A letter signed by 77 Nobel laureates opposing the confirmation of Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been discovered to be comprised mostly of political donors, with many supporting Democrat campaigns.
An investigation by Fox News Digital found that at least 60 of the signatories are political donors, with contributions ranging from several hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars to Democratic campaigns and candidates. Examples include former Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, who donated $5,400 to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, and Nobel Medicine Laureate Joseph L. Goldstein, who has donated tens of thousands of dollars to Democrats.
Other notable signatories with political ties to Democrats include George A. Akerlof, an American economist who donated $25,000 to Biden in 2020 and $20,000 to the DCCC in 2018; Louis E. Brus, an American chemist who sent $2,000 to Biden’s campaign; and Walter Gilbert, Johann Deisenhofer, Alan Heeger, and Brian K. Kobilka, all chemists who have donated to Democratic candidates and causes.
Critics argue that the letter is not a genuine opposition to Kennedy’s nomination, but rather a thinly veiled attempt by special interests to block the confirmation. They point out that many of the signatories are not experts in the field of health and human services, but rather have significant financial ties to the Democratic party.
On the other hand, Kennedy has faced support from medical professionals and the medical community. An initiative backed by IMA Action, a coalition of over 15,000 healthcare professionals, is rallying support for Kennedy and pushing back against opposition efforts.
