RFK Jr. Denied Secret Service Protection. Fair or Political?

Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was recently denied Secret Service protection, suggesting the Biden Administration unfairly denied his request.

The Details: Kennedy’s request, which he says “included a 67-page report from the world's leading protection firm,” was denied by the Department of Homeland Security 88 days after it was filed. Kennedy, who cited his father’s assassination as the reason Secret Service protection is provided to candidates, claimed the process usually takes 14 days.

Policy, Exceptions: Fact-checkers cited the Secret Service’s website, which says major candidates will receive protection 120 days before a general presidential election. However, there have been several outliers in recent years, including President Obama, who received protection in May 2007 (for a November 2008 election), and President Trump and Ben Carson, who both received it in November 2015 (for November 2016).

How The Media Covered It: Left-rated outlets were more likely to fact-check Kennedy’s claim and highlight the Secret Service policies that purportedly disqualified him. Several right-rated sources pointed out policy also, but framed headlines around the denial rather than the reasoning. CNN (Lean Left bias) called Kennedy’s suggestion of unfair treatment “baseless.” Former Secret Service agent and Fox News (Right bias) host Dan Bongino said he’s worked protection detail for candidates much smaller than Kennedy, and that there’s “No way he should be denied USSS protection,” calling the DHS’ decision “political.”