A key adviser to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is stepping away from his presidential marketing campaign, citing an “more and more hateful and divisive ambiance” that “not aligns with my values.”
Angela Stanton King, the marketing campaign’s adviser for Black engagement, introduced her departure in a press release on social media on Tuesday night, 5 months after she was added to the marketing campaign’s payroll. In a textual content message, Ms. Stanton King stated she had “switched to a casual position.” Requested for the rationale for the swap, she pointed to her assertion on social media.
“After a lot reflection, I’ve determined to step away from the political theater,” that assertion stated. “The more and more hateful and divisive ambiance not aligns with my values.”
The Kennedy marketing campaign didn’t reply to a number of requests for remark.
Ms. Stanton King was a high-profile determine within the Kennedy marketing campaign, showing with Mr. Kennedy and Nicole Shanahan, his working mate, on the marketing campaign path and addressing crowds at rallies. In Ms. Shanahan’s debut marketing campaign occasion in Houston this month, Ms. Stanton King spoke at size and launched the candidate to the group, saying, “I don’t fall in love with lots of people, however I fell in love with Nicole.”
She was considered one of many advisers, employees members and consultants for Mr. Kennedy who had earlier ties with or have been supporters of former President Donald J. Trump. Ms. Stanton King was pardoned by Mr. Trump in 2020 after serving six months of residence confinement in 2007 for her position in a stolen-vehicle ring, and shortly after ran as a Republican for a U.S. Home seat in Atlanta.
An avowed adherent of the QAnon conspiracy principle on the time of her Home marketing campaign, Ms. Stanton King later supported Mr. Trump’s claims of a rigged election after she misplaced her race in a landslide, ultimately calling for a army coup to oust President Biden in early 2021. (She has since deleted her put up calling for a coup.)
Ms. Stanton-King was additionally closely concerned in Georgia grass-roots Republican occasions, notably as they associated to Black voter outreach. Throughout Herschel Walker’s unsuccessful Senate marketing campaign in 2022, Ms. Stanton-King stirred some battle when she participated in a marketing campaign occasion for Mr. Walker that gave potential voters gasoline vouchers.
The Kennedy group has been waging an inner battle over the marketing campaign’s abortion platform. Mr. Kennedy had beforehand stated that he wouldn’t assist authorities restrictions on abortion care, however reversed himself this month after a public strain marketing campaign from Ms. Shanahan and Ms. Stanton King, who’s an anti-abortion activist and advocate for prison justice reform.
In an interview with the podcaster Sage Steele that ran this month, Mr. Kennedy stated he wouldn’t assist authorities restrictions on abortion care, even when that might permit girls to terminate their pregnancies after the purpose of viability — normally about 24 weeks.
“I don’t suppose it’s ever OK,” Mr. Kennedy stated, including “now we have to depart it to the ladies quite than the state.”
That place appeared to return as a shock to Ms. Shanahan, who has known as for a nationwide abortion ban at roughly 15 to 18 weeks. She had her personal interview with Ms. Steele throughout which she stated Mr. Kennedy “completely believes in limits on abortion, and we’ve talked about this.”
An impassioned debate then performed out contained in the marketing campaign on the eve of Ms. Shanahan’s deliberate debut on the marketing campaign path on the occasion in Houston. Ms. Stanton King repeatedly attacked Mr. Kennedy for his place on social media, at one level suggesting that she was contemplating quitting the marketing campaign completely.
In Ms. Stanton King’s account, the dispute solely ended after “a bunch of going forwards and backwards with not solely Bobby but additionally folks on the marketing campaign,” and after Mr. Kennedy known as her and agreed to alter his place. Mr. Kennedy did so just a few hours later, saying in a social media put up that he would now assist “restrictions on abortion within the remaining months of being pregnant, simply as Roe v. Wade did.”
Maya King contributed reporting.
