody else."
USA TODAY has reached out to HHS for comment.
As health secretary, and during his previous 2020 presidential campaign, Kennedy heralded the "Make America Healthy Again," or MAHA movement, which promised and promoted sweeping changes to America's health ecosystem including policy shifts in nutrition and medicine.
But Kennedy has long faced bipartisan criticism for skepticism over vaccines.
Andrews, who prevailed over appointed Sen. Darline Graham, will be the Senate's first pediatrician. Andrews' criticism of RFK Jr. and the Trump administration's handling of health care was a core part of her argument on the campaign trail.
Bash asked Sanders about how he planned to handle Kennedy's tenure as he's expected to take the health committee chairmanship next year, after Democrats won seven Senate seats so far this midterm cycle and the Senate majority.
"We're going to bring him in front of the committee," Sanders said. "That's for sure. And ask him some tough questions that have not been asked of him previously."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bernie Sanders, Annie Andrews float impeaching RFK Jr.
