Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an independent presidential candidate, stated in a statement that the prosecutions of rioters who forcefully attacked the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, could be politically motivated, echoing former President Donald Trump and his associates.
Kennedy made the statement a day after receiving backlash for a fundraising email that portrayed the rioters as “activists” who had “stripped of their constitutional liberties.”
Kennedy’s campaign immediately clarified that the statement “was an error that does not reflect Mr. Kennedy’s views.”
The campaign went on to say, “A new marketing contractor inserted it and slipped through the normal approval process,” before announcing the cancellation of the campaign’s contract with the vendor.
Nonetheless, Kennedy’s subsequent statement on the subject struck a similar tone. Kennedy, instead of dismissing the notion of unfair punishment for the rioters, embraced it, expressing his concern about the possibility that political objectives motivated the vigor of the prosecution of the J6 defendants.
He argued, “Reasonable individuals, including Trump opponents, tell me there is scant indication of a genuine insurgency. They notice that the protestors had no weapons, had no plans or abilities to grab power, and that Trump himself had urged them to protest ‘peacefully.'”
CBS News’ Scott MacFarlane, who has extensively covered the Jan. 6 prosecutions, pointed out that there were “many, many, many weapons carried by the protesters, including guns, knives, axes, batons, bats, sticks, flagpoles, pepper and bear spray, and a tomahawk,” and that they used them to attack police who were attempting to protect the Capitol.
In his comments, Kennedy criticized Trump, noting that the attack on the Capitol occurred with his “encouragement” and “in the context of his delusion that the election was stolen from him.””Nonetheless, Kennedy stated that as president, he would appoint a special counsel to investigate if Trump loyalists were unfairly targeted for prosecution, “and I will right any wrongs that we discover.”
Trump frequently refers to those convicted in the Jan. 6 attack as “hostages” and has pledged to pardon them if he reclaims the presidency.
Kennedy then withdrew his claim that most protestors lacked weapons, publishing another statement Friday evening that said, “My understanding that none of the January 6 rioters who invaded the capitol were carrying firearms was incorrect.” Several people have faced convictions for bringing guns into the Capitol building. Others attacked Capitol police with pepper spray, bludgeons, and other homemade weapons.”
“This behavior is inexcusable,” he said. “I have never minimized or dismissed the seriousness of the riot or any crime committed on that day.”
The violence on January 6 was extensive. The mob of Trump fans broke past police lines, engaged in a hand-to-hand battle with policemen, destroyed windows, and spilled into the Capitol building, driving politicians into shelter.
On the day of the attack, people photographed a makeshift gallows outside the Capitol and screamed, “Hang Mike Pence.” Rioters stormed the corridors, crying out, “Where are you, Nancy?” in reference to Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The mob pulled in and abused the police officers, leaving them injured and bloodied. A rioter repeatedly shocked one officer with a stun gun, crushing him in a doorframe and causing a heart attack in another.
In connection with the Capitol incident, authorities have charged over 1,300 people, accusing over 500 of assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers. Approximately 1,000 people have pleaded guilty or been convicted by a court or jury of charges such as seditious conspiracy, assault, and civil unrest. Judges who ruled without a jury have acquitted only two offenders of all charges following a trial.
According to an examination of court records by the Associated Press, at least 229 of the more than 800 rioters condemned have received at least one year in prison. The leaders of two far-right extremist groups, the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys, have received the heaviest terms thus far. They were convicted of seditious conspiracy following trials that revealed weeks of preparation to use force to prevent the transition of presidential power from Trump to Biden.
The judges overseeing the cases in Washington’s federal court have consistently asserted that they are punishing the rioters for their actions, not their political beliefs. Judges appointed to the bench by presidents of both political parties have attempted to use their platforms to counter misinformation about the attack and chastise rioters for portraying themselves as victims of political persecution.
According to Justice Department standards, the attorney general, not the president, appoints special counsels. And, historically, special counsels have been appointed to investigate crimes rather than review prosecutorial choices made by Justice Department officials.
Kennedy portrayed Trump, who is facing 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 description of the charges as corrupt and Republican congressional 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 the weaponization of government against him,” he stated.
Kennedy is a lawyer and activist who advocates for environmental reasons while dismissing the scientific consensus that vaccines are safe and beneficial. He has a strong base of support among those who distrust the government and other institutions in American life, including the media, political parties, and corporations.
Democrats and their left-wing supporters have rallied against Kennedy, the descendant of famous Democrats from the most recognizable political dynasty in the United States, fearing that he will split the anti-Trump coalition and help Trump win in November.
“There aren’t two sides to violent rioters who assaulted police officers and tried to overthrow our democracy,” said Matt Corridoni, a Democratic National Committee spokesperson. “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.”
