Robert F. Kennedy’s campaign aide has previously described Donald Trump as her favorite President and was present in Washington, DC, on January 6, 2021. CNN reported that Rita Palma, a Kennedy campaign coordinator based in New York, wrote several online posts indicating she believes the 2020 election was rigged. She also attended several “Stop the Steal” rallies, including the one on January 6, and posted a photo of her standing alongside Sidney Powell at the Trump International Hotel in Washington. Powell pleaded guilty to election interference charges in Georgia, where Trump is also indicted.
CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski noted, however, that while Palma was near the Capitol on January 6, there is no evidence she was involved in the unrest that took place.
In a presentation to a Hudson Valley group, Ms. Palma additionally stated that while she will vote for Kennedy, she would not be upset if Donald Trump were elected. She added that, in her view, a Biden victory is the worst possible outcome. The activist furthermore suggested that Republicans in blue states should throw their weight behind Kennedy to threaten Biden’s electoral college numbers in northeastern states.
Reports on Palma’s political history indicate that she campaigned for Trump in 2016 and 2020 but ended her support of the former President over his enthusiastic backing of coronavirus vaccination programs. Palma is described online as a long-term activist and vaccine opponent. Responding to reporters, Amaryllis Fox, Kennedy’s campaign manager, said Ms. Palma is responsible for volunteer coordination in New York, adding that it is unsurprising for Kennedy supporters to hold various opinions and views.
Ms. Palma is not the only former Trump supporter to turn against him over vaccines. During an interview with David Brody on Real America’s Voice, Mr. Trump responded to coronavirus vaccination questions by saying it saved millions of lives. Some supporters accuse the former President of ignoring their concerns about vaccine safety – particularly those introduced during the recent pandemic.
