After 40 hours over 7 days of deliberation, the news is finally in: the jury in the criminal trial of former state treasurer Tim Cahill couldn't reach a unianimous decision about whether he misappropriated public funds for campaign purposes and committed procurement fraud. The judge has declared a mistrial. This outcome raises serious questions about the new 2009 ethics law, …
Tag: Deval Patrick
Kerry’s the man, at least for State
I don't doubt it. Senator John Kerry could be a close to perfect Secretary of State. All aspects of his life have prepared him for the job, save for running a large bureaucracy. UN Ambassador Susan Rice has been touted as the President's first choice. They have been close allies since she started advising him on foreign policy …
Down time for Deval
A scant two weeks after Deval Patrick got to savor his friend Barack Obama's reelection, a victory in which he played an important role, the Massachusetts Governor has returned to his administration's realities on the ground. And the headlines aren't pretty. It wasn't bad enough that his administration, especially his public health officials and human services secretary, …
Patrick fires the crowd, auditions well
Governor Deval Patrick has always been a great campaigner. (Remember how he dramatically he came to life to run successfully for a second term against popular and accomplished Republican candidate Charlie Baker?) Last night's speech to the Democratic National Convention showed Patrick in his very best campaign mode. His role was to remind Americans that …
Charging Tim Cahill: too much or about time?
Most attorneys general don’t go after political corruption because acting against colleagues can translate into a dead end politically. But Martha Coakley has a new Public Integrity Division, a welcome addition. And she has the new 2009 ethics law, which criminalizes behavior previously treated civilly. Still, there are questions about whether she is being too …
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Patrick follows sober state-of-the-state address with focused $32 billion budget
Governor Deval Patrick yesterday proposed a state budget to back up the state-of-the-state address he delivered on Monday. That speech was competently, if not soaringly, delivered, and urged a modest, focused agenda, which the budget seems geared to implement. His list of state accomplishments was gratifying: students who lead the nation in test results; greatest …
Continue reading Patrick follows sober state-of-the-state address with focused $32 billion budget
Headline wishes for 2012
My friend and colleague Tom Waseleski, editorial page editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, always prepares for New Year’s Day an aspirational list of headlines from which many of us could benefit. Here, with my own imprint, are the headlines I’d like to see in 2012.National Jobless Rate Drops Below 7 PercentThose Benefiting from New Health …
Casino czar smart choice
Naming Steve Crosby to chair the state’s newly created gambling commission is a very smart decision by Governor Patrick. If casinos are finally to be built in Massachusetts, at least there will be someone of integrity to oversee their licensing and operation. Crosby is well suited to carry out the goals of fairness and transparency. …
Lesson of DiMasi: we can’t always bet on the character of those who lead us
If there’s one thing to be learned from the sad demise of former House Speaker Sal DiMasi, it’s the need for transparency, doing the people’s business in the people view. If there’s one place it should be applied immediately, it’s in the dealings around casinos for Massachusetts that surely are going on behind closed doors.There …
Continue reading Lesson of DiMasi: we can’t always bet on the character of those who lead us
Municipal health costs solution may be within sight
Finally, some of our traditionally intimidated politicians are showing a bit of common sense on the issue of excessive health benefits for local public workers unions. We’re not there yet, but we’re moving in the right direction.The problem is cost sharing, or, in the case of local public workers, lack of sharing. State employees in …
Continue reading Municipal health costs solution may be within sight
Marjorie Arons-Barron 