On a Wednesday, Michigan’s own Rep. Haley Stevens filed an article of impeachment against Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a move that is unlikely to change anything in the Republican‑controlled House.
Stevens’ Impeachment Filing
Stevens had promised to bring the article to the floor in September, citing Kennedy’s actions and public remarks as threats to public health, rising health‑care costs, and the cancellation of vital medical‑research programs. The New York Times was the first outlet to report the filing. In a brief interview Tuesday night, Stevens said she had listened to pro‑science groups that warned Kennedy’s 10‑month tenure had 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.”
She added that she was a “very serious lawmaker” who gets a lot done, but would not sit quietly while people’s health and safety were at risk. In a video posted to social media Wednesday, she declared, “RFK, Jr., has got to go.”
A Broader Michigan Impeachment Surge
Stevens is not the only Michigan representative to file an impeachment article against a Trump‑appointed cabinet member. Rep. Shri Thanedar, D‑Michigan, introduced articles against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth this week, accusing him of murder and conspiracy to murder after a news report alleged Hegseth issued an order to “kill them all” on a small Caribbean vessel suspected of carrying drugs. The White House and Hegseth have repeatedly denied that any illegal orders were given.
Both Stevens and Thanedar are locked in fiercely competitive Democratic primary races in the Wolverine State. Thanedar faces a challenger backed by the progressive group Justice Democrats, while Stevens competes with state Sen. Mallory McMorrow and former Wayne County health official Abdul El‑Sayed for the seat vacated by Sen. Gary Peters, D‑Michigan.
Rep. Al Green, D‑Texas, who was removed from a Trump address to Congress after confronting the former president on the floor, said he will soon file articles of impeachment against Trump. These filings, while symbolic, could energize progressive voters in Michigan’s primaries.
Republican Control Makes Advancement Unlikely
Republicans hold the House by a razor‑thin 220‑to‑213 margin. Stevens and Thanedar could force a floor vote by offering their resolutions as “privileged,” but Republicans would almost certainly 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‑New York, told reporters last week when asked about calls to impeach Hegseth.
>
> “So what’s on the table is a meaningful investigation,” he added, “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. The petition claims Kennedy lied to Congress during his confirmation hearing, telling senators he would not undermine the nation’s vaccine‑development, approval, and regulatory systems, yet has acted contrary to that promise with serious consequences. “Secretary Kennedy’s words and actions are killing Americans,” the petition says.
Stevens also pointed out that Michigan now has one of the highest rates of measles cases. She said, “And look, those are serious charges to levy to say RFK Jr. is costing lives,” adding that the secretary is “purporting conspiracy theories and prohibiting medical research availability.”
Kennedy’s own testimony to the Senate Finance Committee revealed he fired CDC director Susan Monarez because she was not “a trustworthy person.” Monarez claims she was dismissed for refusing to endorse vaccine recommendations not supported by science.
Key Takeaways
- Michigan Rep. Haley Stevens filed an impeachment article against HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on a Wednesday, a move unlikely to advance in the Republican‑controlled House.
- Rep. Shri Thanedar has similarly filed articles against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Rep. Al Green plans to file against President Trump.
- Republican control of the House and statements from Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries suggest impeachment resolutions will be killed before a floor vote.
While the filings may not alter the legislative agenda, they signal a growing willingness among Michigan Democrats to confront Trump‑appointed officials in the current political climate.
