Congressman Patrick Kennedy has called on Senate President William Irons to disclose his financial clients. Asked on the WJAR-TV show "10 News Conference" whether Irons should identify his insurance clients, Kennedy said "of course he should." The congressman noted that "you have got to have a disclosure law that shows where their investments are." Current state law does not require insurance agents, lawyers, or other service providers to identify specific clients and Senator Irons has declined to itemize his clients. Kennedy also indicated that legislators who have financial conflicts of interest "ought to recuse themselves" from votes affecting those financial interests.
In other news, Congressman Kennedy joked that with the declining presidential campaign fortunes of Senator John Kerrey (whom his father has endorsed), "it looks like Senator Kennedy is going to be knocking on my door to join the Gephardt campaign." Unlike his father, Congressman Kennedy is supporting Representative Dick Gephardt for president.
Kennedy defended his record against criticism from Republican opponent Dave Rogers. "My record will stand on its own," Kennedy responded. "There is not another member of Congress who has a better record of bringing money back."
On the Iraq war, Kennedy said the capture of Saddam Hussein was "a victory for the whole country." Kennedy indicated Hussein's trial should be televised because of Hussein's past atrocities.
