Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump's pick to run the Department of Health and Human Services, failed to initially properly report more than half a million dollars in income from his anti-vax nonprofit and a law firm employer, according to new filings with U.S. Office of Government Ethics.
Kennedy's 2023 and 2024 public financial disclosure reports required during his run for president inaccurately reported his salary and bonuses by $503,794.41 from Children's Health Defense, a nonprofit Kennedy founded that has campaigned against vaccines, and JW Howard Attorneys, a California law firm that has litigated more than 40 cases against vaccine mandates and where Kennedy works as a constitutional and environmental litigator.
Two Dec. 11 letters to Shelley Finlayson, acting director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, amended the reports and said that Kennedy reported his net pay instead of his gross pay for the two groups, leading to the misreported hundreds of thousands of dollars in income.
Kennedy actually earned $836,571.25 from Children's Health Defense, instead of the $515,960 as reported in June 2023. For his 2024 report, Kennedy's income for the nonprofit was actually $326,056 instead of $215,510.53 initially reported.
He failed to report earning $481,732 from JW Howard Attorneys on his 2024 report, erroneously reporting a salary of $409,094.31 in July 2024.
"After reviewing that letter, I continue to conclude that Mr. Kennedy is in compliance with applicable laws and regulations," Finayason said a note on each report, signed Dec. 12.
After twice delaying filing his 2024 report, Kennedy reported earning millions from other sources, including conservative book publisher, Skyhorse Publishing, and his environmental law firm, Kennedy and Madonna, Raw Story reported in July.
Kennedy's nomination for health secretary has raised concerns about his views on widely accepted medical practices such as vaccinations and fluorinating water. Most recently, Kennedy backed off on reported efforts to revoke the approval for the polio vaccine.
A spokesperson for Kennedy did not immediately respond to Raw Story's request for comment.
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