New York magazine writer Olivia Nuzzi placed on leave after revealing her relationship with RFK.

 

Olivia Nuzzi and Robert F Kennedy, Jr. 

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had an affair with political reporter Olivia Nuzzi, who he invited to his mansion and took hiking for a feature on his presidential campaign. Nuzzi, Washington correspondent for New York Magazine, admitted on Thursday that her communications with a former reporting subject became personal, resulting in her being placed on leave.

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While Nuzzi, 31, did not name Kennedy, 70, sources confirmed the relationship. Kennedy, married to actress Cheryl Hines, did not deny the affair but claimed it was not physical and stated they met only once. Their communication reportedly began earlier this year while Nuzzi was engaged and Kennedy was still married.

The affair is believed to have started shortly after Nuzzi wrote a detailed profile of Kennedy in November 2023 during his independent presidential run. Nuzzi is recognized as a prominent political correspondent, having contributed to several major publications, and she was personally invited by Donald Trump for an exclusive press conference in 2018.

A spokesperson for Kennedy remarked that their only meeting was for an interview that resulted in a "hit piece." During that interview, Nuzzi visited Kennedy’s $6.6 million mansion in Brentwood, California, where they drove around with his dogs and hiked in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Nuzzi's article provided an in-depth look at Kennedy’s persona and political views, highlighting his calm demeanor amid the competitive political landscape. Despite the revelations, New York Magazine stated they found no inaccuracies or bias in her reporting, and sources claimed Nuzzi did not use Kennedy as a source in her election coverage.

In a resurfaced interview from March, Nuzzi discussed the importance of third-party candidates like Kennedy in the presidential race. Ironically, she had previously criticized portrayals of female reporters in films, questioning the stereotype that they sleep with their sources.

In her statement, Nuzzi acknowledged that the relationship should have been disclosed to avoid any conflict of interest and expressed regret for not doing so sooner. At the time of the affair, she had been engaged to Ryan Lizza, a Politico reporter, but their engagement reportedly ended in recent weeks.

Kennedy has a history of admitting to infidelities during his marriage to Hines, stating that his "lust demons" were a significant personal challenge.