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During a recent exchange, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. targeted Senator Bernie Sanders, accusing him of being influenced by the pharmaceutical sector. However, his assertions were met with a firm rebuttal from Sanders.
Kennedy addressed the issue of corruption in political funding, implicating not just federal agencies but also members of Congress, including Sanders. “Almost all the members of this panel, including yourself, are accepting millions of dollars from the pharmaceutical industry,” Kennedy claimed.
Sanders, eager to clarify and defend his record, quickly interrupted. “I ran for president like you. I received millions in contributions. None were from executives, and not a dime of PAC money from the pharmaceutical industry. They came from the workers,” he asserted, emphasizing the grassroots support that fueled his campaign.
Focusing on the substantial backing from healthcare workers, Sanders has campaigned on pushing for universal healthcare and significant reforms in the drug industry, which has resonated with many Americans.
Kennedy maintained his critique, repeating that Sanders was the “single largest receiver of pharmaceutical money” in 2020. Sanders countered this statement, stating that while he had substantial contributions, they primarily came from workers across the nation and not from corporate interests.
Kennedy cited a specific figure, claiming Sanders received $1.5 million in pharmaceutical donations. To which Sanders pointed out that this amount was a fraction of the total resources available to him, insisting on the distinction between worker contributions and corporate PAC funds.
Despite Sanders’s attempts to shift the focus, the conversation was steered back by Senator Markwayne Mullin, who remarked that Sanders had exceeded his speaking time, diverting the discussion.
In the context of campaign finance, Quiver Quantitative, a fintech firm specializing in tracking campaign donations and stock trading, reported that there are no corporate PAC contributors affiliated with Sanders, and they do not monitor donations from industry personnel specifically.
On the other side, Kennedy appears to have developed a platform around his controversial views on public health. Recent filings indicate that he has earned approximately $10 million linked to his anti-vaccine advocacy, which includes income from lawsuits, speaking engagements, and his leadership role at Children’s Health Defense, an organization often criticized for promoting vaccine misinformation.
Source
www.yahoo.com