Recent development, independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has issued an apology via text to Eliza Cooney, who accused him of sexual assault. The Washington Post verified that Kennedy sent the message from his personal phone number shortly after Vanity Fair published Cooney’s allegations.
Kennedy’s text, dated July 4, expressed regret despite his lack of memory of the alleged incident. “I have no memory of this incident but I apologize sincerely for anything I ever did that made you feel uncomfortable or anything I did or said that offended you or hurt your feelings,” read the message. “I never intended you any harm. If I hurt you, it was inadvertent. I feel badly for doing so.”
The apology continued with Kennedy expressing a desire to convey his sentiments over the phone or face-to-face, acknowledging that such a meeting might not be possible. He emphasized that his motive for reaching out was solely to make sincere amends.
Cooney, however, found the apology lacking. Speaking to the Post, she criticized Kennedy’s words as “disingenuous and arrogant,” questioning the authenticity of an apology for an incident he claims not to recall. She expressed skepticism about Kennedy’s suggestion of a face-to-face meeting, stating, “What woman wants to do that?”
Kennedy, through his campaign, did not respond to requests for further comment on the apology text. He told the Post that “the text message speaks for itself.”
This incident comes amid Kennedy’s active presidential campaign, where he has gained attention for his stance against vaccines and involvement in various conspiracy theories. Currently polling around 9%, Kennedy poses a significant challenge to mainstream candidates like Joe Biden and Donald Trump, marking one of the strongest showings for a third-party candidate in over three decades.
