Former Presidential Candidate Under Scrutiny for Unusual Incident

Gavel on desk with scales and legal documents.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. disclosed that he is under investigation for allegedly transporting a whale skull across state lines nearly 20 years ago.

At a Glance

  • Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is being investigated for allegedly decapitating a dead whale and transporting its skull across state lines.
  • The investigation was prompted by a letter from the National Marine Fisheries Institute following an endorsement of Donald Trump.
  • The incident was first publicized in a 2012 interview with his daughter, Kick Kennedy, in Town and Country Magazine.
  • The Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund called for the investigation, citing potential violations of federal laws.
  • The resurfacing of the whale story came shortly after Kennedy withdrew from the 2024 presidential race.

Investigation Explained

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is facing a federal investigation for allegedly decapitating a dead whale and transporting its skull from Massachusetts to New York nearly 20 years ago. The inquiry, initiated by the National Marine Fisheries Institute, is based on a 2012 interview where Kennedy’s daughter, Kick Kennedy, recounted the grisly event.

The story has resurfaced owing to the Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund’s call for an investigation, citing violations of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Lacey Act. The Lacey Act prohibits transporting wildlife that was obtained in violation of any state, federal, or international law.

Kennedy acknowledged the investigation during a campaign event for Donald Trump in Glendale, Arizona. He received a letter from the National Marine Fisheries Institute, revealing the inquiry. Kennedy has criticized the media for focusing on the issue, calling it an example of government weaponization against political opponents.

History of the Incident

The whale incident was publicly revealed in a 2012 interview by Kennedy’s daughter, Kick Kennedy. She described the event occurring around 1994 when her father decapitated a whale that had washed up on a beach near Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, using a chainsaw. The whale’s head was then bungee-corded to the roof of the family minivan and transported to Mount Kisco, New York. Kick Kennedy recounted the unpleasant journey as whale fluids leaked into the car, making the experience highly memorable.

“Mr. Kennedy’s apparent transport of the marine mammal skull from Massachusetts to New York, and therefore across state lines, also represented a felony violation of the Lacey Act, one of the earliest wildlife conservation laws enacted by [the] United States in 1900,” Brett Hartl, the national political director for the Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund, wrote in a letter.

Kennedy also admitted to a separate incident of dumping a dead bear’s body in Central Park over a decade ago. He claims that the surfacing of these stories is politically motivated, as they come shortly after his endorsement of Trump and his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race.

Legal Implications and Response

The investigation has stirred debates about governmental actions against political figures. Violations of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Lacey Act carry severe legal implications. The Marine Mammal Protection Act restricts the possession and transport of marine mammal parts unless specific permits are obtained. The Lacey Act further criminalizes the transport of wildlife taken in contradiction to other laws.

“Every time we accelerated on the highway, whale juice would pour into the windows of the car, and it was the rankest thing on the planet,” Kick Kennedy told the magazine, discussing the trip from Massachusetts to New York.

Environmentalists and legal experts argue that collecting parts of endangered species is illegal for valid reasons, emphasizing the importance of wildlife conservation laws. Kennedy, however, denies the allegations and dismisses the media’s focus on the issue as “gossipy nonsense.”

With the probe ongoing, it remains to be seen how this incident will unfold and the broader implications for government oversight and conservation efforts.

Sources:

  1. RFK Jr. investigated for decapitating whale and driving across state lines with the skull
  2. RFK Jr says he faces federal investigation for beheading whale
  3. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Sawed the Head Off a Whale and Drove It Home, Daughter Says
  4. RFK Jr faces call for investigation into claim he chainsawed whale’s head off
  5. RFK Jr. says he faces federal investigation for decapitating whale. What is the case about?
  6. RFK Jr says he is being investigated over story that he decapitated beached whale
  7. Robert F Kennedy Jr says he is being investigated for chopping head off dead whale with chainsaw
  8. Scrutiny over claims RFK Jr cut off dead whale’s head
  9. RFK Jr. says he is being investigated for collecting whale specimen

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