Two of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy Sr.'s children announced on Tuesday that they would support the Republican candidate in the Los Angeles District Attorney race. Rory and Max Kennedy, daughter and son of RFK Sr., stated that they are supporting current L.A. District Attorney George Gascon's opponent because of Gascon's policies regarding prosecutors who are prevented from participating in parole hearings for convicted murderers. The Kennedys say that Gascon's policies "disregard the needs of crime victims." The Kennedys were attending a campaign event for Gascon challenger Nathan Hochman and spoke on the steps of the Hall of Justice. Rory Kennedy stated:

 “He is not qualified to be the district attorney. Gascon prohibits his prosecutors from filing charges they believe are appropriate. He boycotts parole hearings and leaves grieving victims to fend for themselves.”

Sen. Robert F. Kennedy was one of our nation’s greatest leaders and an advocate for the less fortunate who stood strongly against injustice and sought to make our country a better place. I am humbled and honored that his children, Rory and Max, support my candidacy for District… pic.twitter.com/vbZwm8ToCv

— Nathan Hochman (@NathanHochmanDA) April 16, 2024

It's those parole hearings for convicted murderers and the handling of them that are most concerning to the Kennedy children. In 1968, then-presidential candidate Robert Kennedy was shot and killed while at a campaign event at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. His assassin, Sirhan Sirhan, has been up for parole and denied 15 times before Gascon took office. Each of those times, a representative from the Los Angeles D.A.'s office was at the hearings. Sirhan's 16th parole hearing was in 2022, and Gascon declined to advocate against his release. It was a final straw for the Kennedys, who say they have never opposed a Democrat running for office. Sirhan's release was recommended by the parole board in 2022, but the decision was reversed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom. In 2023, the parole board also recommended against Sirhan's release, and again, there was no participation from Gason's office. 

It appears that the Kennedy family has not gotten a lot of consideration from their fellow Democrats on matters of not only releasing convicted murderers but of general security. Despite the family history, including not just RFK Sr.'s assassination but also that of his brother, President John F. Kennedy, in 1963, current Independent Presidential candidate, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has been denied secret service protection at least three times by the Biden administration. Kennedy claims that he has received several death threats, and in October, a man was arrested twice on the same day for trespassing at Kennedy's home. 

Rory and Max Kennedy, daughter and son of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, endorse @NathanHochmanDA, who is trying to unseat #GeorgeGascón, over what they say are Gascón's policies that disregard the needs of crime victims. https://t.co/qZhIHQnRWI

— LAADDA (@LACountyADDA) April 16, 2024

Perhaps the only other time in recent history that any of the Kennedys might have supported a Republican was during former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's tenure in office because of his marriage to Maria Shriver. So it begs the question: Just how bad do you have to be as a Democrat for the Kennedys, of all people, to support your Republican opponent in a race? George Gascon has become the poster child for that set of criteria. 

Nathan Hochman is a former federal prosecutor and defense lawyer and previously ran for Attorney General in California. He stated that on his first day in office, “One of my first actions will be to rescind George Gascón's policy on prohibiting prosecutors from attending parole hearings."

Two children of Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in LA in 1968, are expected to say they oppose Los Angeles DA George Gascón’s re-election because of what they say is his failure to support the families of crime victims, a source says. https://t.co/QClupfwKZ0

— NBC Politics (@NBCPolitics) April 16, 2024