Patrick Joseph Kennedy II is an American politician. He is the former U.S. Representative for Rhode
Island's 1st congressional district, serving from 1995 until 2011. He is a member of the
Democratic Party. The district includes all of Bristol County and Newport County, and
parts of Providence County. Kennedy did not seek re-election in 2010. He is a member of
the Kennedy family and the younger son of the longtime Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy.
At the time of his father's 2009 death, he was the last remaining member of the Kennedy
family to serve in an elective office in Washington. When he retired in 2011, it was the first
time since 1947 that there were no members of the Kennedy family in public office.
Early life and education Patrick was born in Brighton, Massachusetts.
He is the youngest of three children born to Senator Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy and
musicianformer model Virginia Joan Bennett. His sister Kara was a television/film producer
and his brother Ted Jr. is a lawyer. Patrick was named after his patrilineal great-grandfather,
businessman/politician Patrick Joseph "P. J." Kennedy.
He graduated from Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts in 1986, and graduated with
a Bachelor of Science degree from Providence College in Providence, Rhode Island in 1991.
Rhode Island House of Representatives Kennedy became the youngest member of the
Kennedy family to hold elected office when, in 1988, he won election to the Rhode Island
House of Representatives at age 21. He served two terms in the House serving District 9
in Providence, Rhode Island, choosing not to run for a third term. He was succeeded
by Anastasia P. Williams. U.S. House of Representatives
Committee assignments U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on
Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and
Related Agencies From 1999 to 2001, he served as the chairman
of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee — the Democratic Hill committee for the
U.S. House. It works to elect Democrats to the U.S. House and it plays a critical role
in recruiting candidates, raising funds and organizing races in districts that are expected
to yield politically notable or close elections. After his tenure as Chairman of the DCCC,
Kennedy became a headliner at Democratic political events and fundraisers around the country.
He was a Vice-Chairman of the Native American Caucus in the House of Representatives.
From 2001 until his retirement in 2011, Kennedy served on the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations
and on its U.S. House standing subcommittees. Political positions
He was a chief sponsor of one of the major pieces of legislation of 2008, the Mental
Health Parity Act, a bill requiring most group health plans to provide coverage for the treatment
of mental illnesses that is comparable to what they provide for physical illnesses.
He is a strong proponent of adding a comprehensive prescription-drug benefit to the U.S. Medicare
and has consistently opposed attempts to privatize the Medicare program. Kennedy has also made
numerous speeches advocating the reorientation of the U.S. health-care system to preventive
care. He has received numerous awards for his health-care advocacy, including being
named the recipient of the Lymphoma Research Foundation’s Paul E. Tsongas Memorial Award
as well as the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Congressional Honors Award.
Health care Kennedy is a vocal advocate for health care
reform. During his career, he joined with Republican U.S. Senator Pete Domenici from
New Mexico in introducing legislation that places mental illness under the umbrella of
health insurance. Among the rewards received on behalf of his
work include the Society for Neuroscience — Public Service Award, Eli Lilly and Company
2003 Helping Move Lives Forward Reintegration Awards, American Psychoanalytic Association
2003 President’s Award, American Psychiatric Association Alliance award, and the Depression
and Bipolar Support Alliance — Paul Wellstone Mental Health Award.
In a March 7, 2008, speech to the Cleveland City Club, Kennedy acknowledged having bipolar
disorder and being a recovering alcoholic. He and his siblings have legal custody of
their mother, who has long struggled with alcoholism. Kennedy is co-founder of One Mind
for Research, which seeks to increase resources and efficiency in brain disorder research.
Political campaigns
Kennedy campaigned for the seat being vacated by U.S. Representative Ronald Machtley in
the 1994 Rhode Island 1st congressional district election. He won the election, defeating Republican
candidate Kevin Vigilante. He was one of four Democrats in the 1994 congressional elections
to win a congressional seat that had just been held by a Republican, while Republicans
gained dozens of seats to take over the U.S. House. He has been re-elected in each subsequent
election. He considered running against Republican Lincoln
Chafee in the 2000 U.S. Senate election in Rhode Island, later won by Chafee. During
the 2000 U.S. Senate recruiting phase, U.S. Representative Richard A. Gephardt, then-U.S.
House Minority Leader, appointed Kennedy to the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations,
a high-profile assignment that led Kennedy to pass up the U.S. Senate opportunity for
2000. He again considered running against Chafee in 2006, but did not.
Kennedy did not run for another term in 2010. He finished his 8th term at the completion
of the 111th United States Congress. 2008 presidential election
On January 28, 2008, Kennedy joined his father in endorsing Barack Obama in the 2008 U.S.
presidential election, stating that Obama was the "perfect antidote to George Bush".
Prior to that, Kennedy had joined his first cousin Timothy Shriver in endorsing U.S. Senator
Christopher Dodd from Connecticut. Personal issues and incidents
Drug and alcohol use Kennedy has acknowledged being treated for
cocaine use during his teenage years, and admitted that he abused drugs and alcohol
while he was a student at Providence College. He sought treatment for an OxyContin addiction
in 2006. Due to his experience with addiction, Patrick J. Kennedy has started to advocate
against the legalization of marijuana. Rape accusation against William Kennedy Smith
During Easter weekend in 1991, Kennedy and his father were in Palm Beach, Florida, along
with Patrick's cousin, William Kennedy Smith. At Au Bar, Patrick met a 27-year-old Testas
Restaurant waitress, Michelle Cassone, and Smith met another woman, Patricia Bowman.
Both women returned with the Kennedys to the family's beachfront retreat, where a series
of events took place that resulted in Smith being charged with raping Bowman. The prosecution
alleged that the three Kennedys collaborated to cover up this alleged crime. In a widely
covered trial, Smith was acquitted. Capitol Hill intoxicated-driving accident
On May 4, 2006, Kennedy crashed his automobile into a barricade on Capitol Hill in Washington,
D.C., at 2:45 a.m. A United States Capitol Police official said the congressman had appeared
intoxicated when he crashed his car, but Kennedy claimed that he was merely disoriented from
prescription medications Ambien and Phenergan. Anonymous sources are alleged to have seen
Kennedy drinking at the nearby Hawk & Dove bar prior to the accident. Kennedy also stated
to officers that he was "late for a vote". However, the last vote of the night had occurred
almost six hours earlier. The standard field sobriety test was not administered, and Kennedy
was driven home by an officer. On May 5, 2006, Kennedy admitted that he had
an addiction to prescription medication and announced he would be re-admitting himself
to a drug-rehabilitation facility at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota where he has sought treatment
for prior addictions. He has stated that he has no recollection of the car crash. On May
8, 2006, Kennedy got a show of support when he was endorsed by the Rhode Island Democratic
Party. On June 5, 2006, Kennedy was released from drug rehabilitation.
On June 13, 2006, Kennedy made a deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to a charge
of driving under the influence of prescription drugs. He was sentenced to one-year probation
and a fine of $350. Two of the three charges were dismissed. He was also ordered to attend
a rehabilitation program that includes weekly urine tests, twice-weekly meetings with a
probation officer, near-daily Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and a weekly meeting of recovering
addicts. On Friday, June 12, 2009, Kennedy again announced
that he has "checked into a medical facility for treatment". In a statement to the press,
Kennedy said that his recovery is a "lifelong process" and that he will do whatever it takes
to preserve his health. "I have decided to temporarily step away from my normal routine
to ensure that I am being as vigilant as possible in my recovery," Kennedy said.
Rhode Island auto accident In an earlier incident, on April 15, 2006,
Kennedy was involved in an automobile accident with off-duty U.S. Coast Guard Warrant Officer
Thomas Guthlein in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. Portsmouth police did not issue a citation
to either driver. Guthlein is quoted in the Daily News as saying "I never really got that
close to him ..... It was just a regular traffic accident".
Political controversies "Never worked"
In 2003, Kennedy was criticized for saying ""I don't need Bush's tax cut. I have never
worked a fucking day in my life." His staff explained that Kennedy's comment as a satirical
argument against tax cuts for the wealthy, including him, some of whom have inherited
their money. Retention of donor's money
In 2007, the Kennedy camp stated that they would retain $6,600 in donations from Democratic
fundraiser Norman Hsu, who had been convicted that year of a Ponzi scheme fraud. Kennedy
is one of the few Democrats not to return or donate these contributions.
Communion controversy In February 2007, Kennedy was asked to refrain
from receiving Holy Communion by his bishop, Thomas Tobin. Kennedy later said that the
bishop had asked priests not to give him the sacrament "because of the positions that I’ve
taken as a public official," particularly on abortion. Tobin acknowledged that he had
requested Kennedy not to receive communion but not that he had asked priests to deny
Kennedy the sacrament. Criticism of Senator Scott Brown
Kennedy criticized Republican Senator Scott Brown for demanding to be sworn in as a Senator
as soon as the election results from the 2010 Massachusetts special senate election were
certified. "Brown's whole candidacy was shown to be a joke today when he was sworn in early
in order to cast his first vote as an objection to Obama's appointment to the NLRB," Senator
Brown responded “I was elected and the votes are certified and I’m here to do my job.
It’s unfortunate that he would use mean-spirited comments like that at a time when we’re
just trying to solve the problems of the Commonwealth” Troop withdrawal from Afghanistan
On March 10, 2010, Kennedy went on a tirade over the maneuvering stratagem to the war
in Afghanistan during a debate of a measure calling for the end of the war. He yelled
so loudly at times about the war in Afghanistan that he went hoarse until he was finally finished
with his 3 minute time limit. He anticipated that some would object to his demand to withdraw
from Afghanistan by claiming such withdrawal would dishonor those who have already fallen.
His comment was, "Somewhere—I can't believe I even heard this—someone said 'Oh, I can't
go to a funeral, and tell the parents of someone who just died that they lost their child in
vain'. Somewhere, I heard that during the Vietnam War." After requesting an additional
30 seconds and being granted the time, Kennedy also went after the media for lack of coverage
of the war, citing only two press members in the gallery at the time and "24/7" media
coverage of the resignation of Eric Massa.
Private life and family He resides in Brigantine, New Jersey. Kennedy
announced his engagement to sixth-grade history teacher Amy Savell on March 28, 2011. Amy
has a daughter, Harper Petitgout, from her previous marriage to Mark Petitgout. They
married on July 15, 2011 in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. Patrick and Amy have two children:
Owen Patrick Kennedy Nora Kara Kennedy
His father, Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy, died on August 25, 2009. Patrick made a tearful
eulogy at the funeral, saying that "He [Ted] would be very proud to see you all out here
today paying a final respect and tribute to his memory". He further elaborated on his
experiences with his father as a child, saying his father would stay at his bedside during
his frequent bouts of ill health. Patrick Kennedy suffers from bipolar disorder.
When Kennedy decided not to run for reelection in 2010, he cited his decision on the fact
that his life "has taken a new direction". Mark Weiner, a major Democratic fundraiser
in Rhode Island and one of Kennedy's top financial backers, said "It's tough to get up and go
to work every day when your partner is not there, I think he just had a broken heart
after his father passed away." See also
Kennedy family tree References
External links Biography at the Biographical Directory of
the United States Congress Profile at Project Vote Smart
Financial information at the Federal Election Commission
Patrick J. Kennedy at the Internet Movie Database Profile at SourceWatch
Bishop of Providence, Thomas J. Tobin