In the past, Rep. Carolyn Maloney embraced that notion, though she later changed her position.
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), who is locked in a contentious primary in Manhattan, expressed “regret” for voicing concerns in the past about the potential health effects of childhood vaccines.
In a heated interview on Gotham Gazette reporter Ben Max’s podcast that came out on Monday, Maloney initially defended her record by pointing to her work helping fund COVID-19 vaccine distribution.
“I am vaccinated. My children are vaccinated,” Maloney said. “I have brought millions of vaccines ― over $5 billion ― to the city of New York to support the establishment of vaccines. And I would say that my record is a good one in supporting vaccines.”
But when pressed on her statements about a supposed link between vaccines and autism, as well as legislation she introduced years ago to study the health effects of vaccines, Maloney said she wished she had never said anything to question vaccine safety.
“I regret any statement I ever made asking a question about vaccines,” she said. “There were two bills that I co-sponsored that studied them. I regret asking to study vaccines.”When asked if Maloney’s campaign wanted to offer any clarification, a campaign spokesperson said her remarks were consistent with what she has said in the past.
The comments nonetheless appear to mark the first time that Maloney has expressed regret of any kind about her past dabbling in vaccine skepticism, and her associations with prominent vaccine skeptics.
