The Boston Herald reports that newly appointed Massachusetts Senator Paul G. Kirk Jr. --- who will serve temporarily until the state's special election in January --- has ties to pharmaceutical and health insurance firms.
Kirk, a friend of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, who was appointed by Gov. Deval Patrick today, is a retired lobbyist and lawyer who made $250,942 in salary and stock options as a board member of Hartford Financial Services, the umbrella for insurance provider The Hartford.
The paper also reports that in 1999 Kirk lobbied for Aventis, a life sciences company, through his law firm Sullivan & Worcester. Aventis' pharmaceutical sales totaled $14 billion in 1999.
Kirk also served as the Democratic National Committee chairman from 1985 to 1989 and worked for Sen. Kennedy for eight years.
-- Jenna Staul