Joseph Patrick Kennedy II American businessman and politician Date of Birth: 24.09.1952 Country: USA

1. Joseph Patrick Kennedy II Biography
2. Difficult Adolescence and Education
3. Citizens Energy Corporation and Personal Life
4. Political Career and Achievements

Joseph Patrick Kennedy II Biography

Joseph Patrick Kennedy II, an American businessman and politician from the Democratic Party, was born on September 24, 1952, in Brighton, Boston, Massachusetts. He belongs to the powerful Kennedy clan, which has produced several well-known politicians in America. Joseph is the second of eleven children (and the eldest son) of U.S. Senator Robert Francis Kennedy and his wife Ethel Skakel Kennedy. He was named after his uncle Joseph Patrick Kennedy Jr., who died during World War II.

Difficult Adolescence and Education

Joseph had a difficult adolescence, being impulsive and restless. He was expelled from several private schools for his explosive behavior and involvement in fights, even with his younger siblings and cousins. In 1971, he graduated from Manter Hall School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley in 1972 but dropped out after only one year. Following this, he worked for a few months in a tuberculosis prevention and treatment program funded by the federal budget in the African American community of San Francisco, California. His work was personally recognized by San Francisco Mayor Joseph Alioto.

In the summer of 1973, Joseph returned to Massachusetts, and in August, he was involved in a jeep accident. The accident injured his brother David, who developed a drug addiction due to a broken vertebra, and David's girlfriend Pam Kelley, who was left paralyzed. Joseph was arrested for reckless driving and temporarily lost his driver's license. The Kennedy family paid for Pam Kelley's treatment and years of care. The accident served as a wake-up call for Joseph, and he returned to his studies. In 1976, he earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts Boston.

Citizens Energy Corporation and Personal Life

In 1979, Joseph Kennedy founded Citizens Energy Corporation, a non-profit energy company, which he led until his election to the U.S. House of Representatives. After his election, his brother Michael LeMoyne Kennedy took over as the company's chairman. However, Joseph resumed his leadership role in the company in 1999.

In February 1979, Joseph married Sheila Brewster Rauch, a wealthy heiress from a prominent family. They had twin sons, Matthew Rauch Kennedy and Joseph Patrick Kennedy III, in October 1980. However, the couple divorced in 1991. Two years later, Joseph, a Catholic, sought an annulment of his church marriage to marry his former employee Anne Elizabeth Kelly. The annulment request was denied, and they had a civil ceremony on October 23, 1993. In 1996, under the influence of the Kennedy family, Joseph finally succeeded in annulling his 12-year marriage. This led Sheila to write an angry book about the arbitrary actions of the modern Catholic Church titled "Shattered Faith: A Woman's Struggle to Stop the Catholic Church from Annulling Her Marriage." The Vatican later overturned the annulment in 2005.

Political Career and Achievements

As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Joseph focused on legislation that aimed to increase access to credit for working Americans to buy homes and start businesses. He also worked to combat banks' discrimination against the African American population and advocated for the construction of affordable housing through tax incentives to stimulate private investment. Additionally, he worked to protect children from alcohol by limiting television advertisements for beer and wine.

Joseph played an active role during the credit crisis of the 1980s and 1990s, participating in credit reporting reforms and financial modernization. He also worked on passing legislation to improve the healthcare system for Gulf War veterans.

Overall, Joseph Patrick Kennedy II left a significant impact on American politics and business through his legislative work and leadership in Citizens Energy Corporation.