Who is Jonathan Macht? Intruder arrested twice in a day at Robert F Kennedy Jr's Los Angeles property
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Presidential hopeful Robert F Kennedy Jr has made a compelling plea for Secret Service protection after a trespasser, identified as 28-year-old Jonathan Macht, was arrested twice in a single day while trespassing on Kennedy's Los Angeles property.
The unusual events unfolded as Kennedy, an independent presidential candidate, sought security measures to protect himself and his campaign from the alarming intrusions, as per the New York Post.
Intruder's persistent acts at Kennedy's home in Los Angeles
On Wednesday, October 25, an intruder scaled the fence at Kennedy's home in Los Angeles and was promptly arrested, only to be released later in the day.
Shockingly, the same individual made a second attempt to enter Kennedy's property and was arrested once more.
Kennedy Jr disclosed the incidents, tweeting, "Yesterday an intruder climbed the fence at my home and was arrested. After being released from police custody later in the day, he immediately returned to my home and was arrested again."
Los Angeles Police Department identified the intruder as Jonathan Macht
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed the identity of the trespasser as Jonathan Macht, a 28-year-old resident of Pacific Palisades, California.
Macht faced initial charges of trespassing and was issued an emergency protective order in the morning.
However, he was arrested again later in the day for violating the protective order, after Kennedy Jr's security team detained him outside the presidential candidate's residence.
According to a statement from Kennedy Jr's campaign, Macht had expressed a desire to see the candidate, and notably, Kennedy Jr was at home during both incidents.
RFK Jr's plea to Biden administration for Secret Service protection
The Kennedy Jr campaign has expressed profound concerns about Macht's actions, describing him as having an "obsession" with RFK Jr that occasionally makes him "hostile and angry."
The private security firm engaged by Kennedy Jr, Gavin de Becker & Associates, has been in touch with the Secret Service, flagging the persistent threats posed by Macht.
The firm shared disconcerting communications sent by Macht to the candidate. Despite these alarming developments, the US Department of Homeland Security Secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, has consistently refused to approve Secret Service protection for Kennedy Jr.
The campaign emphasized the urgency of the situation, revealing that Macht had sent hundreds of emails to the candidate, and he genuinely believed that he was being pursued by individuals with harmful intentions.
In his third formal request to Mayorkas, Kennedy Jr implored, "Given all that is known, please reconsider your decision to refuse Secret Service protection to presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr and allow protection to commence as soon as possible."