Rep. Troy Carter challenged HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during a House Energy and Commerce hearing, urging him to spend less time on sensational animal anecdotes and more on issues facing Americans. Kennedy denied discussing those topics in his testimony. The remarks follow book excerpts by New York Post reporter Isabel Vincent that attribute unusual accounts to Kennedy, including removing a raccoon’s genitals from roadkill and keeping a "freezer full" of roadkill. Reports also connect him to an incident in which a dead bear cub was left in Central Park.
House Democrat Rebukes HHS Secretary RFK Jr., Urges Focus Away From ‘Whale Heads’ and ‘Raccoon Parts’
Troy Carter, RFK Jr.
Rep. Troy Carter (D-La.) publicly pressed Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing Tuesday, urging him to concentrate on policy priorities rather than sensational personal anecdotes about animals.
Kennedy was testifying as lawmakers reviewed the Trump administration’s budget proposal for the Department of Health and Human Services for fiscal year 2027. Carter used his allotted time to admonish the secretary for attention-grabbing stories that, he argued, distract from the concerns of everyday Americans.
"Mr. Secretary, I got two seconds, respectfully — you know what I’d really wish you’d spend more time on? More time thinking about the American people, less time talking about whale heads, bear heads, and raccoon parts!" Carter said.
Kennedy interrupted the line of questioning, denying the characterization. "I don’t talk about any of those things!" he replied, before the exchange ended when Vice Chair Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.) indicated Carter’s time had expired.
The confrontation follows published excerpts from a new book by New York Post reporter Isabel Vincent that attribute several unusual anecdotes to Kennedy. Among those claims is a dramatic account that Kennedy once removed the genitalia from a road-killed raccoon on I-684 and boxed the specimen to study later while his children waited in the car. The book also cites Kennedy saying he has kept a "freezer full" of roadkill meat for years.
Separate reports link Kennedy to an incident more than a decade ago in which a dead bear cub was found in New York’s Central Park. According to those accounts, Kennedy had found a bear upstate and had intended to skin and eat it, then stopped for a meal at Peter Luger Steak House in Brooklyn and subsequently left the cub in Central Park; reporters say the scene was allegedly staged to look as if the animal had been struck by a cyclist.
At the hearing Kennedy disputed discussing such topics in public testimony. The exchange highlights tensions over how public officials’ personal histories and reported anecdotes affect perceptions of their focus and priorities while carrying out official duties.
Context: The linked book excerpts and past reporting have drawn widespread attention, prompting members of Congress to question whether such stories distract from the policy work of the HHS department.
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