RFK Jr. Exposes Sanders’ Big Pharma Donations Amid Heated Senate Clash

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) found himself on the defensive Thursday as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. confronted him over his financial connections to pharmaceutical companies. During Kennedy’s confirmation hearing for Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, the nominee called out Sanders for accepting massive donations from an industry he has long criticized.

“The problem of corruption isn’t just in federal agencies—it’s in Congress too,” Kennedy said. “Almost all the members of this panel, including yourself, are accepting millions of dollars from the pharmaceutical industry.” The audience erupted in applause as Sanders reacted with frustration.

Sanders, known for his attacks on drug companies and calls for socialized medicine, dismissed the accusation, claiming his campaign was funded by grassroots donors. “I ran for president like you. I got millions and millions of contributions. They did not come from executives, not one nickel from PACs,” Sanders insisted.

Kennedy, however, pointed to OpenSecrets data showing that Sanders received $439,256 from pharmaceutical-related sources in 2015-16 and topped the Senate with $1.4 million in donations in 2019-20. The revelation put Sanders in an uncomfortable position, given his repeated claims of standing against corporate influence in healthcare.

While Sanders attempted to argue that his donors were workers rather than industry leaders, Kennedy’s remarks highlighted the larger issue—why someone who claims to fight against pharmaceutical companies would accept millions from those connected to the industry.

The exchange exposed the contradictions in Sanders’ approach to healthcare policy. While he champions government control over healthcare, his campaign contributions suggest a close relationship with the very industry he claims to oppose.

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