RFK Jr. Reissues Call for Secret Service Protection After Security Incident

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Facts

  • An armed man impersonating a US Marshal was arrested Friday afternoon at a Robert F. Kennedy Jr. campaign event in Los Angeles and taken into custody, according to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).1
  • The LAPD identified the suspect Saturday as Adrian Aispuro. Authorities say the 44-year-old came to the event wearing a US Marshals service badge and was carrying a fully loaded gun in his holster.2
  • Kennedy was speaking at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre for a National Hispanic Heritage Month event, and Aispuro had asked to see the candidate immediately. Subsequent analysis of Aispuro's social media accounts included posts and strong statements in support of former Pres. Donald Trump; Kennedy has re-issued his urging for Secret Service protection for his campaign.3
  • Aispuro was booked on a felony gun charge and was held on $35K bail. LAPD Officer Drake Madison says that the FBI was contracted, but the LAPD would handle the arrest and investigation.4
  • The campaign scare reignited questions about Secret Service protection for RFK Jr., whose father and uncle were assassinated in the 1960s. In July, Kennedy asked for the protection, but the Biden admin. rejected his request since such protection is only granted to major candidates 120 days before a general election.5
  • Kennedy said his campaign filed a 67-page report detailing his unique security situation and need for protection. RFK Jr. claims that he is the 'first presidential candidate in history' to be denied federal protection upon request and hopes that Pres. Biden will allow him Secret Service support.1

Sources: 1Abc news, 2Abc7 chicago, 3The independent, 4Politico and 5Fox 11 los angeles.

Narratives

  • Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by New York Post. RFK Jr. absolutely deserves Secret Service protection, and Friday’s campaign event scare is just another example of how he's at uniquely high risk. The history of the Kennedy family should be enough to warrant this service, but Pres. Biden has refused to grant his Democratic opponent the security he needs. This, when contrasted with the Secret Service protection allowed for Hunter Biden, shows a hypocritical and dangerous hypocrisy by the White House.
  • Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by CNN. RFK Jr. is asking for special Secret Service protection that's not usually granted during a primary election, and he is claiming that Pres. Biden is denying him security protection is political posturing. Kennedy is trying to use his family’s history to get protection that no other candidate receives and is spreading dangerous misinformation about the process of receiving Secret Service protection.