Fact Checking

Supreme Court Rejects Covid-Related Appeals by Kennedy’s Children’s Health Defense

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On Monday, the Supreme Court declined to hear two Covid-related appeals brought by Children’s Health Defense, the anti-vaccine group founded by independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. This decision leaves lower court rulings against the group in place.

One case challenged the FDA’s emergency authorization of Covid-19 vaccines in December 2020, claiming the vaccines were “ineffective and lacked proper vetting.” The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that Kennedy’s group did not have legal standing to sue. The other case was against Rutgers University over its Covid-19 vaccine mandate. The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals concluded that the plaintiffs “have not stated any plausible claim for relief.”

Kennedy, who left the group in April 2023 to run for president, is listed as a lawyer on the Rutgers filing at the Supreme Court. Despite his leave of absence, he spoke at a Children’s Health Defense conference in November, downplaying his anti-vaccine activity on the campaign trail.

In a related matter, the court also turned away a challenge to Connecticut’s decision to repeal a religious exemption for school vaccinations.