The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) against Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s independent presidential campaign and the super PAC supporting him. The DNC alleges that the two entities are colluding to secure Kennedy’s ballot access, which is a violation of federal campaign finance laws.
The super PAC in question, American Values 2024, had previously announced that it would invest $10 million to $15 million in ballot access efforts to get Kennedy on the ballot in at least 10 states. According to the DNC, these states require candidates to submit signature petitions for approval, turn in completed forms, identify the individuals who collected the signatures, and obtain certification for circulators. The DNC claims that American Values 2024 is coordinating its activities with Kennedy’s campaign in a way that violates campaign finance laws.
DNC legal counsel Robert Lenhard stated that the complaint asks the FEC to investigate and address any violations they find. Both the super PAC and Kennedy’s campaign have previously stated that they have legal experts guiding them through the process and are pursuing ballot access separately. However, Lenhard accuses the campaign of taking shortcuts instead of doing the hard work itself.
Amaryllis Fox Kennedy, Kennedy’s campaign manager and daughter-in-law, dismissed the complaint as a nonissue raised by a partisan political entity. She believes that the DNC is increasingly concerned with its own candidate and viability. DNC senior adviser Liz Smith reiterated the party’s belief that Kennedy’s campaign and the super PAC are illegally coordinating in violation of federal election law.
Smith also highlighted the influence of individual mega donors like Tim Mellon, who is Donald Trump’s largest donor in this election cycle. Mellon donated $15 million to American Values 2024 for ballot access, according to FEC reports. Smith expressed concern that Kennedy’s campaign might peel off votes in swing states as President Biden’s age becomes a bigger campaign issue. She accused Trump and his mega donors of propping up Kennedy.
Kennedy’s campaign manager, Fox Kennedy, stated that they have yet to receive any signatures from American Values PAC or any other PAC. She emphasized that the campaign takes its FEC obligations seriously and cannot dictate how PACs use their money. Tony Lyons, the co-founder of American Values 2024, dismissed the FEC complaint as a desperate tactic by the DNC to defame Kennedy and drain his campaign funds.
This complaint adds another layer of controversy to the already heated presidential race. With allegations of collusion and violations of campaign finance laws, the outcome of the FEC investigation could have significant implications for Kennedy’s campaign and the super PAC supporting him. As the election season progresses, it remains to be seen how this issue will impact voter sentiment and the overall dynamics of the race.
