Politics
JUST IN: RFK Officially Announces Surprising VP Pick
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has selected Nicole Shanahan, a California attorney and the former wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin, as his vice presidential running mate for his presidential campaign.
Shanahan, 38, who leads a foundation dedicated to abortion rights, criminal justice, and environmental issues, has previously donated to Democrat campaigns, including Joe Biden’s 2020 election effort. Kennedy revealed his selection of Shanahan as his running mate Tuesday in Oakland, California, which is Shanahan’s hometown.
Shanahan is a legal technology entrepreneur, attorney, and the founder of ClearAccessIP, a company that uses software to manage and streamline the patenting process. Her work primarily focuses on the intersection of law, technology, and business, aiming to make legal services more accessible and efficient through technology.
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Shanahan is also known for her advocacy in the field of intellectual property law and has spoken at various conferences and events about the importance of technology in transforming the legal industry. Besides her professional endeavors in legal technology, she is recognized for her philanthropic efforts, particularly related to research and support for women’s reproductive health.
RFK’s VP choice, Nicole Shanahan, is a six-figure donor to… George Gascon, the pro-crime, Soros-backed prosecutor who helped wreck San Francisco and is currently wrecking LA. She also spent big on Measure J, a Los Angeles measure to reroute spending from law enforcement and… pic.twitter.com/ei3p1sggA0
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) March 26, 2024
RFK’s new VP has also been associated with the CodeX Center at Stanford University, which focuses on the development and application of computational law and data-driven legal technologies.
According to a Kennedy campaign source, Aaron Rodgers, the outspoken NFL quarterback, dropped out of the RFK Jr. vice presidential sweepstakes last week. Shanahan was also the force behind Kennedy’s well-received Super Bowl commercial.
“They align on numerous issues,” a source told Mediaite before the announcement. “The campaign is also looking for a candidate who can help finance the ballot access initiative,” which is critical to RFK Jr. standing a chance of competing in the election.
“She might be infusing millions of dollars into the campaign to help fund the ballot initiative, which makes her attractive financially; however, she lacks the qualifications to actually do the job,” the source claimed.
According to a report by Axios, Joe Biden’s team is seriously concerned about the impact Kennedy Jr. could have on the 2024 election. They have established a comprehensive strategy focused on challenging Kennedy. On the other hand, former President Trump’s campaign believes Kennedy is more likely to draw votes from Biden rather than Trump and has decided to observe the situation rather than actively engage.
RFK Jr. is performing better in polls than any independent candidate since Ross Perot in 1992.
To counter this, Biden’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) have assigned a group of staffers and consultants specifically to mitigate Kennedy’s influence. The DNC labels Kennedy a “stalking horse” for Trump.
The White House has also alluded to the fact that the Kennedy family disapproves of RFK Jr.’s candidacy. Additionally, the DNC has lodged a complaint with the FEC against Kennedy’s campaign, accusing it of illegally benefiting from his super PAC, American Values 2024.
On the flip side, Trump’s allies are keeping a watchful eye on Kennedy but are currently not investing resources to oppose him. Initially, Trump’s campaign dismissed RFK Jr.’s independent run as a self-serving endeavor, while the Republican National Committee criticized him as a “radical Democrat” due to his stance on fossil fuels.
However, Trump’s team now views Kennedy’s campaign as more detrimental to Biden than to Trump.
