RFK Jr. apologizes via text message to the woman who accused him of sexual assault

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has apologized to a former babysitter in his family who accused him of sexual assault, US media reports.

Mr Kennedy reportedly texted Eliza Cooney his apology shortly after her allegations were published in Vanity Fair magazine.

Ms Cooney accused the former environmental lawyer and anti-vaccination activist of groping her several times in the late 1990s.

“I do not remember this incident, but I sincerely apologize for anything I did that made you uncomfortable or anything I did or said that offended you or hurt your feelings,” Kennedy said, according to screenshots of the text the woman shared with US media.

“I never meant anything bad to you. If I hurt you, it was not unintentional. I feel bad for doing this.”

The news was first reported on Friday by The Washington Post and Reuters said the message was verified and the phone number from which it was sent was linked to Kennedy.

Mr Kennedy told the Post “the text message speaks for itself” and declined to comment further. The BBC has contacted Mr Kennedy’s campaign team for comment.

Ms Cooney was 23 at the time of the alleged assault and worked as a live-in babysitter at Mr Kennedy’s home while also helping him with his legal work.

She told the Post she found Mr Kennedy’s message “insincere and arrogant”.

“I don’t know how someone can sincerely apologize for something they don’t even remember. I didn’t feel any remorse,” she said.

The Vanity Fair article contained a number of allegations against the candidate, including claims that he ate dog meat while traveling abroad, had several extramarital affairs and vigorously defended his cousin Michael Skakel, who was convicted of murdering a 15-year-old girl in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Mr. Kennedy, the nephew of President John F. Kennedy and son of Robert F. Kennedy, called the story a “a lot of trash”.

He denied eating dog meat and said in a podcast shortly after the story came to light: “I’m not a church boy.”

“I had a very, very wild youth,” he said. “In my inaugural speech, I said I had so many skeletons in the closet that if they could all vote, I could run for king of the world.”

He did not directly address the allegations of sexual assault.

The BBC has asked Ms Cooney for comment.