Big Pharma paid millions of dollars to members of the US Senate Finance Committee, which will cast the first vote on Robert F. Kennedy’s nomination as head of Health and Human Services.
Analysis by The Federalist revealed individual payments of hundreds of thousands of dollars to Committee members.
“Republicans overall brought in nearly $5 million from the pharmaceutical industry across 13 members while Democrats raised more than $1.7 million across 9,” according to The Federalist.
The Committee, which will have a Republican majority under the new Trump administration, will vote to confirm Kennedy in January.
Between 2019 and 2024, Big Pharma contributed over $6.7 million to members of the Senate Finance Committee.
Among Republican members of the Committee, the most money was given to Sen. Thom Tillis, who received over $679,000. Next was Sen. Bill Cassidy, with more than $667,000, followed by Sen. Tim Scott, who received almost $564,000.
On the Democrat side, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto received nearly $460,000. Sen. Maggie Hassan received more than $360,000, and Sen. Ron Wyden was given $352,000.
As The Federalist notes, the payments don’t necessarily mean the senators will vote against the appointment.
Republican Senator Ron Johnson, for example, has received over $120,000 in Big Pharma contributions in the last five years, but has been a strong critical voice in the Senate. In September, he hosted a roundtable on the US chronic-disease epidemic at which RFK Jr. and other important critics of the medical industry spoke. Johnson has also demanded public-health agencies provide unredacted development and safety data about COVID vaccines.
According to Politico, Kennedy will “make the rounds on Capitol Hill” in the coming weeks, as he aims to win the votes of Senators. Several important members of the Senate Finance Committee have already expressed their support for him.