Mother Jones magazine has obtained secret audio recordings made by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during his divorce from his second wife, Mary Richardson Kennedy. Over 60 recordings were made before Richardson Kennedy died in 2012.
These recordings span several years, including phone calls and face-to-face interactions, revealing high-tension discussions between Kennedy and his then-wife. Kennedy was allegedly involved with several other women then, including his current wife, actress Cheryl Hines. Kennedy is heard justifying his long-standing infidelity by stating he was “being abused at home.”
This discovery comes as Kennedy, a former presidential candidate and Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee under the Trump administration, faces severe scrutiny. At least one of the recordings may have breached California’s two-party consent law. They reveal Richardson’s emotional turmoil and her repeated attempts at reconciliation, which Kennedy dismissed while pushing for the completion of their divorce.
Kennedy reportedly used these recordings for a 60-page affidavit detailing his allegations and claims against Richardson Kennedy. This document presented a detailed picture of their turbulent divorce, including relationship disputes, accusations of misconduct, and supporting evidence for his case.
In response, Richardson prepared a counterclaim, accusing Kennedy of physical abuse, prescription drug misuse, and being a “sexual deviant.” She contradicted several of his allegations, notably his claim that she had spoken about suicide in front of their children. Her document described alleged physical altercations and claimed Kennedy intentionally left evidence of his infidelities around their home to distress her.
Richardson’s counterclaim also accused Kennedy of waging an aggressive campaign against her. Two months after drafting this document, which was never filed in court, Richardson died by suicide at her home in Bedford, New York, in May 2012.
During their marriage, Kennedy kept a record of his sexual exploits in small notebooks, which he referred to as his “sex diary.” In 2013, details from his private diary were made public, revealing his relationships with 37 women. Kennedy used a numerical code to categorize his sexual encounters in this diary. Each woman’s name was listed with a number from 1 to 10, corresponding to specific sexual acts. Allegedly, a rating of 10 indicated full sexual intercourse. He also wrote about his struggles with what he referred to as his “lust demons” and acknowledged that despite his privileged life, he was “looking for ways to screw it up.”
Kennedy’s nomination as Secretary of Health and Human Services has been publicly criticized by his cousin, Caroline Kennedy, daughter of President John F. Kennedy. In a letter to senators, she characterized Kennedy as a “predator” and a “hypocrite,” citing his history of substance abuse and deceptive behavior.
The unearthing of these recordings coincides with Kennedy’s Senate testimony on January 29, 2025, during which he faced questions from Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado about his promotion of various conspiracy theories. During the Senate Finance Committee hearing, Bennet pushed Kennedy to admit his history of making unsubstantiated claims about multiple topics, from COVID-19 to Lyme disease, prompting Kennedy to acknowledge his spread of conspiracy theories.
The Kennedy family has a long political, personal, and legal controversies. President John F. Kennedy’s administration was shadowed by allegations of extramarital affairs, particularly with actress Marilyn Monroe. In 1969, Senator Edward “Ted” Kennedy was implicated in the Chappaquiddick incident, in which he drove off a bridge, leading to the death by drowning of his passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne. His delay in reporting the incident resulted in widespread criticism and legal repercussions.