SENATE RACE

Joe Kennedy's Chavez Connection

Accepted Venezuelan oil for nonprofit.

As Joseph Kennedy vies for Ted Kennedy's vacated Senate seat, his ties with Hugo Chavez of Venezuela may prove to be a liability. Chavez, who is always looking for an opportunity to stick a thumb in the eye of the Americans, has donated nearly all the oil used in Kennedy's nonprofit Citizens’ 877-JOE-4-OIL, which helps heat poor homes. Chavez, in turn, has been able to highlight his generosity on his TV show. Kennedy has run the nonprofit since 2005, which quickly ballooned from a local operation to a national one. Some observers foresee Kennedy's competitors pressing hard on his connection with such an outspoken critic of the U.S. Chavez himself remains mum on the subject…so far.