Presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has withdrawn a controversial fundraising email that referred to the Jan. 6 Capitol rioters as “activists”. The email, which also described WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange as a "political prisoner," was claimed to be a mistake.
What Happened: The email was sent out by Kennedy’s team on Thursday, suggesting that Assange and the Jan. 6 rioters were victims of an "outrageous miscarriage of justice." The email, initially reported by NBC News, sparked controversy and was later retracted by Kennedy’s campaign spokesperson, Stephanie Spear, reported The Hill.
See Also: Former Trump Attorney Predicts Judge’s Removal From Ex-President’s Classified Documents Case
Spear stated that the email's language was an error and did not reflect Kennedy’s views. She clarified that it was inserted by a new marketing contractor and bypassed the normal approval process. The campaign has since terminated its contract with the vendor responsible for the error.
Why It Matters: In January, Benzinga reported that Kennedy supported former President Donald Trump’s ballot rights amid his independent campaign. Later that month, it was revealed that Trump’s team had initiated preliminary discussions with Kennedy about a potential vice-presidential role.
Recently, Kennedy labeled President Joe Biden as a more significant threat to democracy than Trump. This recent email controversy adds another layer to Kennedy’s contentious campaign and his relationship with the Trump administration.
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