Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently texted an apology to the woman who accused him of sexual assault, saying he doesn’t recall the incident, The Washington Post reported.
The woman, Eliza Cooney, provided the text from Kennedy to the Post, which verified it was sent from his phone number.
“I have no memory of this incident but I apologize sincerely for anything I ever did that made you feel uncomfortable or anything I did or said that offended you or hurt your feelings,” read the text, which was sent on July 4, two days after Vanity Fair published her accusations. “I never intended you any harm. If I hurt you, it was inadvertent. I feel badly for doing so.”
The text continued: “If you feel comfortable, Id [sic] like to tell you this by phone, and preferably, face to face. I recognize that this might not be possible. I have no agenda for sending this text other than making the most sincere and ernest [sic] amends.”
Kennedy’s campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment from HuffPost. He told the Post: “The text message speaks for itself.”
In Vanity Fair, Cooney accused Kennedy of making inappropriate sexual advances toward her when he employed her as a nanny in the late 1990s. Among the incidents she alleged was one in which he, then 45, approached her, 23 at the time, from behind and groped her. Kennedy was married with five children then.
Cooney, now 48, was not satisfied with her text from Kennedy.
“It was disingenuous and arrogant,” she told the Post. “I’m not sure how somebody has a true apology for something that they don’t admit to recalling. I did not get a sense of remorse.”
As for his suggestion that they meet face to face, Cooney retorted: “What woman wants to do that?”
Kennedy has refused to address Cooney’s accusations, telling CNN last week that he’s “not going to comment on it.”
The candidate known for his anti-vaccine activism and other unfounded conspiratorial beliefs is proving to be an impactful candidate in the presidential race. He’s currently polling around 9%, threatening to be a serious spoiler for Joe Biden’s or Donald Trump’s campaigns. He’s one of the best-polling third-party candidates in more than 30 years.