Why isn’t Robert F. Kennedy being given Secret Service protection?

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1224

Democrat presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has pointed out the lack of security given to him by the Biden Administration, as he mounts a challenge to President Joe Biden for the Democratic Party nomination.

Kennedy, son of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, took his concerns to social media last week, saying the Department of Homeland Security denied his request for Secret Service protection.

“Since the assassination of my father in 1968, candidates for president are provided Secret Service protection. But not me,” Kennedy wrote on X. “Our campaign’s request included a 67-page report from the world’s leading protection firm, detailing unique and well established security and safety risks aside from commonplace death threats.”

In addition to his own father’s assassination, his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated in 1963.

Not all candidates are afforded protection, but the high-profile candidates are, although it’s up to the Secret Service. The Homeland Security secretary, in consultation with an advisory committee of the House and Senate, determines which candidates are considered leading candidates.

Typically, the leading candidates have Secret Service protection in the last 120 days of the election cycle. The presidential election is more than a year away, but the Democrats’ South Carolina primary is just 189 days from July 29.

Kennedy said his request to the agency went unanswered for 88 and that finally Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas responded and said “that Secret Service protection for Robert F Kennedy Jr is not warranted at this time.” 

Some say Kennedy has no chance against party-backed Joe Biden. But he has overall high favorability, much higher than other leading candidates, according to a Harvard/Harris poll for Newsweek last week. If the election was a winner-takes-all popularity poll, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. would win.

During the 2020 race, NPR wrote that it is mostly up to the candidates to ask for protection from the Secret Service.

In a story that wondered why the Secret Service wasn’t assigned to candidates Sen. Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders, NPR linked an explanation from the Secret Service, which has since been removed from the agency’s page.

That statement said: “Following a candidate’s formal request, the bi-partisan Candidate Protection Advisory Committee, which consists of the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate and an additional member selected by the committee, makes a recommendation to inform the decision of the Secretary of Homeland Security.”

At that point in March of 2020, neither Biden nor Sanders had requested protection.

The Secret Service has also yet to be assigned to protect Joe Biden’s seventh grandchild, 4-year-old Navy Joan Roberts, who the president finally acknowledged on Friday night after coming under intense criticism for pretending she doesn’t exist.

30 COMMENTS

  1. President Donald J Trump and running mate Robert F Kennedy Junior, the 2024 Dream Ticket 😉

  2. Watch out for this stealth alt-left big govt commie – the media will play on his family name as they have with all his relatives for 80 years. This guy is virtually unknown – and that is what makes him so dangerously electable. Bobbie Jr will continue the destruction of America that the hair-sniffer and his squad handlers are pushing so hard for. Pin him down – what will he do and who will he appoint to positions of policy-making power? Worse, who are the crony capitalists who will be pulling his strings? Republicans, brandon is finished (Thank God), get moving on oppo research on Kennedy and strategy for defeating him – and PLEASE don’t drop the ball!

    • With ‘Republicans’ like Lisa Murkowski and Nick Begich III, I think I’d rather take my chances with RFK Jr.
      At least he’s willing to take a stick to big Pharma after forcing Covid jabs. ‘Republicans’ got their boosters like good little sheep, then sat on their hands and looked the other way while people were forced out of work and sneered at.

      • But if Bobby Jr. is unavailable, Trump could always call on three-time loser Sarah Palin. At least he would get free Enquirer coverage.

    • …….but Teddy got SS protection. Teddy survived the secret plot in which Mary Jo Kopechne was supposed to drown him at Chappaquiddick.

    • Really? John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the President of the United States, didn’t get Secret Service protection?

      What planet do you live on?

      • The one where JFK wasn’t RFK’s father. Unless you know something to share with the class.

        Bobby should have gotten it as brother to sitting POTUS and as a competitive candidate for POTUS in 68. Not because he happened to be a Kennedy.

  3. Brandon is hoping that some fame seeker will wnt to make it a triple crown. So that he can blame ULTRA-MAGA extremist gun owning white male terrorists!

  4. Because he doesn’t qualify at this point. Same reason none of us are getting secret service protection.

    The name Kennedy doesn’t make one exempt from rules. At least not anymore.

  5. Some of the positions of RFK.

    -supported impeachment of Trump.
    -supports government controls on drug prices.
    -supports funding planned parenthood.
    -pro abortion for this trimester.
    -supports government funding of sanctuary cities.
    -opposes use of troops to contain Antifa style riots.
    -is pro gay marriage, adoption.
    -is pro equal pay and making people’s pay scales open to public scrutiny.
    -says 2020 was a fair election.
    -supports denial of pre existing conditions by insurance companies.
    -supports government regulations to enforce climate change initiatives.
    -supports government setting minimum wage with annual raises.
    -supports Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan.
    -opposes allowing teachers to carry guns.
    -supports anchor babies.
    -opposes separation of illegal families.
    -supports critical race theory being taught in schools.
    -supports limited free higher education.
    -supports mandatory paid sick leave for certain circumstances.
    -supports taxing the rich to pay for several things.
    -supports decriminalizing drugs.
    -supports mail in ballots for all elections.
    -opposes conflict with Iran in favor of “other means”

  6. More:
    -opposes qualified immunity for police.
    -supports term limits on SCOTUS.
    -opposes allowing local law enforcement turning over illegals to federal immigration.
    -supports adding more seats to SCOTUS.
    -supports illegals having government supported (taxpayer funded)
    healthcare.
    -opposes drilling in ANWR.

    • MA:
      .
      Murkowskis too ???
      Frankie, Nancy, Lisa?????
      The Alaska royals with low IQs, but adored by Democrats. Right up there with Fetterman, Feinstein, Paul and Nancy Pelosi and the Biden’s.
      Murkowski seem to fit right in with the royal Democrats.

      • Frankie and I have been “unfriended” by most Republicans, so yeah, we are swapping parties and joining the Democrats along with Lisa. Probably have to move out of Wrangell soon. Too many conservatives here.

  7. Here’s what the Secret Service says about presidential candidate protection:

    “Protection under these guidelines should only be granted within one year prior to the general election. Protection more than one year prior to the general election should only be granted in extraordinary, case by case circumstances in consultation with the committee, based on threat assessment and other factors.”

    ‘https://www.secretservice.gov/protection/leaders/campaign-2024

    As much as it pains me to give the Biden regime an out on this one, it appears they have an excuse. OTOH, what could be a more extraordinary, case by case basis than a candidate whose father and uncle were killed by assassins while president / presidential candidate? Cheers –

  8. Why isn’t RFK getting Secret Service protection? Because we have a thoroughly corrupt POTUS who uses the FBI & DOJ to harass & jail his political opponents!

  9. Because he is a Kennedy. They killed his father, why would they give him protection? Answering agimarc above, I would definitely call protection for RFK Jr. an extraordinary consideration due to his family’s history. They hate this guy because he will not kneel to the leftist Democrats that control the party. Mark my words, if he is becoming too successful in his run, they will go after him. These people are evil to the core and will not tolerate a moderate Democrat taking over their political machine.

    • And who are “they” exactly? The illuminati perhaps? The “deep state”? Or are they all one in the same invisible, evil entity?

    • Johnson: rfk is no moderate or even a democrat. He is as wacko as Mike Lindell and liar Rudy Guliani.

  10. Because everyone knows he doesn’t have the slightest chance of winning the nomination. This whole article is ludicrous.

  11. He doesn’t get secret service protection because the rules say they offer protection for major candidates 120 days before the election. “Major candidates” are decided by a group of bipartisan legislators and career employees. We’re not there yet. DeSantis doesn’t have secret service protection. Haley doesn’t. Vick… doesn’t. Christie doesn’t etc. No one but Trump, Pence and Biden do because they are either current or past white house people. Stop trying to throw up dust and create tantrums.
    ‘https://www.secretservice.gov/protection/leaders/campaign-2024

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