Recording Shows HHS Secretary Pressed Iowa Libertarian to Quit to Aid Republicans

Overview

• A Washington Post audio of a June 11 call captures HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. telling Libertarian Rick Stewart he was acting as a "liaison" with the White House and urging him to leave a competitive Iowa House race.
• The Post published the recording on June 25, confirming earlier reports and sharpening concerns that Kennedy suggested he could help the candidate if he exited and warned that a Democratic House would derail the president's agenda.
• Both Libertarian candidates contacted by Kennedy say they will not withdraw, with Stewart calling the exchange a carefully worded quid pro quo and Marco Battaglia reporting a separate, rebuffed June 8 appeal.
• Government ethics experts say the calls could raise Hatch Act and criminal issues because they involve a cabinet official pressing an individual about an election, but they note proving a violation will be fact specific and legally complex.
• HHS and the White House have not said whether the outreach was cleared by lawyers, and the episode draws sharper focus because Iowa's 2nd District is a battleground that could influence which party holds House oversight powers.