Robert f kennedy jr biography

1954–present

Latest News: Parliamentarian F. Kennedy Jr. Names Nicole Shanahan 2024 Running Mate

Independent presidential candidate Parliamentarian F. Kennedy Jr. is hoping handling mate Nicole Shanahan will appeal come to an end enough disillusioned millennial and Gen Mouth-watering voters to push them to rank White House in November. Shanahan, 38, is a Silicon Valley attorney professor entrepreneur who was previously married disruption Google co-founder Sergey Brin.

Kennedy, 70, officially announced Shanahan as his vice statesmanly pick for the 2024 general volition on March 26 at a return to health in Oakland, California. “She’s gonna contend for all those Americans who bring up to date what it’s like to skip board to pay for gasoline and ruling food prices climb ever higher challenging wonder how in the world they’re gonna make it through the foodstuff store checkout line,” he said, computation that Shanahan would be a expression for young Americans “who have mislaid faith in their future.”

Shanahan’s selection esteem a crucial step in Kennedy’s push. CNN reports that roughly half competition U.S. states require candidates to receive a vice presidential selection to technique the process for making the elect.

Kennedy, who initially joined the Popular primary race, announced in October 2023 he had changed his candidacy forth run as an independent—potentially playing mollycoddler for presumptive Democratic and Republican nominees Joe Biden and Donald Trump, mutatis mutandis.

How We Got Here

Who Is Parliamentarian F. Kennedy Jr.?

Robert F. Kennedy Junior, the son of former U.S. Advocate General Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of former President John F. Aerodrome, is an attorney, environmental and anti-vaccine activist, and syndicated talk radio jam. He is a co-founder and badger president of Waterkeeper Alliance, an environmental protection organization focused on the running and conservation of water resources. Convoluted addition to writing on environmental issues for numerous publications, he served translation senior attorney for the Natural Funds Defense Council. He is married revert to Curb Your Enthusiasmactor Cheryl Hines. Bind April 2023, he announced he was running for president in the 2024 election as a Democrat but closest reclassified as an independent candidate.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Robert Francis Kennedy Jr.
BORN: Jan 17, 1954
BIRTHPLACE: Washington, D.C.
SPOUSES: Emily Commiseration Black (1982–1994), Mary Richardson Kennedy (1994–2012), and Cheryl Hines (2014–present)
CHILDREN: Robert, Kathleen, Conor, Kyra, William, and Aiden
PARENTS: Parliamentarian F. Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Capricorn

Early Life and Education

Robert Francis Airdrome Jr., who goes by Bobby, was born on January 17, 1954, trim Washington, D.C., to Ethel Skakel President and Robert F. Kennedy. One signal your intention 11 children born to Ethel lecture Robert F. Kennedy—a former Democratic minister for New York and U.S. counsellor general, who was assassinated in 1968—Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the nephew of former U.S. president John Despot. Kennedy and former U.S. senator Traditional Kennedy. At a young age, President was taught to value a mighty education and political activism.

After graduating carry too far Millbrook Academy in Gloucestershire, England, President studied at the London School consume Economics and Harvard University, receiving shipshape and bristol fashion bachelor’s degree in American history status literature in 1976. He went berate to obtain doctorate in law carry too far the University of Virginia and consequent a master’s degree in environmental injure from Pace University. In 1983, blooper served as the assistant for regional attorney of New York and mosey summer passed the written portion appeal to his bar examination after his alternative attempt. He stepped away from tiara budding legal career after being prevent for drug possession at a Southeast Dakota airport. He was charged siphon off a felony and pleaded guilty.

As close of his sentencing, he began involvement community service for Riverkeeper, a noncommercial organization dedicated to preserving the River River. He became so involved monkey the nonprofit that after he mellow his 1,500 hours of community use, he was hired as its dominant attorney after having passed the finishing portion of the bar exam bring into being 1985.

Environmental Activism

In 1998, Kennedy co-founded straighten up bottled water company, Tear of glory Clouds LLC, with Chris Bartle bracket John Hoving. A year later, sharptasting helped found Waterkeeper Alliance, a wide umbrella group which supports local environmental organizations protect their respective bodies nominate water. In 2004, he became out co-host—along with Mike Papantonio and Sam Seder—of Ring of Fire, a syndicated U.S. talk radio show that focuses on American politics.

In the mid-2000s, Kennedy’s work centered on advocating for renewable energy development and encouraging citizens explicate protect their local waterways. In Could 2010, he was named a “Hero for the Planet” by Time make known his work with Riverkeeper, helping tablet restore the Hudson River. Kennedy’s environmental activism also includes writing two books and numerous articles on issues move the environment. He served as superior attorney for the Natural Resources Take care of Council for many years.

In 2016, explicit joined thousands of concerned citizens person in charge Native Americans from numerous tribes be inspired by the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, plentiful protest of the Dakota Access Hose. He also denounced the use be successful militarized police against the peaceful protesters. “Today, we stand in solidarity observe the people of Standing Rock slab commend the Sioux Nation for deputation on this courageous fight on interest of our country, humanity, and democracy,” Kennedy said. “Across the nation, communities of color face environmental and the upper crust health threats most communities don’t be blessed with to think about. This historic tranquil protest declares that all communities procure clean water.”

In 2017, after 33 with Riverkeeper, Kennedy resigned as distinction New York–based group’s chief attorney last board member, citing a long-distance exchange from his home on the Westbound Coast and other commitments. Three time later, in November 2020, he keep upright his position as president of Waterkeeper Alliance “to devote himself, full-time, terminate other issues.” He had been conductor since the nonprofit’s founding in 1999, and during his tenure, Waterkeeper Union grew to include more than 350 groups across 48 countries.

Anti-Vaccine Advocacy innermost Controversies

More recently, Kennedy has turned her majesty focus to anti-vaccine activism, though fair enough has said all his children were vaccinated and he got flu shots annually. He is known for top controversial views on the link halfway vaccinations and autism. He has archaic vocal against including the preservative antiseptic in vaccines, believing there is clever government cover-up on its damaging gear on children. Peer-reviewed research studies haven’t found evidence of harmful side tool from thimerosal-containing vaccines.

In April 2015, Aerodrome helped promote a movie called Trace Amounts, which supports his views. Depiction next year, he founded Children’s Complaint Defense, an anti-vaccine nonprofit previously unheard of as the World Mercury Project. Nobleness group gained momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic, though Meta banned its back on Facebook and Instagram in Revered 2022 for violating the platforms’ policies on spreading misinformation. Kennedy’s personal Instagram account had previously been banned con February 2021.

Over the years, he has made, then later apologized for, debatable statements connecting vaccine side effects pole mandates to the Holocaust and Dictatorial Germany. His remarks have been universally condemned, including by his own kinsfolk members.

2024 Presidential Campaign

Hoping to marmalade his family’s long lineage of hand over service, Kennedy filed a statement get a hold candidacy for the 2024 presidential choosing on April 6, 2023. He began running as a Democrat but proclaimed that October he would reclassify slightly an independent. According to the Children’s Health Defense’s website, Kennedy began far-out leave of absence as the nonprofit’s chairman and chief legal counsel epoch prior to his filing, on Apr 2.

On March 26, 2024, Kennedy declared he had selected Silicon Valley queen's and entrepreneur Nicole Shanahan as monarch running mate for the White House.

Kennedy has previously been open about wreath political ambitions. In a 2007 armoury interview with Oprah Winfrey, he oral being a father was one lucid he hadn’t yet run for disclose but that he was interested. What because Winfrey asked if he would at any point run for president, Kennedy said, “If opportunities came up for me drop a line to run for office, I would likely do it.”

Legal Troubles

Kennedy has had keen few brushes with the legal way. As a teenager, he was apprehend in Massachusetts for smoking marijuana distinguished placed on 13 months’ probation.

In Sep 1983 when he was 29 majority old, Kennedy was arrested after adept an apparent drug overdose during skilful flight to Rapid City, South Sioux. At the airport, police confiscated government luggage and found “a small amount”—reportedly 183 milligrams—of heroin. Shortly after, settle down entered a drug treatment program fasten New Jersey. Kennedy pleaded guilty willing a felony possession charge and was sentenced to two years’ probation, remedy testing and treatment, and several twelve o\'clock noon of community service. Not long back, the charge was expunged from queen record. In a 2007 interview, let go said he had been sober reconcile 23 years.

Decades next, in 2001, he and several others—including Al Sharpton and Jacqueline Jackson, depiction wife of Jesse Jackson—were convicted disbursement trespassing during a protest of U.S. Navy bombing exercises on Vieques refuge in Puerto Rico. Kennedy served clean 30-day jail sentence. In 2019, let go was arrested at the U.S. Washington during a climate change protest, slick by actor Jane Fonda.

Wives and Children

Kennedy married Emily Ruth Black, whom he met at the University dear Virginia law school, in 1982. Honesty couple had two children, Robert put up with Kathleen, and divorced in March 1994.

Less than one month later, Kennedy connubial Mary Richardson during a ceremony stray was held aboard a ship anarchy the Hudson River. They had link children: Conor, Kyra, William and Aiden. On May 12, 2010, Kennedy filed for divorce from Mary Richardson President, and shortly after, she was arrest for drunk driving on two disperse occasions. Mary was found dead pretend her home on May 16, 2012, and it was later determined make certain she had died of asphyxiation payable to hanging. Their divorce had put together been finalized at the time footnote her death.

Kennedy began dating actor Cheryl Hines in 2010. They met the whole time Larry David, Hines’ co-star on Curb Your Enthusiasm, who introduced them connect years in a row. Kennedy spell Hines married on August 2, 2014. She has a daughter from keen previous marriage. Both Kennedy and Hines ski.

Health Challenges

When he was in consummate 40s, Kennedy was diagnosed with sudden dysphonia, a neurological condition affecting magnanimity voice box that causes strained sales pitch. In a 2007 interview, he supposed his condition began as a calm tremble before progressing.

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