Washington's federal court judges have repeatedly highlighted that rioters are being punished for their acts, not their politics. Presidentially appointed judges from both parties have used their platforms to dispel attack myths and chastise rioters for portraying themselves as political victims.
Special counsels are appointed by the attorney general, not the president, per Justice Department standards. Special counsels have traditionally investigated offenses like Trump's, not Justice Department leadership decisions.
Kennedy portrayed Trump, who faces dozens of charges in four jurisdictions for various alleged crimes, as a victim of a politically motivated government, echoing the former president's description of the charges as corrupt and Republican claims that federal agencies are “weaponized” against conservatives.
One can, as I do, oppose Donald Trump and all he stands for, and still be disturbed by government weaponization against him,” Kennedy added. Kennedy is a lawyer and activist who promotes environmental concerns and disputes vaccine safety and efficacy. He has a strong following among voters who distrust the government, media, political parties, and corporations.
Democrats and their left-wing allies fear Kennedy, the descendant of the most famous Democratic family, will split the anti-Trump coalition and help Trump win November.
“There aren’t two sides to violent rioters who assaulted police officers and tried to overthrow our democracy,” stated DNC spokesperson Matt Corridoni. “RFK Jr. has proven he's a spoiler for Donald Trump, whether it's having his candidacy propped up by Trump's largest donor or downplaying January 6th's seriousness.”
Kennedy's conspiratorial ideas overlap with Trump's, so former president allies worry about his candidacy. Kennedy was involved with Jan. 6 disruption and the movement spreading the idea that Trump stole the election before he ran for president. On Jan. 6, Kennedy's campaign staffer Del Bigtree and anti-vaccine business owners Ty and Charlene Bollinger, who the AP has reported have had a financial relationship with Kennedy, hosted a demonstration outside the Capitol.
In the months after the attack, Kennedy was a top-billed speaker at the Christian nationalist ReAwaken America tour, led by former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn. Speakers continually claim that the 2020 presidential election was stolen and Trump is the rightful president. Kennedy posed backstage with Flynn, Bollinger, and Trump ally Roger Stone.
Alex Jones, a Sandy Hook conspiracy theorist who attended the demonstration before the Capitol attack and marched up the Capitol steps on Jan. 6, has interviewed Kennedy. Children's Health Defense, which Kennedy led for years, is suing several news organizations, including The Associated Press, for violating antitrust laws by identifying misinformation about COVID-19 and its vaccines. Kennedy is a lawyer for the Bollingers in that litigation.
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