Public campaign finance disclosures from Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign reveal numerous payments to individuals and groups whose ideologies differ significantly from traditional Democratic Party politics, a review by CNN’s KFile finds.
Kennedy’s campaign paid a litany of prominent activists – which includes some anti-vaccine advocates, public health conspiracy theorists and Republicans, either individually or through their businesses – the filings show. One anti-vax activist, whose company was paid by Kennedy, once famously compared vaccine mandates to prosecution of Jews during the Holocaust.
The payments could undermine Kennedy’s Democratic bona fides as he attempts a longshot bid for the 2024 Democratic nomination against President Joe Biden.
Among the expenditures was a payment for $13,550 to a consulting company called KFP Consulting which was registered in May 2023. The company’s managing member, according to incorporation records, is controversial anti-vaccine activist Del Bigtree.
Bigtree, a film producer who also founded the anti-vaccination group Informed Consent Action Network, regularly speaks against vaccination and public health measures. He was condemned by Jewish groups for once comparing vaccination to the persecution of Jews by wearing a Holocaust-era Star of David badge to protest vaccinations. He also spoke against Covid-19 vaccinations at the rally that preceded the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Kennedy’s campaign was roiled in recent days after it was revealed that he suggested Covid-19 could have been genetically engineered to spare Jewish and Chinese people – comments condemned by his own family members, along with top Democratic organizations and the White House.
The Kennedy campaign did not respond to CNN’s comment requests.
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