Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s independent campaign for president is off to a rocky start in 2024, with 14 disillusioned staffers reportedly quitting, citing wasteful spending and poor management.
According to a report by Mediaite, sources close to the campaign are blaming campaign manager Amaryllis Fox Kennedy, the candidate's daughter-in-law and campaign communications director Del Bigtree for the campaign's poor management.
“There is no one with political experience and it shows,” a source close to the campaign told the medium.
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during a campaign rally at the Fox Theater in Tucson, Arizona, USA, February 5, 2024
Pins and other merchandise supporting independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
According to the report, Fox Kennedy hired her nanny Brigid Rasmussen as her campaign manager, which led campaign staff to question her management skills.
“Although Brigid is a nice young woman, she has no idea how to handle her role and is inexperienced,” a campaign official noted. “This is simply a red flag indicating incompetence.”
Fox Kennedy replaced former Rep. Dennis Kucinich as campaign manager in October, shortly after RFK Jr. decided to end his challenge to President Joe Biden for the Democratic presidential nomination and run for president as an independent.
An aide who resigned in protest complained in a resignation email to Kennedy that the campaign had “severely mishandled her bid for the White House.”
“I cannot in good conscience lend my talent, time and efforts to an organization that is so amateurish, careless and out of touch with the American voter,” the letter said.
Former campaign staff raise alarm over Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s leadership of campaign team
Another source complained that Bigtree, the communications director, was out of touch, pointing to several Zoom calls to campaign staff from a ski resort.
“He’s doing Zoom calls from the slopes with champagne while a lot of people are volunteering and not getting paid,” a source complained.
Other complaints focused on Bigtree's tone and leadership style.
“It feels like a spring break party cruise.” Del was heard saying multiple times: “We're like rock stars and this is like being on tour with a rock band,” a source complained.
A resignation letter submitted to Mediaite mentioned the frustration that comes from working in a “shoulder-lobe culture” where everything is “amazing!” and magical for this campaign,” even if the operation struggles with basic campaign tasks.
“The field is severely undercapitalized for ballot access, while National is relatively overcapitalized and some positions appear to just do Zoom calls all day,” the letter said.
The Kennedy campaign faces a major hurdle in getting his name on the ballot as an independent presidential candidate in every state.
“It bothers me every day that so many in the election campaign cannot see the iceberg that is right in front of them called ballot access,” the resignation letter continued.
The Kennedy campaign referred to an earlier statement provided by Mediaite in response to the complaints.
“With over a hundred employees and tens of thousands of volunteers across the country, Team Kennedy has great people who come and go depending on the needs of each phase of the campaign. “As the most successful independent campaign of the last three decades, we wish them nothing but the best,” it said the declaration.
The questions surrounding Kennedy's campaign come shortly after he received a major boost from a $7 million Super Bowl ad funded by a super PAC backing his campaign.
The ad replaced RFK's face from an old JFK television ad from 1960 that angered members of Kennedy's family.
Kennedy apologized and distanced himself from the ad, but still has it pinned to X at the top of his campaign profile.