Staff Reports
To create tension between Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his running mate, Democrats have placed an advertisement in Nicole Shanahan's local newspaper. The ad calls on Shanahan to clarify her stance on Kennedy's comment that there's "little evidence of a true insurrection" at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Democrats are concerned that Kennedy's independent presidential campaign could draw votes away from President Biden. As a result, they are working to discredit Kennedy by drawing attention to his controversial statements, especially those related to the Capitol riot on January 6, when protesters disrupted the certification of the 2020 election results.
DNC hits Kennedy ticket on Jan. 6 comments https://t.co/mNRk4BvXKT
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) April 24, 2024
The newspaper ad features a picture of Kennedy wearing a red "Make America Great Again" hat, intending to associate him with former President Trump. Kennedy has indicated he would appoint a special counsel to review how prosecutors managed the cases of those involved in the Capitol riot.
Democrats view Kennedy's stance as extreme. Matt Corridoni, a spokesperson for the Democratic National Committee, commented, "Voters should know if Nicole Shanahan aligns with RFK Jr.'s belief that the actions of violent MAGA extremists on January 6th were not a 'true insurrection.'"
The Kennedy campaign retracted a fundraising email that referred to the January 6th defendants as "activists," stating that it was sent by a new marketing contractor in error and did not represent Kennedy's views. However, Kennedy continues to express concern about potential political motives in prosecuting the January 6th defendants.
Kennedy stated, "I haven't reviewed all the evidence, but reasonable people, including some who oppose Trump, say there's little proof of a real insurrection. They note that the protesters had no weapons, no plans to take control of the government, and that Trump himself urged peaceful protest."
Kennedy's strong views and his promise to investigate possible prosecutorial bias have stirred controversy among Democrats, who worry about his impact on the upcoming election.
