The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), alleging illegal coordination between RFK Jr.’s presidential campaign and the Super PAC, American Values 2024.
This complaint centers around the claim that the Super PAC’s efforts to collect signatures for Kennedy’s name to appear on state ballots was in violation of federal laws due to excessive collaboration with Kennedy’s campaign.
The DNC’s legal counsel, Bob Lenhard, contends that the Super PAC’s involvement in the signature-gathering process constitutes an in-kind contribution, which is illegal under federal campaign finance laws. This is based on the argument that state laws effectively necessitate coordination between a candidate and entities like Super PACs for ballot signature efforts, which directly conflicts with federal regulations.
In response to the DNC’s allegations, Tony Lyons, the founder of American Values, condemned the complaint as an attempt by the DNC to undermine Kennedy’s campaign and democratic principles. He views the DNC’s actions as a desperate tactic to defame Kennedy and drain his campaign funds.
Amaryllis Fox Kennedy, the campaign manager for RFK Jr. and his daughter-in-law, downplayed the significance of the FEC complaint, describing it as a “nonissue.” She explained that the campaign’s structure allows volunteers to independently download signature forms and submit them to the campaign for verification, emphasizing that they have not received any signatures directly from American Values PAC or any other PAC.
The DNC’s actions could be an attempt to tie Kennedy’s donors to former President Donald Trump and to portray Kennedy as a stalking horse for Trump, a claim viewed as far-fetched by many.
The Washington Post and Politico highlight that while the FEC complaint is unlikely to lead to any substantial action due to the commission’s partisan deadlock, it indicates the DNC’s concern over Kennedy potentially drawing votes away from President Joe Biden in the upcoming election.
Rick Moran, a seasoned writer with a history of contributions to various media outlets, criticizes the DNC’s actions, accusing them of disrespecting the democratic process by trying to hinder a competitive candidate from appearing on the ballot.
Author: Blake Ambrose
