It’s not like he’s under investigation by the FBI. This is the National Marine Fisheries Institute we’re talking about, sea-life-related crimes are pretty much all they do.
Also keep in mind that as of now we only have RFK Jr.’s word that he’s actually under active investigation anyway. For all we know they just sent him a letter politely reminding him that it’s illegal to collect or possess sea mammal remains without a permit.
WTAF sums it up pretty well for me. What would possess anyone chainsaw the head off a dead whale? The why of it is simply ridiculously incredulous.
And who takes a fucking chainsaw on holiday with them? (I think he was on holiday - it was a 5-hour drive back home, remember.)
Or was it at a ‘second home’, and if so, why take it back to NY?
the whole whale was too heavy to put on top of the family car?
yeah… i got nuthin’. 
Don’t you have to be in politics to be an political opponent? What offices have RFKjr held? Is he currently running for any offices? What exactly is his political position?
Really. I’m not trying to make a joke here. I am wondering under what authority has the media anointed this man a politician? Why are we even entertaining the idea?
JFK jr, hands on hips, chin stuck out, “DON’T YOU KNOW WHO MY DAD WAS!?”
Entitlement is apparently one heck of a drug.
And brain worms
Obligatory D&D scenario:
“My character is a Level 8 Zombie Whale. My favorite Feat of his is Necrotic Stench, which does 1D20 damage to all living creatures in a 50 yard radius…”
“I behead your Zombie Whale with my +3 Chainsaw of Destruction.”
“M#%^#r!”
I’m willing to bet that some marine biologists studying cetacean anatomy wouldn’t think twice about doing this.
perhaps.
but with the proper permits!!!
Agencies have a duty to investigate this stuff, even if it’s past the statute of limitations.
He is playing it up as “persecution” when he’s probably not even going to face charges.
Why? That seems like an incredible waste of money.
I’m making some assumptions here, but I’ll guess the investigation is minimal/cursory, and it’s more about messaging/optics, which is not necessarily a waste: “Listen people, don’t do this. Let the proper authorities deal with dead wildlife” etc.
Again, just a guess. Apparently NOAA has not commented except to confirm they are looking into it.
Full disclosure: my son and I have collected and cleaned skulls from dead animals we came across a few times because we thought it would be kind of cool to have them on display.
I’ve also come across dead sea lions that seemed mildly tempting to collect, but I didn’t do so because I know that doing so would violate Federal law, a fact that RFK Jr. is doubtlessly well aware of. He was a 50-year-old attorney for crying out loud, not some teenager who didn’t know any better.
Is this where the spore came from?
Not just an attorney, an environmental attorney. I really have to wonder if he’s one of those sleazeballs who chooses a profession because of a target-rich environment where he can abuse his position.
Well, we do use PPE and generally avoid eating the carcasses.
