Nicole Shanahan, former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s running mate, offered half a million dollars to a Washington Post journalist to be a “whistleblower” against her political enemies.
The Post, in a wide-ranging profile of Shanahan published Wednesday, revealed the offer was made this summer, when the outlet was reporting on her during the time Kennedy’s campaign was still active.
Kennedy suspended his campaign in August and subsequently endorsed former President Trump.
In June, Shanahan “texted an associate who had been contacted by The Post to suggest a deal,” the newspaper reported.
“Shanahan said she would ‘pay your friend’ — The Post reporter — ‘half a million dollars to be a whistleblower’ to expose people Shanahan claimed were spreading false information about her,” the Post wrote, noting the contact relayed the offer to the reporter, who did not respond.
“After multiple requests for interviews with Shanahan since April, The Washington Post sent a detailed list of questions to her last week,” the passage in the profile continued. “She said she rejected parts of The Post’s reporting, but did not offer specific answers.”
It is considered highly unethical and unusual for public figures to offer mainstream journalists money, goods or services for favorable coverage.
A representative for Shanahan did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment.