The trips, legal under a campaign law loophole, allowed the Massachusetts Democrat to hitch rides aboard corporate jets at a cost far below what the flights are worth, the paper said.
The loophole allows politicians to accept flights aboard private and corporate jets, which could run more than $3,000 an hour, as long as they pay what a first-class commercial fare would cost.
Many other lawmakers also make use of what the watchdog group Center for Responsive Politics called "one of the biggest scams in Washington," allowing special interests to curry favor with politicians.
Stephen Weiss, a spokesman for the nonartisan group, said wealthy donors and companies making executive charters available to politicians such as Kennedy is "a huge help to the candidate, a favor that these companies hope the candidate will remember."
Such providers typically have key issues before the Senate, the Herald said.
Among those accommodating Kennedy were defense giant Raytheon, major health insurer American Family Life Assurance Co., International Union of Bricklayers, a Texas trial lawyer and prominent Boston businessmen.
Kennedy's office defended his use of the private jets as a last resort to meet the demands of his busy schedule when commercial flights are not available.
"In certain situations Sen. Kennedy's participation in events would not be possible without the use of private planes," said spokesman Will Keyser.
Keyser said Kennedy's record "is unaffected by these trips," and his agenda "has been clear and consistent for decades. Nothing changes that," he claimed.
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