'Exceptional circumstances so clearly warrant' RFK Jr's protection, says Sen Ted Cruz
RFK Jr. running as an independent in 2024 election
RFK Jr. joined 'Hannity' to discuss his stance on various topics ahead of the 2024 presidential election and his decision to run as an independent.
FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, a member of the Judiciary Committee, urged Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Alejandro Mayorkas to provide answers about the Biden administration's rejection of presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s request for Secret Service protection.
In July, the DHS determined after 88 days of no response that Secret Service protection for Kennedy was "not warranted at this time," despite numerous recorded threats, according to internal Secret Service documents obtained by government watchdog group Judicial Watch. A typical turnaround for such a request is usually two weeks.
"The records also indicated that the Secret Service is aware that Mr. Kennedy has received increased media attention after accusing the Central Intelligence Agency of involvement in the assassination of his uncle, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, and advocating for the release of the individual currently imprisoned for assassinating his father, Robert F. Kennedy, and speaking out against COVID-19 vaccines," Cruz wrote in a letter Tuesday.
RFK JR ANNOUNCES INDEPENDENT RUN FOR PRESIDENT AGAINST BIDEN
Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, speaks during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, March 8, 2022. (Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Cruz demanded several answers by Oct. 31 regarding the length of time it took for Kennedy to receive a response, how a denial of service was justified and what information would be required to justify Secret Service protection, if not for the threats Kennedy is reportedly facing.
"How do you address the fact that previous major presidential candidates, such as Donald Trump, Dr. Ben Carson, then-Senator Barack Obama, and Senator Ted Kennedy, received Secret Service protection well over 120 days before the general election, setting a clear precedent for exceptions to the general rule as provided by law? Was then-Senator Obama under more threat during his campaign than Mr. Kennedy is today?" Cruz also asked.
He added, "I ask that you act swiftly to provide this major presidential candidate the protection that his exceptional circumstances so clearly warrant."
Democratic Presidential Candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Hans Gutknecht/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)
Shortly after his request was denied, an armed man was arrested at one of his campaign events in Los Angeles and charged with carrying a loaded firearm, carrying a concealed weapon and impersonating a Deputy United States Marshal.
Secret Service records revealed credible threats against Kennedy two weeks later, including concerning letters and threatening emails, leading to concerns of potential assassination attempts solely due to his Kennedy affiliation.
RFK JR. SAYS BIDEN ADMINISTRATION REJECTED HIS REQUEST FOR SECRET SERVICE PROTECTION IN 2024 RACE
A Secret Service agent and a security guard officer guard the Mar-a-Lago home of former President Trump in Palm Beach, Florida, on March 31, 2023. (REUTERS/Ricardo Arduengo)
The Judicial Watch assessment revealed alarming statements, Cruz noted, with one individual expressing a desire to "discuss [their] sins" with Kennedy, warning of a potential "serious terrorist act" by a "madman." Another individual sent threatening emails, vowing to "bury" Kennedy, cause harm to everyone, and make him "suffer."
In a July post on X, Kennedy wrote, "Since the assassination of my father in 1968, candidates for president are provided Secret Service protection. But not me."
Kennedy's father, the late former Democratic New York senator and U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, and uncle, the late former President Kennedy, were both assassinated in the 1960s.
Kennedy announced his independent bid to run for president against President Biden last week.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the DHS for comment.
Fox News' Brandon Gillespie contributed to this report.
Jamie Joseph is a writer who covers politics. She leads Fox News Digital coverage of the Senate.
