ALBANY, NY — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. insisted he plans to return to New York as the independent presidential candidate faced questioning for a second day Wednesday about his actual whereabouts and whether he should be banned from New York state’s November ballot.
A lawsuit filed on behalf of several voters wants to invalidate Kennedy’s petition to get on the ballot in New York. He claims he listed a home in the New York suburb of Katonah on the petition, even though he has lived in the Los Angeles area since 2014.
Kennedy testified again Wednesday that Katonah was his “home address.” He said his move to California a decade ago was only temporary so he could be with his wife, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” actress Cheryl Hines, and that he always planned to return to New York.
In a heated exchange in the Albany courtroom, defense attorney Keith Corbett repeatedly asked Kennedy whether the fact that he was moving to California with his family and pets showed that he intended to live in that state.
Kennedy hesitated to give a “yes” or “no” answer, saying the reality was more nuanced.
“Do you want a yes or no answer, or do you want the truth?” Kennedy said.
“I would like to return to New York and that is the only requirement for a residency permit,” he said.
When questioned by his own attorney, Kennedy said he had moved to California out of love for his wife.
“I said I would figure out a way to make a living in California until we could move back,” he said.
He said it was hard for him to leave New York because he had built his life there.
On Tuesday, Corbett produced a confirmation dated July 2 from Kennedy who said his driver’s license was registered to the Katonah address. But Corbett said government records show his registration didn’t list that address until the next day.
“Are you familiar with the term ‘perjury’?” Corbett asked.
“Of course I am,” Kennedy replied, saying his assistant had handled the paperwork.
“I will definitely correct this. I was wrong for 24 hours,” Kennedy said.
“I’ve lived in New York for 50 years,” he added.
Corbett on Tuesday cast doubt on Kennedy’s residency claim on several fronts. He presented Kennedy with a federal affidavit of candidacy listing a Los Angeles address and had the candidate acknowledge that he had moved his souvenirs, books and pets from New York to California.
“The dogs came, the hawks stayed,” Kennedy said, referring to his birds of prey.
The lawsuit is backed by Clear Choice PAC, a super PAC led by supporters of Democratic President Joe Biden. A judge will decide the outcome without a jury.
In a video posted to his Facebook page Tuesday, the 70-year-old Kennedy said he has lived in New York since his father moved there in 1964 to run his successful campaign for U.S. Senate. That was after his father’s brother, President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated. The candidate’s own father was shot dead in 1968 while running for president.
While independent presidential candidates like Kennedy are struggling beyond belief, he has the potential to do better than any candidate in decades, aided by his famous name and a loyal base. Both Democratic and Republican strategists fear he could negatively impact their candidate’s chances.
Kennedy’s campaign has said he has enough signatures to qualify in 42 states so far. His campaign has faced challenges and lawsuits in several states, including North Carolina And New Jersey.
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Associated Press journalist Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut, contributed.
