Robert F. Kennedy Jr. denied accusations of sexual misconduct directed toward his former babysitter while being grilled during his second confirmation hearing to become the country’s top health official on Thursday.
Democratic Sen. Patty Murray questioned Kennedy on whether he made unwanted sexual advances toward Eliza Cooney, who accused the nominee of inappropriately touching her when she was hired to watch his children when she was 23 and he was in his mid-40s, to which he responded: “No, I did not.”
Murray went on to press him on why he sent a text message apologizing to Mooney if he had not not acted inappropriately, to which he claimed he “apologized for something else.”
Kennedy then vehemently denied that he has ever “made sexual advances towards an individual without their consent.”
The Washington Post obtained texts Kennedy sent to Cooney in July, while he was still a presidential candidate, apologizing for any inappropriate behavior and stating he did not remember doing anything wrong.
“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,” the texts read. “I never intended you any harm. If I hurt you, it was inadvertent. I feel badly for doing so.”
Kennedy also previously sidestepped questions on his behavior during an appearance on the Breaking Points podcast over the summer.
“I am not a church boy. I had a very, very rambunctious youth,” he said at the time. “I said in my [campaign] announcement speech … I have so many skeletons in my closet that if they could all vote I could run for king of the world.
Kennedy has faced back-to-back hearings where lawmakers have raised an array of concerns, ranging from his controversial remarks on vaccines to his changing positions on abortion policy.
The nominee’s cousin, Caroline Kennedy, sent a scathing letter to lawmakers ahead of Wednesday’s hearing calling on the Senate to reject his nomination and alleging he is a “predator” with a history of animal abuse and drug use.
