Lost in the din of Whitey Bulger’s capture is the latest effort to legislate ethics among elected and appointed officials at the state and local level. But you can bet that Republican backers of the move will not let it die.
Beacon Hill Republicans, a small but increasingly noisy band of brothers and sisters, are hopping on the Sal DiMasi conviction and using it to counter the “culture of corruption,” the operative phrase being used by critics of Beacon Hill’s ways. Among the items the GOP has included in an ethics reform bill is a “snitch” rule that would require lawmakers and staff to alert investigators when they see unethical or illegal behavior. Yeah, that’ll happen.
But DiMasi is just the latest example of large and small fish getting fried, and one has to wonder what is up with officials who are either in denial or feel impervious to an increasing level of oversight that ensures that, while you may not get caught right away, you can bet someone, some time, will check your books. Increasingly, that person these days appears to be Inspector General Gregory Sullivan.
Sullivan began looking into the Cognos software contract and found DiMasi co-defendant Richard McDonough was given a no-show job by a special ed collaborative in Merrimack Valley. Sullivan’s investigation also charges that the director of that collaborative padded his own pension and siphoned off nearly $10 million in salaries for himself and others and for extravagant purchases.
Of lesser notice are recent findings by Sullivan’s office that an elected Westport highway surveyor gave away $10,000 in town-owned materials to a friend who was a private contractor. The Westport town administrator, who is forwarding the report to the Bristol District Attorney’s office, called the findings part of a “culture of corruption.” There’s that phrase again.
Sullivan also has issued a recent report that indicates Rehoboth Board of Selectmen Chairman Michael Costello manipulated the purchase of an affordable housing unit for himself that he appears unqualified for and that he “won” in a lottery. Barbara Anderson, who’s been a thorn in the side of lawmakers for going on 25 year, says it’s all part of power corrupting.
For a look at Sullivan’s role on Beacon Hill, check out this 2007 profile of the IG by CommonWealth’s Gabrielle Gurley.
The Republican effort to strengthen ethics reform will, no doubt, be met with some resistance and some support, as will a call to update the incredibly useless ethics forms that detail officials’ potential financial conflicts. But like the most recent laws enacted and hailed two years ago, it will all be for naught as long as someone thinks the rules don’t apply to them. As state Sen. Stephen Baddour said when we wrote about the “Missed Opportunity” of the ethics reform of 2009: “We didn’t need a law to tell us bribery is illegal. What we need to do is a better job of transparency.”
–JACK SULLIVAN
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Finally. The 16-year hunt for Whitey Bulger ends in Santa Monica, California, where Bulger and companion Catherine Greig were arrested last night. Brother Billy Bulger has no comment. Howie Carr does a victory lap. NECN gets reaction from the former head of the DEA in New England.
BEACON HILL
He’s running: Steven May of Hull announced he will run against state Sen. Robert Hedlund on the basis that as one of only four Republicans in the state Senate, Hedlund is shut out of decision-making.
He’s not: State Sen. Marc Pacheco decided against a run for Taunton mayor but released a poll he commissioned that showed he’s the most popular anyway.
On the heels of a blistering report from Inspector General Greg Sullivan, state Auditor Suzanne Bump says she is also looking into questionable spending by the Merrimack Special Education Collaborative.
David Bernstein suggests a cure for what ails the Legislature: Abolish the House.
Rep. Christopher Speranzo comes under fire during his Governor’s Council confirmation hearing for applying for the position of clerk magistrate of the Central Berkshire District Court while running for re-election to his House seat.
MUNICIPAL MATTERS
The city of New Bedford got nearly $7 million from a settlement fund and a state grant for six projects in and around the harbor including restoring shellfish beds and nearby marshes and to create a river walk.
Chuck Turner is still having problems with campaign finance law — this time, for raising criminal defense funds through his city council campaign committee.
The interim director of a Lawrence anti-poverty organization wants a criminal investigation into his predecessor, who resigned after being nabbed playing cards at the Elks Club while on the clock.
The North Adams Transcript looks at the low voter turnout for failed overrides in North Adams and Cheshire and says that if you didn’t vote, don’t complain about the cuts.
Sturbridge is looking to qualify for FEMA’s public assistance program to aid in the cleanup of debris from the June 1 tornado, the Worcester Telegram and Gazette reports.
A public marina owned by the City of Lynn has fallen into debt and disrepair, reports the Daily Item.
NATIONAL POLITICS/WASHINGTON
Keller@Large says President Obama’s decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan is the result of political pressure — from the left, right and middle. The Washington Post points out how the president sacrifices military strategy for political considerations.
New York extracts big concessions from its public sector unions.
If California state legislators want to get paid, they will have to pass the state budget first.
The Cape Cod Times weighs in on a proposal to combine the departments of Commerce and Labor and what that move might mean for commercial fishing.
ELECTION 2012
Karl Rove does math, rallies the troops.
BUSINESS/ECONOMY
Developers are rolling out a plan for dramatic makeover of the Government Center Garage in downtown Boston, the Globe reports.
Radio Boston takes a closer look at development on Boston’s waterfronts.
EDUCATION
Michael Barone writes in the National Review that the newest missive from the federal Office of Civil Rights defining sexual harassment and sexual abuse and lowering the bar for disciplinary action is so restrictive that mild sex jokes and “elevator eyes” – whatever that is — could trigger investigations.
Marblehead is considering a “pay for performance” plan for teachers, using some of its Race to the Top funds, the Salem News reports.
HEALTH CARE
Paul Levy says “I told you so” with the release of Attorney General Martha Coakley’s report about health care payment reform. Here is the Globe story on the released of Coakley’s report.
ENERGY/ENVIRONMENT
The opening today of a new giant underground sewage storage tank will make Boston Harbor, already dramatically cleaner after a nearly $5 billion clean-up spanning many years, even cleaner.
Al Gore rips Barack Obama on the White House’s environmental record.
HOUSING
The Lowell Sun reports on a new state program that aims to keep poor families in their homes rather than in shelters or motels.
PUBLIC SAFETY
36 percent of adults agreed to buy liquor for a minor when asked in a “Shoulder Tap Survey” conducted by Girls, Inc and the Lynn Police Department last week. Adults who were caught agreeing to purchase alcohol were given a red card with information on the consequences of buying alcohol for minors.