Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tabbed Nicole Shanahan as his long-awaited vice presidential pick. His choice is well known as a leftist criminal justice advocate who made sizable contributions to Democrats and President Joe Biden.
Shanahan is noted for consistently backing extremist positions related to criminal defendants.
A native of Oakland, California, Shanahan was lauded by Kennedy for awareness of public manipulation by Big Tech and her eagerness to assist the candidate in policy decisions such as border security.
The entrepreneur reversed her support for Kennedy after he left the Democratic Party to run as an independent. But Shanahan changed her mind again and donated $4 million to the super PAC supporting his candidacy.
If there was any doubt of her far-left leanings, her campaign donations settled the issue.
Get to know my running mate, Nicole Shanahan:https://t.co/8deogGhnXP pic.twitter.com/fZM3HZKexQ
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) March 26, 2024
Shanahan donated to Democrats Marianne Williamson and Pete Buttigieg when they ran for the White House in 2020. And she gave more than $150,000 to support radical progressive Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon the same year.
Kennedy’s VP selection founded and is president of Bia-Echo Foundation. The private enterprise touts its commitment to “new frontiers in reproductive longevity & equality, criminal justice reform and a healthy & livable planet.”
Shanahan was once married to Google co-founder Sergey Brin. The marriage ended amid allegations of her affair with Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, though both denied the charge.
Kennedy described his choice as “a woman who grew up right here in Oakland. The daughter of migrants who overcame every daunting obstacle and went on to achieve the highest levels of the American dream.”
As for his criteria, the candidate said he sought “a partner with strong ideas of how to reverse those dire threats to democracy and to our freedoms.”
For her part, Shanahan urged “disillusioned” Democrats and Republicans to rally behind Kennedy’s run for the presidency. She said, “The Democratic Party is supposed to be the party of compassion. It is supposed to be the party of free speech.”
But Shanahan added, “While I know many Democrats still abide by those values…I do believe they’ve lost their way in their leadership.”
