The FBI was at the scene in Los Angeles last fall when an armed man impersonating a U.S. marshal allegedly attempted to approach independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., according to documents obtained by The Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project.
The documents, released by the Los Angeles Police Department after a public records request, also suggest police did not like the way the case was being charged by the local prosecutor as a misdemeanor, prompting one detective to write “You gotta love California” in an apparent sarcastic tone.
Despite this and at least two subsequent incidents involving an intruder at Kennedy’s home, the Biden administration has denied Kennedy’s request for Secret Service protection.
“Security at the event did not recognize him as being part of the security detail. LAPD was called, and the suspect was detained,” says a Sept. 16 email from a public information officer in the LAPD media relations office. “FBI was also at the scene.”
The FBI did not respond to an inquiry from The Daily Signal about why FBI agents were on the scene.
Kennedy was speaking at a Sept. 15 campaign event at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre to mark Hispanic Heritage Month when police detained Adrian Aispuro, who allegedly impersonated a federal agent while carrying a firearm, and falsely claimed to be part of Kennedy’s security detail, insisting on being taken to the candidate.
In a separate message, LAPD Detective Marc Madero said in a Sept. 20 email: “The case was referred to the city attorney for a misdemeanor consideration. You gotta love California.”
Later that same day, Madero learned the Aispuro bail was reduced from $35,000 to $10,000.
Kennedy’s father, former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, was assassinated in Los Angeles after winning the 1968 California Democratic presidential primary in June of that year. His uncle, President John F. Kennedy, was murdered in Dallas in November 1963.
Aispuro, 44, was charged in California with carrying a loaded firearm and carrying a concealed weapon, as well as with impersonating an officer, WPVI-TV in Philadelphia reported in October. However, the U.S. Justice Department has not charged him with impersonating a federal agent, which is a federal crime punishable by up to three years in prison.
In November, Kennedy posted on X, formerly Twitter: “You can’t have a functioning democracy when candidates aren’t safe. Whether or not you support my campaign, please sign this petition urging the White House to grant me Secret Service protection.”
In December, Utah’s Deseret News first reported on a letter from Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas denying Kennedy’s third request for Secret Service protection.
“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,” the Mayorkas letter says.
The White House did not respond to inquiries from The Daily Signal asking why his request for Secret Service protection wasn’t granted. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Secret Service, also did not respond.
Kennedy entered the 2024 presidential race as a Democratic primary candidate, but in October, he announced he would run instead as an independent.
“If anyone is right to be afraid of political violence and the federal government in this country, it’s Robert F Kennedy Jr. There’s no defensible reason why the Biden administration continues to withhold Secret Service protection,” Heritage Oversight Project Director Mike Howell told The Daily Signal. (The Daily Signal is the news outlet of The Heritage Foundation.)
“Furthermore, they aren’t even prosecuting the disturbing incident in California, where an armed man impersonated a federal law enforcement officer,” Howell added. “Even the LAPD thinks this whole thing was mishandled. Get [Kennedy] the protection he deserves.”
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