RFK lied about vaccines.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spreads misinformation about COVID vaccine mandate ruling

Statement: "The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals just ruled Covid vax mandates unconstitutional."

Full story: After a court ruling in favor of LA school employees, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., known for his misleading anti-vaccine claims, celebrates on Facebook:

"The ranks of the conspiracy theorists now include the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which just ruled Covid vax mandates unconstitutional...I seem to remember the experts and authorities telling us otherwise."

But Kennedy misleadingly characterizes the 9th Circuit Court's ruling. The court didn't rule on the mandate's constitutionality, instead allowing a lawsuit filed by mandate-opposed employees and the Health Freedom Defense Fund to move forward.

Legal experts Stacey B. Lee and [Dorit Reiss](https://law.ucsf.edu/faculty/ profiles/doritreiss) clarify that the court didn't address mandate constitutionality but procedural questions, namely:

• "Did the school district’s decision to revoke the mandate render the case moot?"
• "Did the lower court correctly apply a Supreme Court precedent related to vaccine requirements?"

Judge Ryan Nelson wrote in the 2-1 decision that the lower court dismissal was incorrect, keeping the case alive. Lee emphasized:

"The court did not rule on...the plaintiffs’ factual allegations about the vaccines."

Kennedy's claim is false, misrepresenting the Court's procedural decision as a ruling against COVID vaccine mandates.

Sources:

• Kennedy's Facebook post
• 9th Circuit Court's decision
• LA Times on LAUSD vaccine mandate
• Legal experts Stacey B. Lee and Dorit Reiss
• Previous Politifact article on Kennedy's claims