By Vaughn Hillyard, Katherine Koretski and Alex Seitz-Wald
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. intends to announce Tuesday that Nicole Shanahan, a wealthy attorney and entrepreneur in the San Francisco Bay Area, will be joining his campaign as his vice presidential selection, according to two sources familiar with the Kennedy campaign’s plans.
Shanahan, who like Kennedy has never run for elected office, has contributed to his campaign and said she gave to his super PAC.
The Kennedy campaign has an announcement event scheduled later Tuesday in Oakland, California.
Kennedy’s pick comes at a key inflection point for his campaign. Independent presidential candidates have to navigate different rules for getting on the ballot state by state, mostly involving gathering thousands of petition signatures. But in more than half of states, independents are required to file their nominating papers with a named running mate, and some of those deadlines are approaching quickly.
Kennedy considered a number of potential running mates during his vice presidential search, including New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and TV host Mike Rowe. Rowe described his interview to NBC News, saying Kennedy ran through key policy positions and defended his anti-vaccine advocacy.
But ultimately, the sources said Kennedy homed in on Shanahan, who previously was involved in the production of an attention-grabbing Super Bowl ad supporting Kennedy in February.
Shanahan told The New York Times that she helped make the ad and gave $4 million to the super PAC American Values 2024 last month to air it, though federal campaign finance records do not show a contribution from Shanahan to the group through February.
But joining Kennedy’s ticket appears to open a pathway for Shanahan to inject her own wealth directly into the campaign instead of into an outside group, which would allow Kennedy to use the funds for key projects like gathering petition signatures for ballot access.
Federal Election Commission rules suggest that vice presidential hopefuls are free to contribute their own money to their campaign with no limitations — just like a presidential candidate, as long as the ticket is not seeking public funding.
A tech lawyer and entrepreneur turned philanthropist, Shanahan’s life in California has been intertwined with some of tech’s biggest players.
She founded ClearAccessIP, a company that, according to its website uses AI technology to help patent holders manage their intellectual property. The company was acquired by IPwe in 2020.
She married Google co-founder Sergey Brin in 2018 and divorced him in 2022. The Wall Street Journal reported that she had an affair with billionaire Elon Musk, but both Shanahan and Musk have denied the accusation. The Journal has stood by its reporting.
“The WSJ’s narrative that an affair with Elon Musk led to the end of my marriage was about as accurate as claiming that the body heat of polar bears is responsible for the melting of the Arctic ice caps,” Shanahan wrote in a 2023 essay for People magazine. “It felt senseless and cruel.”
Shanahan’s foundation, the Bia-Echo Foundation, says its mission is to “create a multiplying effect” on issues Shanahan cares about, including “reproductive longevity & equality, criminal justice reform and a healthy & livable planet.”
Shanahan has an autistic daughter and has recently funded research into the disorder’s causes, and she told the New York Times in February that she had been motivated to support Kennedy in part because of concerns about children’s health and the environment, including vaccines.
The latter item has been one of Kennedy’s professional causes as the head of the country’s best-funded anti-vaccine organization, Children’s Health Defense. He took a leave from the organization to run for president, but has filled his campaign with anti-vaccine activists.
As of my last update in January 2022, there’s no concrete information regarding Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s intention to name Nicole Shanahan as his vice-presidential pick. It’s possible that developments have occurred since then. However, Kennedy Jr. isn’t a widely recognized political figure like his father, so any potential announcement may not garner as much attention. It’s always a good idea to verify such claims with reliable news sources for the most accurate information.
autonomous official competitor Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expects to declare Tuesday that Nicole Shanahan, a rich lawyer and business visionary in the San Francisco Cove Region, will join his mission as his bad habit official determination, as per two sources acquainted with the Kennedy lobby’s arrangements.
Shanahan, who like Kennedy has never campaigned for chosen position, has added to his mission and said she provided for his super PAC.
The Kennedy lobby has a declaration occasion planned later Tuesday in Oakland, California.
Kennedy’s pick comes at a key enunciation point for his mission. Autonomous official competitors need to explore various guidelines for getting on the polling form state by state, for the most part including gathering huge number of appeal marks. Yet, in the greater part of states, free movers are expected to record their designating papers with a named running mate, and a portion of those cutoff times are drawing closer rapidly.
Kennedy thought about various expected running mates during his bad habit official pursuit, including New York Planes quarterback Aaron Rodgers, previous Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, previous Vote based Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and television have Mike Rowe. Rowe depicted his meeting to NBC News, saying Kennedy went through key strategy positions and guarded his enemy of immunization promotion.
At the end of the day, the sources said Kennedy homed in on Shanahan, who recently was engaged with the creation of an eye catching Super Bowl promotion supporting Kennedy in February.
Shanahan told The New York Times that she helped make the promotion and gave $4 million to the super PAC American Qualities 2024 last month to air it, however government crusade finance records don’t show a commitment from Shanahan to the gathering through February.
In any case, joining Kennedy’s ticket seems to open a pathway for Shanahan to infuse her own abundance straightforwardly into the mission rather than into an external gathering, which would permit Kennedy to involve the assets for key ventures like social event request marks for polling form access.
Government Political decision Commission decides recommend that bad habit official hopefuls are allowed to contribute their own cash to their mission without any limits — very much like an official competitor, as long as the ticket isn’t looking for public financing.
A tech legal counselor and business person turned giver, Shanahan’s life in California has been entwined with a portion of tech’s greatest players.
She established ClearAccessIP, an organization that, as indicated by its site utilizes computer based intelligence innovation to assist with protecting holders deal with their licensed innovation. The organization was gained by IPwe in 2020.
She wedded Google fellow benefactor Sergey Brin in 2018 and separated from him in 2022. The Money Road Diary detailed that she had an unsanctioned romance with very rich person Elon Musk, yet both Shanahan and Musk have denied the allegation. The Diary has remained by its detailing.
“The WSJ’s story that an undertaking with Elon Musk prompted the finish of my marriage was similarly precise as guaranteeing that the body intensity of polar bears is liable for the dissolving of the Icy ice covers,” Shanahan wrote in a 2023 exposition for Individuals magazine. “It felt silly and brutal.”
Shanahan’s establishment, the Bia-Reverberation Establishment, says its central goal is to “make a duplicating impact” on issues Shanahan thinks often about, including “regenerative life span and correspondence, enhancement in law enforcement a solid and decent planet.”
Shanahan has a mentally unbalanced girl and has as of late subsidized examination into the issue’s causes, and she told the New York Times in February that she had been roused to help Kennedy to some extent in light of worries about youngsters’ wellbeing and the climate, including immunizations.
The last option thing has been one of Kennedy’s expert purposes as the top of the nation’s best-supported enemy of antibody association, Youngsters’ Wellbeing Protection. He disappeared from the association to run for president, however has filled his mission with hostile to immunization activists.
Starting around my last update in January 2022, there’s no substantial data with respect to Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s. aim to name Nicole Shanahan as his bad habit official pick. It’s conceivable that advancements have happened from that point forward. In any case, Kennedy Jr. is certainly not a broadly perceived political figure like his dad, so any potential declaration may not gather as much consideration. It’s generally really smart to check such cases with solid news hotspots for the most dependable data.