As Joe Kennedy considers run, Chávez ties loom

Boston Globe ^ | 09/06/09 | Michael Rezendes and Noah Bierman

[raccoonradio]

Firm relies on Venezuela oil

As Joseph P. Kennedy II contemplates a race to reclaim the Senate seat held by his family for nearly half a century, his most formidable obstacle may not be a Massachusetts politician but a political leader some 2,000 miles away: President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela.

Over the past four years, Citizens Energy Corp., the signature nonprofit founded by Kennedy in 1979 as a political launching pad, has grown from a local charity serving 10,000 Massachusetts homes a year into a national effort delivering free fuel to 200,000 households in 23 states.

And Kennedy, a former US representative, has relied almost exclusively on Chávez, a vociferous critic of the US government, for that growth.

(snip)In addition to forging increasingly close ties with Chávez and Citgo Petroleum Corp., an oil company controlled by the Venezuelan government, Kennedy has used the proceeds of Chávez’s donated oil to fund millions in advertising for the heating oil charity - $16 million over the last two winters alone. Those ads, in turn, prominently feature Kennedy, often personally delivering Chávez-funded oil to needy recipients.

(snip)

“I don’t think you’re going to persuade the public that Citizens Energy and delivering free oil to people who can’t afford it is a bad thing. I really don’t think that’s going to stick,’’ said William F. Weld, a Republican and a former governor of Massachusetts. “[Kennedy’s] not loony left at all, and I think he could be very good in office.’’

But in a taste of what Kennedy might expect from a Republican opponent in a general election, or even a conservative Democrat in a primary, one operative said the issue could be pivotal in a campaign.

[raccoonradio]

As head of the non-profit he only made $545k in 2007...

And:

>>In a typical Citizens ad, Kennedy’s words are delivered over black-and-white images of vulnerable citizens, including the elderly and children, suffering in the cold, followed by full-color images of Kennedy carrying a hard hat as he steps up to make an oil delivery.

Yeah I’m sure he shows up to a lot of deliveries. RIGHT!!!

(Radio ads are played against sorrowful music that turns upbeat as Joe “Do You Know Who I Am???” Kennedy then speaks about how nobody should be out in the cold.)

[raccoonradio]

>>said William F. Weld, a Republican and a former governor of Massachusetts. “[Kennedy’s] not loony left at all, and I think he could be very good in office.’’

yeah old Billy sounds like a real true blue Republican here doesn’t he? not surprised...

[Vaquero]

that is a joke....the majority of the people of Mass-of-2-$h !ts would vote for Chavez for Senator, let alone a mere Chavez booster...

[Scanian]

Like that would bother many voters in Taxachusetts.

[The_Media_never_lie]

If he really gave a rip about the poor, why would he soak the agency with an exorbitant salary ($545k)?

[mkjessup]

“I don’t think you’re going to persuade the public that Citizens Energy and delivering free oil to people who can’t afford it is a bad thing. I really don’t think that’s going to stick,’’ said William F. Weld, a Republican scumbag RINO and a former liberal governor of Massachusetts. “[Kennedy’s] not loony left at all, and I think he could be very good in office.’’

It's called 'Accuracy in Media' folks.

[CDFingers]

Here in the Peoples Commonwealth of Massachusetts it is Joe’s office if he wants it. Still it will fun to watch if a Republican candidate makes him defend Hugo.

[Leisler]

Not one of our worst Governors at all. Nice guy, stayed drunk a lot and didn't work much with the liberals and give them a open door to take over health care like teetotaler Romney.

The last good Massachusetts Govenour, Ed King, Democrat

[Leisler]

It’s a front group, like any commie would halve. There are like ten various ‘Citizens Energy’ all working out of the same office. One is ‘non-profit’ wink, wink. The others are privately held, for profit. Lots of sloshing around costs into the non-profit and profits into the private, between the nine and the single non-profit.

These are Kennedys, they don’t pay taxes. Incorporation in Guam. Rose living the last 12 years of her life in Hyannisport but died as a legal resident of Florida, so no state inheritance taxes, meanwhile Ted supported the estate death tax, which didn’t effect him because everything was in trusts and foundations, something you and me, working scum that we are, can not afford to do.

[Carley]

Kennedy’s and Despots ~ Perfect Together.

[freekitty]

MA would be wise to say no to anymore Kennedys.

[Brilliant]

Seems like Chavez owes it to Kennedy to make an appearance or two in MA supporting his run.

[nathanbedford]

Let us look at the facts from a different perspective then presented in the article.

Kennedy served in the United States House of Representatives and now he is contemplating running for a term in the United States Senate which he will undoubtedly win. In between he had his salary paid by a foreign dictator. This last year he has received funds from a foreign dictator to spend, tax free, on a series of television commercials which extolled his personal image. In effect, he has had $16 million of campaign commercials funded by foreign dictator. Had these transactions had occurred while Kennedy was still serving they would constitute criminal offenses.

But Kennedy contrived to wash many of these through a charity.

The article does not elaborate but it says that Kennedy was also involved in profit-making energy ventures on places like Indian reservations. One can only speculate without actual knowledge, but it is an easy bet that the profits which came to this private enterprise operating on Indian reservations were harvested by farming the government.

did Clearly, if that is the case, Kennedy used his name and government contacts for government contracts. Like taking campaign donations through a charity during an interregnum in your political career, using influence to get government money and government contracts is not necessarily illegal.

But Kennedy's activities seen in this light makes no difference to his election chances. He could drive a charity off a bridge and swim away with Bernie Madoff and still be handily elected.

[freedomfiter2]

The voters of Mass. deserve the Kennedys, the rest of the country doesn’t.

[TNCMAXQ]

I would think his love for Chavez would only help him in MA. And plenty of other states too. Why is this a drawback for Kennedy? MA would elect Satan.

Gov Weld said Kennedy would be a good senator? Typical. Yet to the elites and so many talking heads, William Weld was just the kind of Republican we need because he is “moderate.” Un huh.

[mewzilla]

Some should ask Kennedy why he’s sucking up to Chavez when American taxpayers are pouring billions into LIHEAP....

[chatham]

The Kennedys have lived off the largess of the Taxpayer for decades and continue to do so.

That this cluck Joe will run for office backed by a communist like Chavez is par for the course.

[dfwgator]

Glen Beck’s next case.

[B Knotts]

This could be an issue, if someone’s willing to make it an issue. It would take someone with the backbone to run some very strong ads. Over and over and over.