When AP investigative reporter Michelle R. Smith learned about a letter signed by doctors in support of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination as the next secretary of Health and Human Services, she questioned the credibility of the signatories—knowing Kennedy had been associated with doctors who had lost their licenses or faced disciplinary action.
But obtaining the letter was not easy. During the confirmation hearing, Smith overheard a senator mention that he was submitting such letters for the record. Immediately recognizing the significance, she reached out to the senator’s office to secure the long-sought document.
The letter not only included the names of doctors whose licenses had been revoked, suspended, or were under disciplinary review, but also listed signers who were not doctors at all—including a self-described journalist, a certified public accountant, and a firefighter/paramedic.
The story is a stellar example of AP journalists’ deep knowledge, sharp news instincts, and quick action.
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