Guests invited to a holiday party at the home of dedicated coronavirus vaccine opponent Robert Kennedy Jr. received invitations instructing them to get vaccinated or tested for COVID-19 before attending, sources told Politico.
Kennedy appeared to confirm the report, explaining to Politico that he was unaware of the instructions in the invitations, which he said were handled by his wife, actor Cheryl Hines of “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”
He noted that the party was for Hines’ Hollywood friends and fellow cast members, who apparently like to stay healthy.
“I guess I’m not always the boss at my own house,” he griped to Politico.
But not to worry, he assured reporter Daniel Lippman. There was no effort to verify guests’ vaccination or test status at the couple’s California home last week, Kennedy said.
That information would likely stun guests who assumed others would follow the protocols set out in the invitations.
Kennedy issued a statement to HuffPost Saturday emphasizing that he “did not” require his guests to be vaccinated to attend the party.
“I believe that every person has the right to make health decisions free from coercion, threats or force by governments, employers, and fellow citizens,” the statement added. “I don’t always agree with the decisions of others, of course, but I always support their liberty to decide for themselves. I extend this respect to everyone including colleagues, friends, and family members.”
Hines could not be reached for comment.
Kennedy not only relentlessly peddles conspiracy theories about COVID-19 vaccinations; he profits from them. His anti-vaccine group, the Children’s Health Defense — a “major source of vaccine misinformation” — raked in $6.8 million last year, according to a major investigation this week by The Associated Press.
Twitter exploded over the controversy, and many slammed Kennedy for throwing his wife under the bus.
Mostly, scads of people were flabbergasted to discover Hines is married to Kennedy.
This story has been updated with a statement from Kennedy.