Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., entered treatment for addiction to prescription painkillers last week after crashing his car into a security barrier at the U.S. Capitol around 2:45 a.m. on Thursday, May 4 - an incident Kennedy said he does not remember.
"I simply do not remember getting out of bed, being pulled over by the police or being cited for three driving infractions. That's not how I want to live my life, and that's not how I want to represent the people of Rhode Island," Kennedy said in a televised press conference Friday, May 5.
Kennedy, who represents Rhode Island's 1st congressional district, which includes Brown's campus, said he would check into drug rehabilitation at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., revealing that he sought treatment there in the winter as well. Kennedy said he had been "strong, focused and productive" since his return, but that "the recurrence of an addiction problem can be triggered by things that happen in every day life, such as taking a common treatment for a stomach flu."
Kennedy said he took two prescribed medications before the incident - Ambien, a sleep aid, and Phenergan, an anti-nausea drug - but did not consume any alcohol. Both had been prescribed by the Congressional attending physician.
Officers from the Capitol Police attempted to pull Kennedy over as he drove his Mustang convertible erratically towards the Capitol complex, but he slowed down before striking the barrier, according to the police report. Kennedy was unharmed, though the police report noted that his eyes were red and swollen and he appeared disoriented. Officers at the scene reported smelling alcohol but were ordered by superior officers not to perform any field sobriety tests. Kennedy was then driven home.
Kennedy said he asked for no preferential treatment, but the incident has raised suspicions and complaints from the acting head of the Capitol Police union, triggering an internal investigation.
Kennedy noted in his statement Friday that he has struggled with addiction and depression "since (he) was a young man." He has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and entered rehab for an addiction to cocaine before entering Providence College in the late 1980s.
Nancy Barnett, assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior, said though she was not familiar with Kennedy's case, recovery from addiction is a long and difficult road.
"Addiction is considered to be a chronic relapsing disease," she said. Even with rehab, "no one can predict whether someone is going to recover or relapse. ... Some people are able to change and become sober or reduce their dependence on substance abuse on their own." Kennedy's mental health issues "complicate the picture (and) the recovery process," she said.
Kennedy is the son of U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy, D.-Mass. He is a member of the influential House Appropriations Committee and has long been an advocate for mental health issues. He has fought to force health insurance companies to provide parity in coverage for mental health and physical health.
The political falloutSome local Republicans have called on Kennedy to resign.
Kennedy's stay in rehab "takes 50 percent of our representation in the House (of Representatives) away," said Chuck Newton, communications chair of the Rhode Island Republican Party. Kennedy holds one of Rhode Island's two seats in the House. The other is held by Rep. Jim Langevin, D-R.I.
"It's like everything else with the Kennedys - these things happen and a billion questions bubble up," Newton said, adding Patrick Kennedy "continues to lose credibility with (each of) these little episodes."
Newton referred to Kennedy as "impaired" and said it would be premature for the state Democratic Party to back him for re-election.
But Democrats have been publicly supportive of Kennedy.
"I know that this has been a difficult day for him, but I am proud of the maturity, professionalism and courage he has shown. I wish Patrick all the best during this challenging time and look forward to working with him when he returns," Langevin said in a written statement released Friday.
The political fallout from Kennedy's revelations will likely be minimal, said Darrell West, professor of political science and director of the Taubman Center for Public Policy.
"I don't think there is going to be a lot of negative political fallout because Kennedy is very popular and he has brought a lot of federal money back to the state," said West, who has written a biography of Kennedy.
Kennedy lacked a challenger in either the Democratic primary or the general election prior to last week. But Republican Edmund Leather '60 announced last week that he would challenge Kennedy, according to the Providence Journal.
But it remains unclear if the Republicans will back Leather, a career foreign service officer West described as "not very well-known politically." Newton said there is "a lot that could happen" between now and the June 29 Republican nominating convention.
But any Republican, well-known or not, would have difficulty unseating Kennedy, West said.
"It has been 10 years since (Kennedy) has had a major Republican challenger," West said. "It's hard to imagine the Republicans beating him."
