DNC Files Legal Complaint Against RFK Jr. Campaign and Allied Super PAC

The DNC filed a Federal Election Commission (FEC) complaint against independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and an allied super PAC on Friday.

The Details: The complaint accuses Kennedy and the American Values 2024 super PAC of illegally coordinating and violating election law for an alleged $15 million payment from the PAC to Kennedy’s campaign, which aims to help Kennedy get on the ballot in several key states.

For Context: Formerly a Democrat, Kennedy switched to an independent in October. Many Democrats feel he could play spoiler to incumbent President Joe Biden. Currently, Kennedy’s supporters have been focused on collecting signatures to get him ballot access in several states.

Key Quotes: The complaint read, “Rather than solving this problem by raising the necessary funds consistent with federal law, Mr. Kennedy and his campaign are trying to take the shortcut of having American Values 2024 perform this campaign function for him.” American Values 2024 Co-Chairman Tony Lyons told Forbes (Center bias) that the super PAC has worked “in accordance with FEC precedent” to get Kennedy on the ballot. He called the complaint a “desperate DNC tactic to defame Kennedy, vilify him, and drain his campaign funds.”

How The Media Covered It: Politico (Lean Left bias) noted that the FEC is led evenly by Democrats and Republicans, and often splits on party lines. The New York Times (Lean Left bias) called Kennedy “the scion of a liberal political dynasty and an environmental lawyer who has become better known for his anti-vaccine activism and promotion of conspiracy theories.”