Kennedy checks into rehab clinic for addiction and Depression
May 6, 2006

Congressman Patrick Kennedy says he's checking himself into a rehab clinic to address renewed "challenges with addiction and depression." In a Capitol Hill news conference, Kennedy says he realized he needed more help after an accident in which he crashed his car into a Capitol Hill security barrier early yesterday. Kennedy says he doesn't remember getting out of bed, being pulled over by police or being issued traffic tickets after the minor crash.

Kennedy says he sought mental health treatment at the Mayo Clinic over Christmas. He says he became "deeply concerned" again about his reaction to other prescription medications and to his "lack of knowledge" about yesterday's accident. At the close of his prepared statement, Kennedy said he hopes his openness and willingness to seek treatment will give others courage to look for help if they need it.

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Biography

Patrick Joseph Kennedy (born July 14, 1967 is the son of Ted Kennedy and Joan Bennett Kennedy. He is the nephew of former president John F. Kennedy. He serves as a Democratic U.S. Representative from Rhode Island, representing the first district. He is sometimes referred to by his critics as "Patches" Kennedy

Patrick Joseph Kennedy was also the name of Joseph P. Kennedy Sr,'s father.

Career

Patrick J. Kennedy became the youngest member of his family to hold elected office in 1988, when he won election to the Rhode Island State Assembly at age 21.

In November 1994, Patrick defeated Republican Kevin Vigilante for the first district on the United States House of Representatives, and continues to hold this office. Kennedy currently serves on the House Appropriations Committee's Subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; and on Science, State, Justice and Commerce. From 1999 to 2001, he served as Chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Kennedy has twice considered running against liberal Republican Senator Lincoln Chafee, in 2000 and 2006. (The other Senate seat in Rhode Island is held by fellow Democrat Jack Reed, Kennedy is unlikely to challenge that seat while Reed holds it.) In the 2000 Senate recruiting phase, Kennedy gave serious thought to challenging Chafee, but House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt moved Kennedy to the important House Appropriations Committee, a committee assignment so lucrative that Kennedy passed up the opportunity for 2000.

On his House web page, Kennedy denied that he will make a bid for the Senate in the mid-term elections, but on March 28, 2005 it was reported that Kennedy was considering running again. The persistent speculation ended March 30 with Kennedy's announcement that he would not run for the US Senate, but would seek reelection to the House.

If Kennedy is ever elected to the Senate while his father, Ted Kennedy, is still a senator from Massachusetts, they would become the second father and son to serve in the Senate together. The first pair was Senators Augustus C. Dodge (D-IA) and Henry Dodge (D-WI).

Controversies

  • Kennedy has acknowledged being treated for cocaine use during his teenage years.
  • In 2000, Kennedy was accused of pushing a security guard at LAX City prosecutors ultimately decided not to bring criminal charges against him and he paid an undisclosed civil settlement to the alleged victim almost two years later. His critics have called this incident a "triple hate crime", as the security guard was an elderly black woman.
  • In 2000, Atlantic Navigation Company of Mystic, CT, claimed that a boat they rented to Kennedy was found abandoned off Martha's Vineyard and required $28,000 to repair.
  • In 2000, the Coast Guard was dispatched to Kennedy's yacht after he and his date became embroiled in an argument on his yacht off Martha's Vineyard.
  • In 2003, drew fire from his critics when he jokingly said that "I have never worked a [bleeping] day in my life." 

2006 Capitol Hill accident

On May 4, 2006. Kennedy crashed his car into a barricade on Capitol Hill at 2:45AM. He had been operating his vehicle with the lights off in the early morning darkness. Officers at the scene said that Kennedy appeared intoxicated, smelled of alcohol and was visibly staggering, but Kennedy claimed that he was merely disoriented from prescription medications Ambien. and Phenergan. A woman who works at the Hawk & Dove bar in Washington, DC said that he had been drinking there.  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 procedural sobriety test was not administered and Kennedy was driven home by an officer.

On May 5, 2006, Kennedy admitted he has 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. [1] He has stated that he has no recollection of the car crash. Kennedy is being asked to resign his Congressional seat by his Rhode Island constituents. He has given indications that he will comply and resign.

References

  1. Miga, Andrew, "Rep. Patrick Kennedy to Enter Drug Rehab" Associated Press , 5 May 2006

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