RFK Jr. Accuses Both Sides of Sowing Division Over Jan. 6, Questions Political Motives of Feds

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. accused Republicans and Democrats of “using J6 to pour fuel on the fire of America’s divisions” in a statement on Friday.

Key Statements: Kennedy questioned whether January 6, 2021, should be considered a “true insurrection” and said if elected, he “will appoint a special counsel — an individual respected by all sides — to investigate whether prosecutorial discretion was abused for political ends in this case.” 

Political Vigor: Kennedy acknowledged that many “January 6 protestors broke the law” and said that “it happened with the encouragement of President Trump… in the context of his delusion that the election was stolen from him.” But he voiced concerns that some prosecutions were political: “Like many reasonable Americans, I am concerned about the possibility that political objectives motivated the vigor of the prosecution of the J6 defendants, their long sentences, and their harsh treatment.”

For Context: In March, a federal court ordered a lower sentence for a January 6 convict because it was deemed too harsh. The ruling was thought to pave the way for other re-sentencing.

How The Media Covered It: RFK’s statement was mostly covered by outlets on the left. Associated Press (Lean Left bias) went in-depth on the violence on January 6 and said Kennedy “falsely” claimed “rioters did not carry weapons.” It also gave context on Kennedy’s “anti-vaccine” involvements and association with Alex Jones. The New York Post (Lean Right bias) noted that on Thursday, a Kennedy fundraising email described January 6 defendants as “activists.”