Meet the press Moderator Kristen Welker shut down Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s (R-OK) repeated attempts to peddle a debunked claim that vaccines were linked to autism by praising the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to serve as secretary of the health and social services.

Welker asked Mullin if Kennedy’s unfounded views on vaccines would pose an obstacle to his quest to be confirmed for a cabinet position. Kennedy has frequently linked vaccines to autism, a claim that has no scientific basis and has been repeatedly refuted by top medical experts, while Mullin has praised vaccines produced under Donald Trump.

Mullin tried to object, saying he appreciated that Kennedy was “taking a hard look” at vaccines. “I appreciate the scrutiny that goes into it,” Mullin said. “I think Bobby can answer all these questions. I had several conversations with him.

He then attempted to conflate the scrutiny Kennedy and former Fox News anchor Pete Hegseth received with the officials appointed during the Joe Biden administration, specifically targeting three separate administration officials whose only similarity is being part of the LGBTQ community.

Welker redirected him, noting Mullin’s past claims about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. Mullin wrote a piece for Oklahoma Stilwell Democratic Journal in 2020 to promote the COVID-19 vaccine, writing that “FDA-approved vaccines are safe and effective.”

“Aren’t you concerned that RFK Jr oversees the nation’s largest health agency? » » asked Welker.

But Mullin claimed he had long questioned vaccines before openly and wildly speculating about their link to autism rates.

“I think they should be questioned,” he said. “For example, why is America most affected by autism? What is the cause of this? Is it our diet? Or is it some of the stuff we put into our children’s systems? Before, we hardly heard about it, then it went from one to 10,000, then from one to 5,000 and from one to 2,000. In some races, at the moment, one in 36 children is At the age of three he developed a form of autism. What causes this?

Welker later noted that his speculations had no basis in reality. “No credible expert or study has shown a link between vaccines and autism,” she said. “So I just want to get it officially on the record with that.”

He tried to sue, saying the studies on vaccines and autism were “extremely vague,” but Welker didn’t buy it.

“Again, there is no scientific proof of this,” she said.