Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign manager announced that Rita Palma, a New York campaign staff member, was fired after she expressed her priority of preventing President Joe Biden’s victory and encouraged GOP voters to volunteer for former President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania. Palma’s inaccurate job title and misrepresentation led to her termination, as confirmed by Kennedy’s campaign manager, Amaryllis Fox Kennedy. Palma, although no longer employed by the campaign, still believes Kennedy is the best candidate and views the focus on her comments as a distraction.
CNN reported that Palma urged voters to support Kennedy in New York, collect signatures for him, and volunteer for Trump in Pennsylvania to block Biden from winning the presidency. Palma identified herself as the Kennedy campaign’s New York state director but was referred to as a “ballot access consultant” by the campaign. Despite concerns from the Biden campaign that Kennedy’s candidacy could benefit Trump in the upcoming election, the Trump campaign has largely ignored Kennedy’s independent bid, with Trump expressing support for Kennedy as the most radical left candidate in the race.
The Kennedy campaign considers securing ballot access in New York as a crucial step towards qualifying for the ballot in all 50 states and Washington, DC. Organizers are working in all 62 counties in New York to gather 45,000 valid signatures between April 16 and May 28. Despite the challenges of obtaining ballot access, the campaign remains focused on their goal and views New York as a priority state for their efforts. While Democrats and Biden allies are actively working to combat Kennedy’s campaign, Trump’s campaign has not yet engaged with Kennedy’s candidacy.
Palma has expressed her gratitude for her time with Team Kennedy, praising the people she has worked with and expressing no ill will towards the campaign. She believes in Kennedy as the best candidate and looks forward to seeing his success in the upcoming months. Despite the controversy surrounding her comments, Palma stands by her honesty and emphasizes that the truth will defend itself. Moving forward, she remains supportive of Kennedy and optimistic about his future in the campaign.
In conclusion, the dismissal of Rita Palma from Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign highlights the challenges and controversies surrounding the independent bid for the presidency. Despite concerns from the Biden campaign, the Trump campaign has largely ignored Kennedy’s candidacy, with Trump expressing support for Kennedy as a radical left candidate. The Kennedy campaign continues to prioritize obtaining ballot access in New York as a crucial step towards qualifying for the ballot in all 50 states. Despite the distractions caused by Palma’s comments, she remains supportive of Kennedy and optimistic about his success in the upcoming months.
