On This Day in History: Ted Kennedy’s Involvement in Fatal Accident
Never Forget: Mary Jo Kopechne drowned July 19, 1969
What happened: On this day (July 19) in 1969, Mary Jo Kopechne drowned in Sen. Ted Kennedy’s (D., Mass.) car after the notorious philandering boozehound drove it off a bridge on Chappaquiddick island.
What happened next: Nothing. Kennedy, the youngest brother of former president John F. Kennedy, fled the scene of the accident, which likely occurred sometime after midnight. He did not report it to police until 10 a.m. the following day.
• The Democratic scion faced no meaningful consequences for his actions and would go on to serve four more decades in the U.S. Senate until his death in 2009.
• Even in the post-#MeToo era, Democrats generally regard him as a legendary figure worthy of reverence and respect. The Kennedy family featured prominently at the 2020 Democratic National Convention, as did notorious sex pest Bill Clinton.
Waitress sandwich: In reality, Kennedy was a disgusting human being. GQ magazine recounted one (of presumably many) incidents in which the senator behaved disgracefully.
• One evening in 1985, Kennedy and Sen. Chris Dodd (D., Conn.) were very drunk and wrapping up dinner with their dates—”two very young blondes”—who had just gone to the bathroom.
• The senators called for their waitress, Carla Gaviglio, who entered the private dining area and was immediately ambushed, GQ reported.
• Kennedy grabbed the diminutive waitress and threw her on the table, shattering plates and glasses. He then threw Gaviglio on top of Dodd’s lap and began “rubbing his genital area against hers.”
What they’re saying: “I would not get in a car driven by a member of [the Kennedy] family, let alone let them run the government,” writes journalist Josh Barro.
Bottom line: The Kennedys are terrible and always have been. They have no place in American politics.
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