Asked about bear carcass prank, RFK Jr. says he once had a freezer full of roadkill meat

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — It wasn’t just the dead bear.

Days after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. admitted to taking a bear carcass from the side of the road and placing it in Central Park as a prank a decade ago, he said that has been picking up roadkill his "whole life” and once had a “freezer full of it” at home.

The comment came as the independent presidential candidate was leaving an upstate New York courtroom Wednesday where he had testified in a lawsuit seeking to exclude him from the state's ballot in November.

The trial has focused on whether Kennedy improperly listed a residence in the New York City suburb of Katonah as his home address on his nominating petitions, when he has actually been living in the Los Angeles area since 2014.

But the substance of the trial has been largely overshadowed in recent days by a story, unearthed by The New Yorker, that Kennedy once put a dead bear cub in his car while on a hiking trip, drove around with it for a day, then dumped it in Central Park with a group of friends when he realized he had to catch a flight.

In a video posted to social media Sunday, Kennedy told comedian Roseanne Barr that he planned to skin the bear, which was in “very good condition." He continued, saying, “I was going to put the meat in my refrigerator,” but did not specify what he intended to do with it.

Speaking to reporters in a hallway after court ended Wednesday, Kennedy was asked whether he picked up other roadkill.

“I’ve been picking up roadkill my whole life. I have a freezer full of it,” he said, eliciting laughter.

Kennedy campaign spokesperson Stefanie Spear later said by text that he wasn't joking. She said that’s how Kennedy — a falconer who trains ravens — feeds his birds. She added that he no longer has the 21 cubic foot (0.59 cubic meter) refrigerator, which had been in New York's Westchester County suburbs.

On the witness stand, Kennedy was grilled for a second day about where he lives and whether he should be kept off New York's ballot in November.

He testified that his move to California a decade ago was only temporary so he could be with his wife, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” actor Cheryl Hines, and that he always planned to return to New York.

Attorneys representing several New York voters have sought to demonstrate Kennedy is not a New York resident, relying on government documents and even a recent social media video in which Kennedy talks about taming ravens he feeds at his Los Angeles home.

In a testy exchange in the Albany courtroom, attorney Keith Corbett repeatedly asked Kennedy whether moving to California with his family and pets demonstrated his intention to reside in that state.

Kennedy balked at providing a “yes” or “no” answer, saying the reality was more nuanced.

“Do you want a yes or no answer, or do you want the truth?” Kennedy said.

“My intention is to return to New York and that’s the only requirement for residency,” he said.

Under questioning from his own lawyer, Kennedy said he moved to California out of love for his wife and concern for her career.

“I said I would figure out a way to make a living in California until we could move back, and that was our agreement," he said.

He said it was difficult for him to leave New York because he had built his life there.

The residence in question is a room in a home in well-to-do Katonah, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) north of midtown Manhattan. Kennedy testified Wednesday that he has only slept in that room once, citing his constant travel for his campaign.

Shown a photograph of the room, Kennedy acknowledged the furniture and painting in the room are not his, but he said pictures on the nightstand belong to him.

“I think one of them is a photo of me and Mick Jagger,” he said.

Kennedy's lawyer, William F. Savino, asked him why he didn’t just rent or buy a house in New York in the last 10 years. Kennedy said homeownership is time consuming and expensive.

“It snows a lot here," he said. “The pipes break, the driveway needs to be plowed and all these other burdens that are associated with home ownership.”

Kennedy, who lived in New York for years before moving to California, noted his father was similarly accused when he ran for a New York Senate seat in 1964 and won. Months before that election, his father, Robert F. Kennedy, rented a home on Long Island.

“He was also accused of not being a New Yorker,” he said.

The woman who owns the Katonah property testified Tuesday that Kennedy rents a room for $500 a month, but she acknowledged those payments began in May, a day after a New York Post story questioned the candidate’s claim that he lives in New York. Kennedy testified that he thought his assistant had been paying rent for the previous year and that he made sure payments started after the newspaper story.

The lawsuit against Kennedy is backed by Clear Choice PAC, a super PAC led by supporters of Democratic President Joe Biden. A judge is set to decide the outcome without a jury.

Kennedy’s campaign has said he has enough signatures to qualify in a majority of states, but his ballot drive has faced challenges and lawsuits in several states, including North Carolina and New Jersey.

Associated Press writer Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut, contributed.

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., leaves after giving testimony at the Albany County Courthouse, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Albany, N.Y. Kennedy is fighting a lawsuit claiming he falsely claimed to live in New York as he sought to get on the ballot in the state. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., right, arrives at the Albany County Courthouse to fight a lawsuit he falsely claimed to live in New York state, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)

A election campaign sign for Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.,is seen outside the Albany County Courthouse Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., right, waves to a group of supporters as he arrives at the Albany County Courthouse to fight a lawsuit he falsely claimed to live in New York state, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.,right, turns to look at supporters as he arrives at the Albany County Courthouse to fight a lawsuit he falsely claimed to live in New York state, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)

A small group of supporters wait for Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to arrive at the Albany County Courthouse, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., right, waves to a group of supporters as he arrives at the Albany County Courthouse to fight a lawsuit he falsely claimed to live in New York state, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., right, arrives at the Albany County Courthouse to fight a lawsuit he falsely claimed to live in New York state, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Two years ago, food cart worker Fathima Shiyama had to wait in line, sometimes for days, to get cooking gas, fuel and other essentials. It was a test of patience for her and millions of other Sri Lankans as their country languished in economic and political chaos.

Since then, under President Ranil Wickremesinghe, the South Asian island nation's economy has begun a fragile recovery. As the country gears up for a crucial presidential vote, key economic indicators have improved and there are no shortages of food and fuel. Inflation is almost under control after peaking at 70%.

Sri Lankans who usually vote along religious and ethnic lines will be keeping the state of the economy in mind when they vote Saturday on a new president. Many are still struggling, borrowing money or leaving the country to cope with rising living costs and limited opportunities.

Shiyama says she isn’t still earning enough to cover her monthly expenses and pay for her ailing daughter’s medical tests. In desperation, she has turned to borrowing from loan sharks at an exorbitant 20% interest rate.

“We are trying our best to survive despite many difficulties,” said the 48-year-old mother of five, as she was selling “string hopper” noodles and coconut “pittu,” popular traditional dinner items, from a cart on the outskirts of Colombo.

As Sri Lanka sank into economic collapse in 2022, a popular uprising led its then president Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country.

This weekend's election pits his successor, Wickremesinghe, against opposition leader Sajith Premadasa and Anura Dissanayake, leader of a Marxist-led coalition that has been gaining popularity. Poll results are due Sunday.

All the candidates have promised to lead Sri Lanka into a prosperous future by developing new industries, improving agriculture, broadening the tax base to increase revenue and creating tens of thousands of new jobs.

Under Wickremesinghe, Sri Lanka has been negotiating with the international creditors to restructure the country's staggering debt and get the economy back on track. The International Monetary Fund approved a four-year bailout program last year, but many Sri Lankans are unhappy over the government’s efforts to increase revenue by raising electricity rates and imposing heavy taxes on professionals and businesses, to meet IMF conditions for its assistance.

Overall conditions have improved after the long dry spell during and after the pandemic. Vital tourism earnings have risen and the Sri Lankan rupee has recovered. But rising prices due to the government's austerity measures are squeezing many households.

“We are in a very critical time” said Murtaza Jafferjee, an economic analyst and chairman of Advocata Institute, a Colombo-based independent policy think tank.

"The economy is looking up,” he said, but has not fully recovered. The government should aim for at least 4% growth this year, instead of its target of 3%. Politicians need to focus on policies that don't just benefit the country's elite, Jafferjee said.

“It is high time that we run this country for the benefit of the 22 million people,” he said.

Sri Lanka’s economic crisis began well before the upheavals of 2022.

Staggering economic mismanagement by successive governments was compounded by poor policy choices and then the pandemic. Rajapaksa pushed through big tax cuts in 2019. Then, he banned imports of chemical fertilizer to preserve Sri Lanka’s scarce foreign reserves, hurting crop yields in a a country largely dependent on agriculture.

With the war in Ukraine, food and fuel prices surged and fuel, cooking gas, medicine and food ran short. Sri Lankans lined up for government rice handouts and charity meals.

Today, inflation has dropped below 5% and there's no need to line up to buy essentials. But key parts of the economy remain in crisis.

Jagath Dissanayake said conditions remain dire for his construction firm in Gampaha, a town located about 30 kilometers (19 miles) north of Colombo after prices of building materials tripled. Most of Dissanayake projects are suspended and he had to lay off two-thirds of his employees.

“People have no money to do new construction as they give priority to buying essentials. We hardly get any new work," Dissanayake said.

His income is down almost 75%, he said, so there is no more dining out and Dissanayake rides a motorbike instead of driving a car, to save money on fuel.

“Of course, there are no queues for petrol anymore, but we don't have enough money to buy it.” he said.

Sri Lanka’s construction industry has shed about 400,000 jobs in the last four years, according to some estimates. Once a booming industry that contributed nearly 12% to the country’s growth figures, its share has dropped to 7% this year.

Many Sri Lankans have sought jobs abroad.

Viraj Maduranga, formerly a teacher in a government school, went to Dubai in 2021 to find work when he became unable to repay loans he had taken to build his house and buy a vehicle.

“Either I had to sell off the house and the car, or find an alternative income. So, I decided to leave. It was not an easy decision for me and my wife, but we have to make sacrifices to build our lives,” said Maduranga, who now works as a teacher in Dubai and won’t be able to vote in the election.

Not everyone is impressed with the promises made by the candidates in this election.

“We have seen it in the past, politicians saying various things, but when they come into power they have simply ignored what they have said during campaigns,” said W.A. Wijewardena, an economic analyst and former deputy governor of Sri Lanka's central bank.

Jafferjee, the economic analyst, said the election is “extremely crucial” for Sri Lanka’s economic recovery. The next president should use his executive powers to “enact pro-consumer policies" and be more open to trade.

“This (crisis) is not insurmountable, but you need to make unpopular choices. What you need basically is a president who looks to grow the pie," said Jafferjee.

In the meantime, Sri Lankans like Maduranga are impatiently waiting for change.

He longs to rejoin his wife and 8-year-old son in Sri Lanka, but still needs to repay his loans.

“This is not the best time to go back," Maduranga said. “I want to live in Sri Lanka as a free man without being indebted to anyone.”

Saaliq reported from New Delhi.

Indian tourists pose for a photograph on a beach in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

FILE - Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe waves to supporters as he arrives to address a public election rally in Minuwangoda, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh, File)

Members of a construction crew take a break from work at the Colombo port, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

A woman buys fruits from a stall at a local wholesale market, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

Workers pull a hand cart loaded with sacks of vegetables through a wholesale market in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A man sells plastic bags on a street in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Election posters showing portraits of National People's Power's presidential candidate Anura Dissanayake, are pasted on the kitchen walls of an eatery where a cook prepares food for customers in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Jagath Dissanayake, owner of a private construction firm, supervises work at a building site in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A man sits next to election posters of opposition leader Sajith Premadasa as he gets a shave from a roadside barber in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

A couple walks past an election poster showing a portrait of Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Fathima Shiyama, 48, waits for customers next to her food cart in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Fathima Shiyama, 48, prepares local delicacies at home, to be sold later from her food cart, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Fathima Shiyama, 48, who sells food on a mobile cart to support her five children, speaks to the Associated Press at her residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A bird flies past gantry cranes working at the Colombo port, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)