After accepting some changes to his proposed legislation, House Speaker Robert DeLeo pushed a gun violence bill through the House on a 111-37 vote. The House’s deliberations were unusual in […]
State Government
Posted inPolitics
O’Brien lobbied DeLeo for more power in ‘07
Former Probation commissioner John O’Brien came to see then-Ways and Means Chairman Robert DeLeo in September 2007 lobbying for legislation that would give him much greater powers, a bigger salary, […]
Posted inPolitics
Walsh, Mohegan ink casino deal
Mayor Marty Walsh, casting himself as a reluctant negotiator in the state’s casino sweepstakes, signed an agreement on Thursday with Mohegan Sun that would guarantee Boston at least $18 million […]
Posted inPolitics
DeLeo calls out prosecutors, denies jobs for votes claim
House Speaker Robert DeLeo angrily insisted on Wednesday that the Probation jobs his office steered to candidates favored by fellow lawmakers played no role in his effort to gather enough […]
Posted inPolitics
Murphy: DeLeo told me to spare Probation
The House’s former top budget official testified on Wednesday that he was ordered by House Speaker Robert DeLeo in 2009 to spare the Probation Department from the type of drastic […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Health Care, Politics, State House News Service
Mass. prison spending ranked 7th in US
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE Massachusetts trailed only six states in per-inmate spending on prison health care in 2011 as an aging population contributed to the growing cost of care for […]
Posted inPolitics
Defense lays Probation problems on Mulligan
Defense attorneys in the federal corruption trial of former Probation commission John J. O’Brien suggested on Tuesday that Robert Mulligan, the retired chief justice for administration and management at the […]
Posted inPolitics
SJC judges in dark about Probation hiring
Robert Mulligan and John O’Brien are squaring off in federal court over hiring practices, much as they squared off when Mulligan was the chief justice of administration and management at […]
Posted inPolitics
O’Brien judge denies prosecutors more time
The judge in the federal corruption trial of former Probation commissioner John O’Brien and two top aides on Monday denied most of prosecutors’ request for additional time to draw jurors […]
Posted inHealth Care, Politics, State House News Service
Commission to comment on Partners-AG deal
The Massachusetts Health Policy Commission said on Wednesday it plans to file comments on Attorney General Martha Coakley’s agreement with Partners Healthcare permitting the company to acquire South Shore Hospital […]
Posted inPolitics
Rep. Petrolati’s wife will testify about qualifications
US District Court Judge William Young worked out a deal on Wednesday that will allow Kathleen Petrolati, the wife of state Rep. Thomas Petrolati, to testify at the trial of […]
Posted inPolitics
Defense: Mulligan played patronage like O’Brien
An attorney for former Probation Department commissioner John O’Brien on Wednesday accused Robert Mulligan, the former chief justice of the Massachusetts Trial Court, of practicing political patronage, playing fast and […]
Posted inPolitics
Boston takes pounding from Gaming Commission
Caption: Gaming Commission members from left: Bruce Stebbins, Enrique Zuniga, James McHugh, and Gayle Cameron The Massachusetts Gaming Commission on Wednesday unanimously rejected a request from Boston Mayor Marty Walsh […]
Posted inPolitics
Wynn promises place to Suffolk Downs
If you lose your jobs, you can come work for us. That’s what Wynn Everett is promising Suffolk Downs workers as part of its “Suffolk Downs Employee Commitment.” Should the […]
Posted inPolitics
Shaky Ryan insists jobs used to help DeLeo
Defense attorneys on Tuesday raised questions about the accuracy of testimony by a top aide to former Probation commissioner John O’Brien, but legislative liaison Edward Ryan stood by his claim […]
Posted inPolitics
Witness for the prosecution
Robert Mulligan leaving the courthouse on Tuesday. Federal prosecutors at the trial of former Probation commissioner John O’Brien finally got their dream witness on the stand. After weeks of trying […]
Posted inPolitics
Witness: DeLeo got jobs to help speaker fight
The legislative liaison for former Probation commissioner John O’Brien testified Monday that O’Brien gave then-House Ways and Means Committee chairman Robert DeLeo 10 newly created positions to hand out to […]
Posted inPolitics
Independents practice very different politics
CommonWealth editor Bruce Mohl with gubernatorial candidates (from left) Scott Lively, Evan Falchuk, and Jeff McCormick. The three independent candidates running for governor said on Friday that their candidacies are […]
Posted inPolitics
Aide describes pressure to hire rep’s wife
A former high-ranking official in the state’s Probation Department said Friday that a coworker pressured him to hire the wife of a prominent member of the House of Representatives. The […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
DeLeo says he didn’t trade jobs for votes
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE House Speaker Robert DeLeo said he never traded jobs for votes in 2007 and 2008 when court testimony indicates he offered lawmakers the opportunity to make […]
Posted inPolitics
Prosecutors use letters to buttress mail fraud
The documents, signed by former Probation commissioner John O’Brien and his top aide Elizabeth Tavares, were basically form letters. Some of the letters notified people that they were not being […]
Posted inPolitics
SJC: Coakley opinion defies ‘common sense’
The state’s highest court on Tuesday ruled that a ballot question to repeal the Massachusetts casino law should be put before voters in the fall, calling Attorney General Martha Coakley’s […]
Posted inPolitics
Reps say Probation jobs needed leadership support
State Rep. Harold Naughton of Clinton testified today in the federal corruption trial of former Probation commissioner John J. O’Brien and two top aides that it was common knowledge among […]
Posted inPolitics
O’Brien attorneys call for Probation mistrial
Attorneys in the federal corruption trial of former state Probation Department commissioner John O’Brien asked for a mistrial Friday after a prosecution witness said he has been discussing testimony in […]