WASHINGTON — Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens, who is running for an open Senate seat in Michigan, formally introduced an article of impeachment Wednesday against Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., though it has virtually zero chance of advancing through the Republican-controlled House.
She had vowed to do so in September, arguing that his actions and public remarks had jeopardized public health, increased the cost of health care and cut important medical research programs. The New York Times first reported that Stevens had filed the article.
In a brief interview Tuesday night, Stevens said she had heeded the call of pro-science groups, who have warned that Kennedy’s 10-month tenure leading HHS has cost American lives and that he must be removed.
“It’s a public health and safety issue,” Stevens told NBC News. “And when I have Michiganders who have daughters or sons going through clinical cancer research trials that are stopped in the middle because of RFK, when I introduce legislation to reinstitute the funding for those clinical trials, and it doesn’t get done … when I’ve called on him to step down and he doesn’t, this is a safety issue.”
“I’m a very serious lawmaker. I get a lot done here,” she continued. “But I’m not going to sit quietly by while people’s health and safety and lives are on the line.”
In a video posted on social media Wednesday, Stevens declared: “RFK, Jr., has got to go.”
On Wednesday, HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon pushed back on Stevens’ impeachment efforts, saying: “Secretary Kennedy remains focused on improving Americans’ health and lowering costs, not on partisan theatrics designed to elevate standing in a failing, third-rate Senate bid.”
Stevens isn’t the only lawmaker from Michigan to introduce articles of impeachment against a member of Donald Trump’s Cabinet. Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich., this week introduced articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing him of murder and conspiracy to murder, after a news report that he issued an order to “kill them all” on board a small vessel in the Caribbean suspected of carrying drugs. The White House and Hegseth have repeatedly said no illegal orders were given.
Both Stevens and Thanedar are locked in fiercely competitive Democratic primary elections in the Wolverine State. Thanedar is facing a challenge from a candidate backed by the progressive group Justice Democrats. Stevens is one of a handful of Democrats vying for her party’s nomination to succeed Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., who is not seeking re-election. Other Democrats running for the Senate seat include state Sen. Mallory McMorrow and Abdul El-Sayed, a former Wayne County health official and 2018 gubernatorial candidate.
Meanwhile, Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, the progressive firebrand who was removed from Trump’s address to Congress this year after confronting him on the floor, said he will soon file articles of impeachment against Trump.
Unveiling impeachment articles could energize voters in the progressive base, particularly those casting ballots in the Michigan primary races.
But for now, these efforts are symbolic and aren’t going anywhere. While Democratic leaders have been infuriated by the actions of Trump and his Cabinet officials, they’ve dismissed impeachment as politically unrealistic.
Republicans control the House — albeit by an extremely narrow 220 to 213 margin. Stevens and Thanedar could force a vote on the floor by offering their impeachment resolutions as “privileged,” but it’s certain Republicans would be able to kill the resolutions by voting to table or refer them to a committee.
“Republicans will never allow articles of impeachment to be brought to the floor of the House of Representatives. And we know that’s the case because Donald Trump will order them not to do it,” Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., told reporters last week when asked about calls to impeach Hegseth.
“So what’s on the table is a meaningful investigation,” he said, “which we can hope would be bipartisan.”
Stevens’ push comes months after Stand Up For Science, a political group formed to defend America’s science community, began circulating a petition to impeach and remove Kennedy as secretary. Specifically, the petition says Kennedy had lied to Congress by telling senators during his confirmation hearing that he would not undermine the nation’s vaccine development, approval and regulatory systems. But the group said he has done just that, with serious consequences.
“Secretary Kennedy’s words and actions are killing Americans,” the petition said.
Stevens said Michigan now has one of the highest rates of measles cases.
“And look, those are serious charges to levy to say RFK Jr. is costing lives,” she said. But she added that the secretary is “purporting conspiracy theories and prohibiting medical research availability.”
