CNN
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Impartial presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Friday raised the likelihood that the January 6, 2021, assault on the US Capitol was not a “true rebellion” and expressed concern in regards to the “weaponization of presidency” towards these charged with crimes in connection to the riot.
“It’s fairly clear that most of the January 6 protestors broke the regulation in what might have began as a protest however changed into a riot. As a result of it occurred with the encouragement of President Trump, and within the context of his delusion that the election was stolen from him, many individuals see it not as a riot however as an rebellion,” he mentioned in a press release.
He continued, “I’ve not examined the proof intimately, however cheap individuals, together with Trump opponents, inform me there’s little proof of a real rebellion.”
The assertion inaccurately says that not one of the protesters had plans to overthrow the federal government, though among the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers had been convicted of sedition. It additionally repeated the long-debunked claim that the rioters “carried no weapons” whereas attacking the Capitol, which Kennedy later mentioned he was retracting when reached by CNN for remark.
“My understanding that not one of the January 6 rioters who invaded the capitol had been carrying firearms was incorrect,” he mentioned in response to CNN’s inquiry.
Within the assertion, Kennedy referred to as the January 6 assault “one of the vital polarizing matters on the political panorama” and mentioned he needs “to listen to each facet” of the difficulty within the prolonged assertion. He condemned protesters who broke the regulation and Trump’s “delusion that the election was stolen” whereas questioning whether or not “political aims” led to the prosecution of January 6 protestors.
“Like many cheap People, I’m involved in regards to the risk that political aims motivated the vigor of the prosecution of the J6 defendants, their lengthy sentences, and their harsh remedy,” Kennedy mentioned within the assertion. “That may match a disturbing sample of the weaponization of presidency companies — the DoJ, the IRS, the SEC, the FBI, and many others. — towards political opponents.”
“One can, as I do, oppose Donald Trump and all he stands for, and nonetheless be disturbed by the weaponization of presidency towards him,” he continued.
His rhetoric, whitewashing the January 6 assault, mirrors among the commentary coming from Trump and different right-wing figures.
Undercutting Kennedy’s claims that the instances have been politically motivated, the rigorous prosecutions of January 6 rioters started virtually instantly, whereas Trump was nonetheless president, and whereas his appointees had been working the Justice Division.
Additional, prosecutors have used discretion whereas deciding who to cost. They’ve largely targeted on individuals who entered the Capitol itself. Hundreds of Trump supporters who had been captured on video blatantly breaching Capitol grounds, however not stepping foot within the constructing, aren’t at the moment going through any prices.
A bipartisan majority of Congress voted that January 6 was an “rebellion” throughout Trump’s second impeachment, although Trump was acquitted at his Senate trial in 2021.
Within the assertion, Kennedy pledged to call an unbiased particular counsel to analyze “whether or not prosecutorial discretion was abused for political ends” in January 6 instances.
“As President, I’ll appoint a particular counsel — a person revered by all sides — to analyze whether or not prosecutorial discretion was abused for political ends on this case, and I’ll proper any wrongs that we uncover. With out the neutral rule of regulation, there is no such thing as a true democracy or ethical governance,” Kennedy mentioned.
Kennedy sought to criticize each Trump and President Joe Biden’s response to the January 6 rebellion, which he mentioned stokes partisan divides within the nation, in an effort to tell apart himself as an alternative choice to each candidates.
“Each institution events are utilizing J6 to pour gas on the hearth of America’s divisions. All sides claims {that a} victory by their opponents means the tip of democracy. Then, something is justified to cease them. We run the danger of destroying democracy to be able to reserve it,” Kennedy mentioned. “As an alternative of demonizing our opponents as apocalyptic threats to democracy, let’s concentrate on the problems and priorities of how they are going to govern, and defeat them on the poll field slightly than via authorized maneuvers and soiled tips.”
The Democratic Nationwide Committee condemned Kennedy’s assertion for “downplaying the seriousness of January sixth.”
“After hours of adverse press protection, RFK Jr. used lots of of phrases to both-sides the January sixth rebellion. There aren’t two sides to violent rioters who assaulted law enforcement officials and tried to overthrow our democracy,” DNC spokesperson Matt Corridoni mentioned.
Kennedy’s assertion comes after his campaign sent fundraising emails earlier this week that referred to January 6 defendants as “activists” who’ve been “stripped of their constitutional liberties.”
On Thursday, Kennedy marketing campaign spokesperson Stefanie Spear informed CNN the language within the fundraising electronic mail “doesn’t replicate Mr. Kennedy’s views” and mentioned Kennedy believes those that “violated the regulation” in connection to January 6 “needs to be topic to acceptable felony and/or civil penalties.”
Kennedy has lately downplayed the dangers to democracy that both candidate poses, telling CNN’s Erin Burnett on Monday he believes neither candidate poses a real risk to democracy, however labeling Biden because the candidate who poses the higher risk. Kennedy’s argument was based mostly in being banned on some social media platforms through the Biden administration.
“(Trump) overthrowing — making an attempt to overthrow the election clearly is risk to democracy,” Kennedy mentioned in a CNN interview on Monday. “However the query was, who’s a worse risk to democracy? And what I might say is … I’m not going to reply that query. However I can argue that President Biden is as a result of the First Modification, Erin, is crucial.”
This story has been up to date with extra developments.
CNN’s Daniel Dale contributed to this report.