Democrats Question Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Over Ethics Agreement

Congressional Democrats are demanding explanations from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. regarding a change to his pre-confirmation ethics agreement. Before his confirmation, Kennedy committed to transferring financial interests from litigation against cervical cancer vaccine makers to his adult son to avoid conflicts of interest.

Senators Elizabeth Warren, Ron Wyden, Richard Blumenthal, and Angela Alsobrooks allege that Kennedy instead transferred these contingency fees to his former employer, the law firm Wisner Baum. The senators argue this undisclosed change undermines Kennedy's credibility and may violate federal ethics laws if future payments were promised in exchange for the stake.

The Department of Health and Human Services has denied any wrongdoing. The agency stated that Kennedy complied with his ethics agreement as of May 2025 and maintained that any claim that the secretary kept a financial interest in the litigation after taking office is false.