Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suggests Jan. 6 prosecutions politically motivated, says he wants to “hear every side”
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who’s running for president as an independent candidate, suggested in a statement that the prosecutions of rioters who violently attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, might be politically motivated, a view that echoes that of former President Donald Trump and his allies.
The statement came a day after Kennedy came under fire for a fundraising email that painted a sympathetic portrait of the rioters as “activists” who had been “stripped of their constitutional liberties.”
Kennedy’s campaign then said that statement “was an error that does not reflect Mr. Kennedy’s views.”
gallows was photographed outside the Capitol the day of the attack and some chanted “Hang Mike Pence.” Rioters roamed the halls, calling out, “Where are you, Nancy?” referring to Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the House speaker at the time.
Police officers were bruised and bloodied as they were dragged into the crowd and beaten. One officer was crushed in a doorframe and another suffered a heart attack after a rioter pressed a stun gun against his neck and repeatedly shocked him.
More than 1,300 people have been charged in the attack on the Capitol, including roughly 500 people accused of assaulting, resisting or impeding officers. About 1,000 have pleaded guilty or been convicted by a judge or a jury of crimes including seditious conspiracy, assault and civil disorder. Only two defendants have been cleared of all charges after a trial, both by judges who decided the case without a jury.
Of the more than 800 rioters who have been sentenced, at least 229 have received at least one year behind bars, according to an Associated Press review of court records. The longest sentences so far have gone to the leaders of two far-right extremist groups — the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys — who were convicted of seditious conspiracy after trials that showcased weeks of plotting to use force to stop the transfer of presidential power from Trump to Biden.
Judges overseeing the cases in Washington’s federal court have routinely stressed that the rioters are being punished for their actions, not their political beliefs. Judges appointed to the bench by presidents of both political parties have sought to use their platforms to combat distortions about the attack and admonish rioters for casting themselves as victims of political persecution.
Under Justice Department rules, the attorney general — not the president — appoints special counsels. And special counsels have historically been appointed to investigate crimes, not to revisit prosecutorial decisions made by Justice Department leaders.
Kennedy portrayed Trump, who faces dozens of charges in four jurisdictions for various alleged crimes, as a victim of a politically motivated government, echoing both the former president’s own characterization of the charges as corrupt and claims from Republicans in Congress 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 the weaponization of government against him,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy is a lawyer and activist known for fighting for environmental causes and rejecting the scientific consensus that vaccines are safe and effective. He has a fervent base of support among voters distrustful of the government and other institutions in American life, including the media, political parties and corporations.
Democrats and their allies on the left have mobilized against Kennedy, the descendent of prominent Democrats from the most recognizable dynasty in U.S. politics, who they worry will split the anti-Trump coalition and help Trump to victory in November.
“There aren’t two sides to violent rioters who assaulted police officers and tried to overthrow our democracy,” said Matt Corridoni, a spokesperson for the Democratic National Committee. “Time and again, 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 providing cover for Trump by downplaying the seriousness of January 6th.”
Allison Novello contributed to this report.
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Source: cbsnews.com