Biden Admin Denies RFK Jr. Secret Service for 3rd Time

For a third time, the Biden administration has denied independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s request for Secret Service protection.

According to Deseret News, a letter signed by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas states that U.S. Secret Service protection for Kennedy, whose father and uncle were assassinated, is "not warranted."

"I have consulted," Mayorkas wrote, "with an advisory committee composed of the Speaker of the House, the House Minority Leader, the Senate Majority Leader, the Senate Minority Leader, and the Senate Sergeant at Arms. Based on the facts and the recommendation of the advisory committee, I have determined that Secret Service protection for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is not warranted at this time."

Federal law allows Secret Service protection for presidential and vice-presidential candidates who are determined to be "major" candidates by the DHS secretary in consultation with congressional leaders. But while it's unclear what consitutes a major candidate in the eyes of the establishment, in November, Politico published the headline: "Poll has RFK Jr. grabbing 22 percent against Biden and Trump." The headline suggests that among other polls featuring Kennedy, he is a major candidate.

In October, Kennedy during an interview with Deseret News, said that he's spending $2 million on private security, which ostensibly detracts from campaigning, and that DHS' decision was "political," adding it's "part of this trend of our enforcement agencies being weaponized to serve a political agenda."

"I can't look into the heads of the people who are making these decisions at the White House," he added. "But I think they'd probably rather me spend money on protection than spending it on field organization or advertising."

Kennedy's campaign has been marked by security concerns, including death threats and incidents of attempted breaches of his personal safety. Notably, in October, an individual was arrested twice in one day for attempting to break into Kennedy's home. Additionally, at a campaign event in September, an arrest was made of a person impersonating a U.S. marshal and carrying a loaded firearm.

Sources close to the Kennedy campaign have confirmed that a fourth request for Secret Service protection is being prepared for submission to the DHS.

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