Justice prevents Kennedy from running for president in New York

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an independent presidential candidate on November 5, will not be able to run in New York State because of a false residency certificate, New York courts announced Tuesday.

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A court in the state capital, Albany, ruled that Mr. Kennedy had violated a local law, according to a decision released Tuesday.

The heir of the famous American dynasty, who will appeal this decision, announced that he was living in a room rented for $500 per month from friends in New York state.

But Judge Christina Ryba ruled that Robert Francis Kennedy Jr (RFK Jr) lived well at home with his wife in California.

As a result: for the presidential election on November 5, where Mr. Kennedy is competing in 19 of the 50 states, the New York election commission will not be able to print ballots in the famous name of the son of former prosecutor Bobby Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1968, and the nephew of former President John F. Kennedy in 1963.

Due to constitutional uncertainty and the indirect presidential voting system in the United States, candidates for president and vice president cannot live in the same state, at the risk of not being able to win the votes of the primary voters.

However, RFK Jr. and his running mate Nicole Shanahan live in California.

The electors directly elect the president and vice president of the United States and California has 54 – won by the Democrats -, the most in the country.

The New York court’s decision – following an action by voters from the Democratic Party-affiliated Political Action Committee – could set a precedent in other states against Mr Kennedy and Ms Shanahan.

William F. Savino, Mr. Kennedy’s lawyer, told AFP that they would appeal the decision.

“Democrats show contempt for democracy. They’re not sure they can win at the polls, so they’re trying to prevent voters from voting,” Mr. Kennedy’s spokesman blasted X.

RFK Jr, 70, revealed himself as another candidate in the duel between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

After giving up competing in the Democratic primaries, he briefly considered joining the Libertarian Party before running as an independent.

This environmental law attorney, rejected by a large part of the Kennedy clan, has almost no chance of victory in November.

Voting intentions in the polls have fallen below 10% since President Biden withdrew in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris.