Edward M. Kennedy Jr.
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Edward Moore Kennedy Jr. (born September 26, 1961) is an American lawyer and politician. He is a partner at Epstein Becker & Green, a firm headquartered in New York City, and previously represented Connecticut's 12th State Senate district in the Connecticut State Senate from 2015 to 2019. He is a son of United States Senate member Ted Kennedy from Massachusetts and a nephew of President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert F. Kennedy.
Early life and education
Kennedy was born in the Brighton section of Boston, Massachusetts to U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy and Joan Bennett Kennedy during the presidency of his paternal uncle, John. He is the brother of Kara (1960Template:Ndash2011) and Patrick J. Kennedy (born 1967).
In 1973, when Kennedy was about to turn twelve, osteosarcoma (a form of bone cancer) was diagnosed in his right leg. After rounds of Chemotherapy failed to kill the cancer, the leg was surgically amputated on November 17, 1973.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On that same day, his father had escorted his niece Kathleen down the aisle at her wedding and rushed back to the hospital. A made-for-TV movie, The Ted Kennedy Jr. Story (1986), concentrated on this event in young Kennedy's life.<ref>Staff Writer (October 8, 2010).The Doctor's World. New York Times. Accessed March 1st, 2012.</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 1982, his mother, Joan, revealed that Kennedy missed being aboard Air Florida Flight 90 by just ten minutes, which crashed into the Potomac River on January 13 of that year, killing 74 people. Kennedy was delayed on the drive to the airport and missed the flight.
Kennedy graduated from the private St. Albans School, in Washington, D.C. After completing a Bachelor of Arts degree at Wesleyan University in 1984, he continued his studies at Yale University, earning a master's degree from the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.<ref name="ebglaw.com">Template:Cite web</ref> He then attended the University of Connecticut School of Law at night, earning a Juris Doctor degree.<ref>Staff Writer (July 29, 2008). Ted Kennedy Jr. Raises Profile Template:Webarchive. The CTMirror. Accessed March 1st 2012.</ref> On May 19, 2013, Kennedy received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of New Haven.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Career
After graduation he worked at the New Haven law firm Wiggin & Dana specializing in disability issues. He later co-founded and served as president of the Marwood Group, a firm that advises corporations about health care and financial services. He left the Marwood Group in 2014 to join the law firm of Epstein Becker & Green where he advises health care providers, commercial insurers, and life science companies on critical issues related to health care reform policies.<ref name="ebglaw.com"/><ref>Staff writer (Undated). "Welcome". Marwood Group. Accessed September 1, 2009.</ref><ref>Staff writer (Undated). "Marwood Group LLC". BusinessWeek. Accessed September 1, 2009.</ref>
Kennedy is the Chairman of the board of directors of the American Association of People with Disabilities.<ref>Staff writer (Undated). "Meet our Board of Directors" Template:Webarchive. American Association of People with Disabilities. Accessed August 31, 2009.</ref>
Political career
On April 8, 2014, Kennedy announced his candidacy for a seat in the Connecticut State Senate representing the state's 12th district.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was elected on November 4. He was re-elected on November 8, 2016.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In both election cycles, Kennedy defeated Bruce Wilson Jr.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
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On June 26, 2017, Kennedy announced that he would not run for Governor of Connecticut in 2018.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On February 28, 2018, Kennedy announced he would not seek re-election to the State Senate.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On November 6, 2018, Democrat Christine Cohen won the general election to replace Kennedy after defeating Republican Adam Greenberg.<ref name="cohenreplace">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="cohensworn">Template:Cite news</ref> She was sworn in on January 9, 2019.<ref name="cohensworn" />
State Senate
Kennedy was first sworn in to serve in the Connecticut State Senate on January 7, 2015.
Committee assignments
- Committee on the Environment (Senate Co-chair)
- Committee on Internship (Ranking Member)
- Committee on Public Health
- Committee on Transportation
Party leadership
- Deputy Majority Leader<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Personal life
On October 10, 1993, Kennedy married Katherine Anne "Kiki" Gershman (born 1959)<ref>Staff writer (October 11, 1993). "Weddings; Dr. Gershman, E. M. Kennedy Jr". The New York Times. Accessed August 23, 2009.</ref> on Block Island, Rhode Island. She is an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine and an environmental advocate. She serves as spokeswoman for Stop the Pipeline, which successfully blocked the Islander East natural gas pipeline across the Long Island Sound. They live in Branford, Connecticut.<ref>Staff writer (February 14, 1993). "Engagements; Dr. Gershman, Edward M. Kennedy Jr.". The New York Times. Accessed August 23, 2009.</ref><ref>Zaretsky, Mark (December 2, 2008). "High Court Sinks Plan for Natural Gas Pipeline" Template:Webarchive New Haven Register. Accessed Aug. 27, 2009.</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The couple have a daughter, Kiley Elizabeth Kennedy (born August 7, 1994, in New Haven),<ref>Brozan, Nadine (August 8, 1994). "Chronicle". The New York Times. Accessed August 23, 2009.</ref> a competitive snowboarder who graduated from Wesleyan University in 2016, and a son, Edward Moore Kennedy III (born February 26, 1998, in New Haven), who graduated from Choate Rosemary Hall in 2016 and from Wesleyan University in 2020.
Kennedy gave a tribute at his father's public funeral on August 29, 2009.<ref>Video (August 29, 2009). "Kennedy Jr. on His Dad". CBS News's module at YouTube. Accessed September 1, 2009.</ref>
See also
References
External links
- marwoodgroup.com, Marwood Group official website
- Template:IMDb title
- Template:Cite web (Boston, Massachusetts)
- Connecticut Senate page
- Template:C-SPAN
Template:Kennedy family Template:Ted Kennedy Template:Authority control
- Pages with broken file links
- 1961 births
- 21st-century members of the Connecticut General Assembly
- American amputees
- American people of Irish descent
- American politicians with disabilities
- Businesspeople from New York (state)
- Connecticut lawyers
- Democratic Party Connecticut state senators
- Kennedy family
- Lawyers from Boston
- Lawyers from New Haven, Connecticut
- Living people
- Politicians from Boston
- Politicians from New Haven, Connecticut
- St. Albans School (Washington, D.C.) alumni
- Ted Kennedy
- University of Connecticut School of Law alumni
- Wesleyan University alumni
- Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies alumni
- American lawyers with disabilities