U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal has again set his sights on Kim Kardashian, this time over so-called detox teas the celebrity superstar has been promoting on Instagram.
He organized a news conference at Hartford Hospital Monday to issue an “urgent warning” about the teas, which he has described as “ineffective at best and dangerous at worst.”
The senator wrote to the chairman of the Federal Trade Commission earlier this month outlining his concerns. He said senna leaves used in many of the teas have short-term side effects including abdominal pain, nausea and diarrhea, and long-term consequences including bowel damage, heart function disorders, muscle weakness and liver damage.
Blumenthal also said manufacturers of the teas, marketed as weight loss products, “are taking advantage of young people’s insecurities and the power of celebrities on social media platforms to endorse their products.” He pointed to Kardashian, who has promoted Flat Tummy Co., a company that makes meal replacement shakes and detox teas.
“These meal replacement shakes are so good and they’re helping me get my tummy back to flat,” wrote Kardashian, who has nearly 142 million followers on Instagram.
Blumenthal said Kardashian’s post implies “these products are an integral part of achieving this level of fame and success.”
It’s not the first time Blumenthal, a longtime champion of consumer issues, has tangled with the Kardashians. As Connecticut’s attorney general in 2010, he launched an investigation into the “Kardashian Kard,” a prepaid debit card he described as “filled with gotcha fees and charges” and that he said targeted young adults with predatory terms and conditions.
The Kardashians sisters — Kim, Khloe and Kourtney — terminated their agreement with the card’s issuers after Blumenthal launched his investigation, saying the probe threatened their “honest” and “ethical” reputation.
“The Kardashians have worked extremely long and hard to create a positive public persona that appeals to everyone, particularly young adults,” said Dennis Roach, an attorney for the sisters. “Unfortunately, the negative spotlight turned on the Kardashians as a result of the Attorney General’s comments and actions threatens everything for which they have worked.”
