The relatives of Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have denounced his claims about the COVID-19 pandemic being "ethnically targeted."
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was recently videotaped spreading false claims that COVID-19 was engineered to attack certain ethnic groups but spared Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people, which drew severe criticism from officials and activists and even led his own relatives to decry the remarks.
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Kerry Kennedy, a lawyer and human rights activist, called her brother's comments "deplorable" in a statement on Monday.
"I strongly condemn my brother's deplorable and untruthful remarks last week about Covid being engineered for ethnic targeting," Kerry Kennedy said. "His statements do not represent what I believe or what Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights stand for, with our 50+-year track record of protecting rights and standing against racism and all forms of discrimination."
Joe Kennedy, the nephew of RFK Jr., also condemned his uncle's comments on Twitter on Monday afternoon.
"My uncle’s comments were hurtful and wrong. I unequivocally condemn what he said," Joe Kennedy said.
My uncle’s comments were hurtful and wrong. I unequivocally condemn what he said.
— Joe Kennedy III (@joekennedy) July 17, 2023
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tweeted on Sunday that the reports of his comments were "mistaken."
"Nobody has suggested that these were deliberately engineered changes, and I certainly don't believe that they were deliberately engineered," Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said. However, he said the studies of the coronavirus show "kind of a proof of concept that you can develop bioweapons that will attack certain ethnicities."
The videotape in question caught the candidate saying at a dinner in New York City that COVID-19 "attacks certain races disproportionately."
"COVID-19 is targeted to attack Caucasians and Black people. The people who are most immune are Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese," he said. "We don't know whether it was deliberately targeted or not, but there are papers out there that show the racial or ethnic differential and impact."
Jaime Harrison, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, tweeted on Saturday about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s "deeply troubling comments."
"I want to make clear that they do not represent the views of the Democratic Party," Harrison said.
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is slated to testify at a hearing for the House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government on Thursday regarding Big Tech. Several activist groups and Democratic watchdogs have called on Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) to rescind Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s invitation to speak at the hearing in light of the comments.
Jordan told Politico that he disagrees with the Democrat's comments but will move forward with having him testify at the hearing.