RFK Jr. Clashes With Dems on the Hill, Hero High School Principal, SantaCon Fraud: AM Update 4/17

April 17, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

RFK Jr. Clashes With Democrats on the Hill, Hero Principal Tackles Shooter, SantaCon Fraud

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sat through two of seven scheduled oversight hearings yesterday, defending the Trump administration's budget proposal while Democrats repeatedly challenged him on vaccine policy, research funding, and agency staffing. The hearings turned combative quickly—but elsewhere, an Oklahoma principal was being hailed as a hero for tackling an armed school shooter, and the president of New York City's infamous SantaCon pub crawl was arrested for allegedly pocketing charity donations.

RFK Jr. Defends HHS Budget Amid Heated Exchanges on Vaccines and Cuts

At the Ways and Means Committee hearing, Ranking Member Richard Neal opened by invoking the pre-polio era and accusing Kennedy of spreading anti-vaccine rhetoric. "Nothing has changed about the science of vaccines," Neal said. "We need people not to be preyed upon by demagoguery."

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What you'll learn

1 (00:33) **Episode Open & Headlines** - Megyn Kelly opens the Friday, April 17th, 2026 AM update, previewing the top stories.
2 (03:12) **RFK Jr. Defends HHS Budget on the Hill** - HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appears for two of seven scheduled oversight hearings, defending the Trump administration's budget proposal.
3 (05:52) **Clash Over Measles Outbreak and Agency Staffing** - The hearing turns combative as Democrats question Kennedy on the correlation between his anti-vaccine rhetoric and a rise in preventable diseases.
4 (08:07) **Democrats Reject Proposed Budget Cuts** - Rep. Joe Courtney makes clear that Democrats will not back the proposed cuts to Medicaid and public health programs.
5 (10:17) **Justin Fairfax Murder-Suicide** - Former Democratic Lieutenant Governor of Virginia Justin Fairfax kills his wife Serena and then himself during messy divorce proceedings.
6 (12:55) **Fairfax's Political Background** - The report covers Justin Fairfax's political career and the sexual assault allegations that derailed it.
7 (14:15) **Oklahoma Principal Hailed as Hero** - Principal Kirk Moore of Pauls Valley High School is praised for tackling an armed school shooter.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Justin Fairfax

Show Notes

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. clashes with Democrats in two heated Capitol Hill hearings over vaccines, staffing cuts, and the Trump administration’s sweeping health budget proposal. Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax fatally shoots his wife amid a contentious divorce before taking his own life, with their teenage children home at the time. An Oklahoma high school principal is hailed as a hero after tackling a school shooter. The organizer of New York City’s SantaCon is charged with wire fraud for allegedly diverting millions in charitable donations into a personal slush fund.

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