DNC Chair Condemns RFK Jr.’s Disturbing COVID Conspiracy: Targeting Jews and Chinese?

Democratic Party Leader Distances Himself from RFK Jr.’s Controversial Claims about COVID-19

By Katherine Donlevy
July 15, 2023 | 11:47pm

In a recent revelation by The Post, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s conspiracy theories about COVID-19 being “ethnically targeted” towards Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people have caused a stir among Democratic leaders. Jaime Harrison, the chair of the Democratic National Committee, tweeted his disapproval of Kennedy’s comments and made it clear that they do not reflect the views of the Democratic Party.

During a press event at Tony’s Di Napoli on East 63rd Street, Kennedy, a 2024 presidential hopeful, suggested that COVID-19 was a genetically engineered bioweapon aimed at targeting Caucasians and black people. He stated, “COVID-19 attacks certain races disproportionately. The people who are most immune are Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese.” These remarks have sparked widespread criticism from fellow Democrats.

Bronx Representative Ritchie Torres took to Twitter to express his dismay, saying, “Hard to imagine a son who has done more to dishonor his father’s name than RFK Jr.” Similarly, California Representative Ted Lieu pointed out the global toll of the virus and reminded people that many from Jewish and Chinese backgrounds have also tragically lost their lives. He said, “If you still support the wacky, narcissistic, racist Robert F. Kennedy Jr., then that says more about you than it does about him.”

Marianne Williamson, another candidate vying for the 2024 Democratic nomination, condemned Kennedy’s comments as both “sinister and unfounded.” She warned that his remarks perpetuate anti-Semitic and anti-Chinese sentiments. Kennedy’s claims align with the hate speech targeting the Jewish community that emerged at the beginning of the pandemic, according to The Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry at the University of Tel Aviv’s 2021 Antisemitism Worldwide Report.

Furthermore, the pandemic has fueled hate crimes against Americans of Asian descent, particularly in New York City, where theories of the virus leaking from a Chinese lab gained traction. In response to The Post’s report, RFK Jr., a known vaccine skeptic who has since distanced himself from such beliefs, attempted to backtrack on his controversial claims. He argued that his statements about the virus sparing Jews were off the record, but event organizer Doug Dechert countered that it was on the record.

The comments made by RFK Jr. have now become a source of controversy within the Democratic Party, causing leaders to distance themselves from his views and condemn his remarks. As the 2024 presidential race heats up, it remains to be seen how these statements will impact Kennedy’s campaign and the overall discourse surrounding COVID-19.

(Note: This article is a rewrite of the original article to adhere to AP standards and avoid plagiarism.)