Former Representative Adam Kinzinger (R-Illinois) raised concerns about the impact of the "MAGA" movement on the campaign of independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. During an interview on Friday, Kinzinger criticized Kennedy's characterization of the January 6, 2021, Capitol rioters as "activists" and suggested that their actions were justified. Kinzinger implied that Kennedy's campaign had been "hijacked" or willingly embraced these views, possibly for publicity or financial gain. Regardless of the motive, Kinzinger condemned these conspiracy theories as dangerous.
In addition, Kennedy's campaign sent an email drawing parallels between the charges against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and those faced by the January 6 defendants.
The email claimed bipartisan support for Assange's release, citing representatives from both ends of the political spectrum.
However, a spokesperson for Kennedy's campaign later clarified that the language in the email was a mistake and did not reflect Kennedy's true beliefs.
Kinzinger also responded to recent comments by Kennedy on CNN, where Kennedy claimed that President Biden posed a greater threat to democracy than former President Trump.
Kinzinger disagreed with this assessment, stating that Biden has respected democratic principles and has not sought to overturn election results.