During a House hearing, Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. addressed accusations of anti-Semitism and censorship from fellow Democrats. He vehemently denied the anti-Semitism claims, stating under oath that he has never made such remarks. Kennedy believes these accusations are attempts by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and its allies to silence and marginalize him in his presidential bid against President Biden.
Kennedy's appearance at the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, at the invitation of Republicans, sparked controversy. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) unsuccessfully attempted to move the hearing into executive session due to Kennedy's alleged violation of a House rule against defamatory testimony. The hearing focused on government censorship, with Kennedy claiming he was the first person censored by the Biden administration after a federal court decision restricted the White House's communication with social media platforms.
Several Democrats, including Rep. Stacey Plaskett (D-VI) and Rep. Gerald Connolly (D-VA), criticized Kennedy's testimony. Plaskett deemed his rhetoric "hateful and abusive," while Connolly expressed disappointment in Kennedy's actions, stating he brought "shame" to a respected name. Kennedy argued that the government's ability to censor critics is a dangerous step towards totalitarianism, highlighting the term "malinformation" as a censorship tool.
A key point of contention arose when Wasserman-Schultz accused Kennedy of promoting a conspiracy theory about COVID-19 targeting specific ethnic groups. Kennedy refuted this, explaining he was referencing a government study on varying COVID susceptibility among different races. He clarified that he never suggested deliberate manipulation, but merely cited the study's findings. Rep. Daniel Goldman (D-NY) also questioned Kennedy about his remarks, presenting what Kennedy called a "truncated" video clip.
Kennedy recounted how his presidential campaign announcement speech was removed from YouTube after only five minutes, even though it made no mention of vaccines or controversial topics. He believes this is another example of the censorship he faces.
Weaponization Subcommittee ranking member Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-VI) (C) talks with fellow subcommittee members Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-TX) (L) and Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) (Getty Images)
Rep. Gerald Connolly, D-Virginia. (Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images)
Rep. Deborah Wasserman-Schultz, D-Florida
