RFK Jr. taps Nicole Shanahan as his vice presidential pick : NPR

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has introduced a rich California lawyer because the working mate for his impartial presidential marketing campaign, a crucial step as he tries to get on state ballots for November.

Nicole Shanahan, 38, is the president and director of the Bia-Echo Basis, a charitable group that claims it focuses its investments in “Reproductive Longevity & Equality, Legal Justice Reform and a Wholesome and Livable Planet.”

Kennedy is the son of the previous U.S. lawyer basic and nephew of former President John F. Kennedy. He is a longtime environmental lawyer however has develop into recognized lately for his anti-vaccine advocacy and as a promoter of conspiracy theories.

Kennedy, whose impartial candidacy has drawn concern from each Democrats and Republicans for doubtlessly drawing assist away from the 2 main events, introduced the working mate decide Tuesday in Oakland.

The announcement was preceded by audio system criticizing pandemic restrictions and alleged censorship.

Kennedy stated he and Shanahan maintain comparable values round all the things from training and agriculture to skepticism of “Huge Pharma” and the federal government.

“And you already know what? Regardless of the artificially orchestrated divisions, practically all Individuals share the identical values that we do,” he stated. “And I am grateful that Nicole has put her self-interest apart and made the momentous and really, very tough choice to embark with me on this extraordinary campaign to win again our nation.”

Shanahan has no political expertise however deep ties to California’s tech business, and was as soon as married to Google co-founder Sergey Brin. She has additionally given cash beforehand to Democrats, together with President Biden, however lately has been a key monetary backer of a pro-Kennedy tremendous PAC, contributing $4 million to assist the group air a $7 million advert through the Tremendous Bowl.

That advert, which largely copied a 1960 advert for his uncle’s presidential marketing campaign, was slammed by Democrats and lots of members of the Kennedy household, who notably and pointedly assist Biden’s reelection.

On the Oakland occasion Tuesday, Shanahan stated her background in tech and keenness tackling the rise in power illness are a number of the attributes that may information her position in Kennedy’s marketing campaign.

“The imaginative and prescient we share is a imaginative and prescient of nationwide therapeutic, it’s an America that leads the world, not by way of pressure of arms, however by way of the facility of instance,” she stated.

The number of a political novice as a working mate that would deliver an inflow of money to the marketing campaign comes as Kennedy seeks to get on the poll in all 50 states, which the marketing campaign says takes at the least 1,000,000 signatures on petitions that adjust to guidelines and deadlines that differ from state to state.

To date, the marketing campaign and the supporting tremendous PAC say Kennedy has sufficient signatures to qualify for ballots in a number of states, together with the battlegrounds of Nevada, Arizona, Georgia and Michigan.

Kennedy had advised the New York Instances that his working mate shortlist included New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Jesse Ventura, a former Minnesota governor {and professional} wrestler. Rogers has courted controversy lately for his views on vaccines and different matters.

Shanahan advised Newsweek final month that she was vaccinated towards COVID-19, and that calling Kennedy or anybody else an “anti-vaxxer” is “so unfair to the reason for objectively funding scientific analysis.”

As of the newest marketing campaign finance filings, Kennedy reported practically $28 million in contributions, together with virtually $19 million from about 67,000 donors who gave greater than $200. The professional-Kennedy American Values 2024 PAC raised greater than $42 million and spent $24 million in assist of his candidacy.