The Federal Election Commission granted Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. more time to reveal his personal finances, buying the member of the wealthy Kennedy family an extra 45 days to disclose his assets, income and liabilities as required for all presidential hopefuls.
Kennedy joins several other members of a growing field of presidential candidates who requested and received extensions until June 29 or beyond to file public financial disclosures, including former President Donald J. Trump, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy — all Republicans — and author Marianne Williamson, a Democrat, according to a Raw Story analysis of FEC records.
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“The reason for the request is that the press of business in the past 30 days, since his announcement has been so extraordinary, the demands on Mr. Kennedy's time have been great, and his presence at various venues across the country, requires extra time to produce the report,” said a May 22 letter from Kennedy’s new campaign manager, former Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich, to Lisa J. Stevenson, acting general counsel at the FEC.
Kennedy, the son of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of late President John F. Kennedy, must file his disclosure by the July 6, the new deadline the FEC granted.
The environmental lawyer, who has become known as a prominent vaccine skeptic, announced his candidacy in early April. Kennedy's disclosure could potentially confirm the millions the New York Post reported he made from his anti-vax work with charities and his book, “The Real Anthony Fauci: Bill Gates, Big Pharma and the Global War on Democracy and Public Health."
Along with Williamson, Kennedy faces extremely long odds in a Democratic primary against President Joe Biden, who announced his reelection campaign last month.
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"If it looks like I can raise the money and mobilize enough people to win, I’ll jump in the race," Kennedy wrote on Twitter on March 10 as he was considering a presidential run. "If I run, my top priority will be to end the corrupt merger between state and corporate power that has ruined our economy, shattered the middle class, polluted our landscapes and waters, poisoned our children, and robbed us of our values and freedoms. Together we can restore America's democracy."
Biden submitted his disclosure report on time, as did Republican candidate Nikki Haley, whose disclosure revealed the millions of dollars she earns from speaking engagements, consulting fees and revenue from her own company.
Timely financial disclosures have been a particular problem with members of Congress, dozen of whom have been weeks, months or even years late in disclosing federally mandated financial trades — including several members this month.
