Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cheryl Hines looked tense as they attended the Al Smith charity dinner, their first formal event since RFK Jr’s rumored sexting affair with Olivia Nuzzi.
The appearance at the annual political roast and social gala comes days after the pair looked loved-up at the family compound following the death of Kennedy’s mother, Ethel.
Hines was wearing a figure-hugging, sparkly gold dress with bateau neckline, long sleeves and one cold shoulder, while Kennedy wore a tux. Notably, Hines wore her wedding ring as well.
Kennedy and Hines were in attendance alongside a rare appearance together from both Donald and Melania Trump at the New York City dinner.
The white tie dinner in New York raises millions of dollars for Catholic charities and has traditionally offered candidates from both parties the chance to trade light-hearted barbs and show that they can get along – or at least pretend to – for one night in the election’s final stretch.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cheryl Hines looked tense as they attended the Al Smith charity dinner, their first formal event since RFK Jr’s rumored sexting affair with Olivia Nuzzi
The appearance at the annual political roast and social gala comes days after the pair looked loved-up at the family compound following the death of Kennedy’s mother, Ethel
The loss of the Kennedy dynasty matriarch, Ethel, 96, last week, appeared to have thawed any lingering frostiness between the couple following his alleged affair with Nuzzi, 31.
Rumors had been swirling that Hines was planning to divorce the former presidential candidate, following allegations he had a sexting relationship with the suspended New York magazine reporter.
Hines and RFK Jr got coffee together last week despite reports that the two have barely spoken over the past two weeks since allegations surfaced of his alleged affair with Nuzzi.
Late last month, Nuzzi, 31, the Washington, D.C. star political correspondent for New York magazine, acknowledged having a sexting relationship with Kennedy, 70, while covering his campaign.
Kennedy, who suspended his independent bid for president and threw his support behind Donald Trump in August, claimed the two had only met once when Nuzzi interviewed him for the magazine.
Nuzzi’s ex-fiancé Ryan Lizza is reportedly taking a ‘leave of absence’ after a bombshell court filing alleged that he blackmailed her over the rumored affair.
She claimed in DC Supreme Court that Lizza ‘explicitly threatened to make public personal information about me to destroy my life, career, and reputation—a threat he has since carried out.’
Hines was wearing a figure-hugging, sparkly gold dress with bateau neckline, long sleeves and one cold shoulder, while Kennedy wore a tux. Notably, Hines wore her wedding ring as well
The loss of the Kennedy dynasty matriarch, Ethel, 96, last week, appeared to have thawed any lingering frostiness between the couple following his alleged affair with Nuzzi, 31
Earlier this week, Lizza claimed that Kennedy wished to ‘possess,’ ‘control,’ and ‘impregnate’ ex-fiancée Olivia Nuzzi as he harshly denies blackmail allegations in court.
He says he never hacked into any of Nuzzi’s devices but rather was told of the relationship and its nature by her.
‘I discovered that Ms. Nuzzi had been cheating on me with a married man [RFK Jr.] for almost a year. She admitted the affair and over the course of weeks of conversations she confided how she fell into what she described as a “toxic” “unhealthy” “stupid” “psychotic” “crazy” “indefensible” relationship with a 70-year-old ‘sex addict’ who told her he wanted to “possess”, “control” and “impregnate” her.
‘She told me that there was a huge power disparity between them and that he manipulated her.
‘No device of Ms. Nuzzi’s was ever hacked to learn any of this information. Almost everything I know about her affair comes directly from Ms. Nuzzi herself,’ he further wrote.
He also noted that it was Nuzzi, 31, who approached him to reconsider after he broke off the engagement and asked her to move out of their Washington DC house in mid-August.
In the bombshell court papers, Lizza further claimed that Nuzzi’s ‘recklessness is solely responsible for the “public ridicule,” “humiliation” and “professional damage” she says she has suffered’.
He called the allegations ‘a disgraceful lie contradicted by the most basic facts’.
Kennedy and Hines were spotted on Wednesday for Ethel Kennedy’s celebration of life at the Cathedral of Saint Matthew in Washington DC
Hines and RFK Jr got coffee together last week despite reports that the two have barely spoken over the past two weeks since allegations surfaced of his alleged affair with Nuzzi
The senior correspondent also fervently denied threatening physical violence against his former partner – rather claimed that he ‘would never do anything to hurt her’.
‘I have never threatened physical violence against Ms. Nuzzi. Period Nor has there ever been any actual physical violence. Ever,’ documents read.
Surprisingly, Lizza did clarify that he told Nuzzi should pay back the couple’s new book advance as it was the ‘second presidential cycle in a row where Nuzzi’s personal indiscretions have sabotaged our book project’.
In the end, the Washington reporter claimed that he has been harassed by Nuzzi instead through these false accusations.
‘Ms. Nuzzi is wasting this Court’s time and is abusing the protections meant for survivors of domestic violence to ruin my reputation in a last-ditch effort to salvage her own,’ he ultimately wrote.
Nuzzi and Lizza were due to appear before a judge in Washington DC over the October 1 order which barred him from speaking to her or using material he allegedly hacked from her.
But after the case was not called, the clerk at the District of Columbia Superior Court said that the matter was ‘in negotiation’.
That means the two sides are working with a court mediator to resolve the dispute.
Earlier this week, Lizza claimed that Kennedy wished to ‘possess,’ ‘control,’ and ‘impregnate’ ex-fiancée Olivia Nuzzi as he harshly denies blackmail allegations in court
The senior correspondent also fervently denied threatening physical violence against his former partner
If they are unable to, it will come before Judge Sean Staples, the deputy presiding judge for domestic violence matters, to decide whether to renew the no contact order or dismiss it.
The hour-long hearing was expected to be a chance for the Washington correspondent to present his side of events to the court.
Instead, both sides appear to be making an effort to reach an amicable resolution to what happens next with the order, which expires on Tuesday and would have to be renewed by the judge.
Both Lizza and Nuzzi logged into the hearing via video link but did not show their faces. The negotiations are not being held in public.
Lizza will be taking a mutually agreed leave of absence from his work at Politico.
