Kennedy Scion Demands Control of Hyannis Port Compound After Ex-Con's Birthday Bash

Ted Kennedy Jr. is demanding new trustees be appointed for the historic Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, expressing outrage that the property was rented out for the birthday party of Dennis Kozlowski, the former Tyco executive convicted of fraud.

In a statement, Kennedy Jr. said he is "deeply concerned" that the Edward M. Kennedy Institute would permit the rental of his family's ancestral home for private use, which he believes contradicts his father's vision. "When my father donated his home to the Institute upon his death, he envisioned it as an educational center and living museum where historians, students, policymakers and writers could convene and be inspired by the ideals of the Kennedy family," Kennedy Jr. stated.

He further explained that his father, the late Senator Ted Kennedy, intended the compound to be a place where future generations could understand American history and advance the causes he and his siblings championed, such as affordable healthcare, civic engagement, and bipartisan cooperation.

The party, dubbed "An Evening in Camelot," is scheduled to take place on the lawn where notable family members once participated in recreational activities. According to reports, the Kennedy family was only alerted to the event less than 48 hours prior to its occurrence and was unaware it was for Dennis Kozlowski until reading about it.

Kimberly Kozlowski, wife of Dennis Kozlowski, claimed that an individual from the Edward M. Kennedy Institute approached them about using the property. She stated that after making a donation, which she described as typical for renting an event space, they received permission to host the party under a tent on the lawn. "We’re not renting the property… they’re allowing us to put a tent up on this beautiful legacy property," she said.

Kennedy Jr. expressed that the event demeans and undermines his father's original intent for the property. He is calling for the immediate transfer of the deed to an organization he believes is better suited to preserve and advance the values and purpose his father entrusted to the home. Representatives for the Edward M. Kennedy Institute did not immediately respond to requests for comment.