Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Responds to Sexual Assault Accusation, Brushes Off Allegations

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., independent presidential candidate, has responded to allegations of sexual assault made by former babysitter Eliza Cooney. In a report published by Vanity Fair, Cooney accused Kennedy of groping her in 1998 while she was working as a part-time babysitter for his family. Kennedy, however, dismissed the incident, stating that he is not a “church boy” and had a “very rambunctious youth.”

Cooney, who was 23 years old at the time, moved into the Kennedy’s home in Mount Kisco, New York, to care for their children and assist Kennedy with his environmental law clinic at Pace University. She alleged that Kennedy touched her leg during a business meeting and later appeared shirtless in her bedroom, asking her to rub lotion on his back. Cooney further claimed that months later, Kennedy groped her hips, rib cage, and breasts while she was in the kitchen pantry. The assault was interrupted when a male worker entered the kitchen.

During an interview on the Breaking Points podcast with Saagar Enjeti, Kennedy referred to Vanity Fair’s article as “a lot of garbage” and defended himself. He acknowledged his past, stating that he had a “very, very rambunctious youth” and had mentioned having numerous skeletons in his closet during his campaign announcement speech. Kennedy did not directly address the specific allegations but stated that he would not comment on them.

The Vanity Fair article also detailed other allegations, including claims that Kennedy sent explicit images of nude women to friends. It was unclear if the women in the photos had consented to having their genitalia photographed or shared with others. Additionally, the article mentioned a photo of Kennedy and an unidentified woman pretending to eat what appeared to be dog meat. Kennedy claimed the photo was actually taken during a trip to Patagonia where he was eating goat.

These revelations come at a critical time for Kennedy’s presidential campaign as he seeks support for his independent bid. However, his family, close friends, and former colleagues have urged him to drop out of the 2024 presidential race, warning that his campaign could potentially take away crucial votes from President Joe Biden and benefit Donald Trump.