California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Friday said he demands answers from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. regarding comments the secretary made in a 2024 interview about Black children on certain Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder medications being "re-parented."
The remarks resurfaced Thursday when Kennedy testified before the House Ways and Means Committee. Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.) questioned Kennedy about the comments from the interview and asked him to explain himself.
What the Right Is Saying
When questioned by Sewell about the comments, Kennedy denied making the statement and accused the congresswoman of "making stuff up."
"I don't even know what that phrase means and I doubt that I said that phrase," Kennedy told Sewell. "I'm not going to answer something that I didn't say ... because it doesn't even make sense."
The comments in question were made during a 2024 interview with wellness and productivity influencer 19Keys on the online show "High Level Conversations," where Kennedy discussed Black men and mental health less than two months before he dropped out of the 2024 presidential race.
In that interview, Kennedy discussed addiction treatment programs and mentioned San Patrignano, an addiction treatment program in Italy, describing it as a place where people get "a second chance at life" and learn work skills.
What the Left Is Saying
Newsom condemned Kennedy's comments as reflecting a "racist mentality" that is unacceptable for a leader charged with protecting the health of 341 million Americans.
"We've known RFK Jr. has been unfit to serve as Secretary, but these resurfaced remarks reflect a racist mentality that is absolutely unacceptable for a leader charged with protecting the health of 341 million Americans," Newsom said in a statement. "We cannot go numb to the insanity of this federal administration. The Secretary must be held accountable for his deeply disturbing comments."
During the House committee hearing, Sewell directly challenged Kennedy on the remarks, connecting them to the historical trauma of separating Black children from their families.
"For you to suggest that Black families are not capable of raising their own children is deeply offensive," Sewell said. "When you suggest re-parenting Black children, when you sow doubt about the safety of vaccines, and when you promote unproven statements that have no basis in science, you endanger the lives of everyone across this nation."
Newsom also compared Kennedy's comments to remarks made by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz about the Armenian community in northern Los Angeles County, against whom the governor filed a civil rights complaint in January.
What the Numbers Show
Kennedy's 2024 remarks were made during an interview with online wellness influencer 19Keys on the show "High Level Conversations," which has been viewed by audiences interested in discussions about productivity and mental health.
The resurfacing of these comments occurred during Kennedy's testimony before the House Ways and Means Committee, a congressional committee with jurisdiction over taxation, revenue, and related economic matters.
Newsom filed a civil rights complaint against CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz in January over comments Oz made about the Armenian community in northern Los Angeles County, which the governor connected to Kennedy's remarks.
The Bottom Line
The controversy over Kennedy's past comments adds to ongoing scrutiny of the HHS secretary, who has faced criticism from Democrats throughout his tenure. The White House and HHS have not yet responded to requests for comment on Newsom's statement.
Sewell pressed Kennedy to address the substance of his remarks during the committee hearing, but Kennedy maintained he did not make the statements and did not elaborate further. The governor's demand for accountability signals continued Democratic opposition to Kennedy's leadership at HHS.
What to watch: Whether congressional Democrats pursue further investigation into Kennedy's past statements, and whether the HHS secretary faces any formal consequences for comments made during his presidential campaign.