Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

The morning dish

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Some headlines in today’s papers that are worth your perusal:

  • Reed Hillman, to be formally introduced today as Kerry Healey’s running mate, was the head of the State Police during a particularly unfortunate episode in which pregnant troopers were forced off the job for their supposed inability to – get this – rope a steer (I kid you not).  Yeah, that’s a skill that often comes in handy patrolling Storrow Drive.  Anyway, the troopers sued, and the Staties ended up shelling out $1 million in punitive damages over this incredibly stupid policy.  Hillman maintained at the time that the policy was “fair and objective.”  Awkward!

  • The pregnant trooper story is a bit of a bummer for Tom Reilly too – the Globe story reports that Reilly defended the policy when it was challenged in court.  Of course, it’s Reilly’s job to defend state agencies when they’re sued – but the Attorney General, as the state’s top law enforcement officer, always has the option to refuse to defend laws or policies that he, in his independent judgment, considers to be indefensible.  This obviously discriminatory policy strikes me as one that could easily have fit within that description.

  • Still-unopposed (can you believe it?) state Senate candidate Anthony Galluccio had yet another drunk driving incident, this one in 1997 (we’ve previously discussed his drunk driving arrest in 1984, for which he was later pardoned, and the recent incident that the police are still investigating).  The Herald reports that he was involved in a crash, and was found at fault, but refused a Breathalyzer test at the scene.  So his license was suspended for 120 days (the suspension was later extended for another 45 days after his case was continued without a finding).  Galluccio is apparently refusing all comment on “anything in the past.”

  • Also, a hat tip to alert commenter Rick at this Somerville News article, who points out that Galluccio does not presently live in the Senate district that he hopes to represent.  Galluccio’s “home office” in Cambridge is in Senator Tolman‘s district – see for yourself.  However, Senate candidates do not have to live in the district until they’re elected (oddly, a state Rep has to have lived in the district for a year).  So presumably, Galluccio plans to move into the district on or before November 7, 2006.
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    • Comments

    1. I guess Kerry Haly does not want to talk about jobs, education, health care etc. in this campaign.
      Instead, it will all be about public safety, crime, and homeland security. She will mention the dead girl Melanie over and over again.
      Bull crap issues made to scare the simpletons who have never been a victim of crime in their life. And pad police departments budgets. Shame.
      If Kerry is such a crime expert, at least that is what she tells us, why does she need a storm trooper like Hillman to balance the ticket?

      • Wild-eyed and steely, because at one point in his career he had the power of arrest and a big gun, Jackboot Hillman has just ruined Muffy’s chance of getting the Reagan Democrats; yes, we’re still around and responsible for all the Republican Governors in recent Massachusetts history. But you can’t get us to vote for a former state trooper who will work night and day to take away the civil liberties, as “unsavory” as some of those rights may be,of the citizenry. I am horrified when law is crafted by well-orchestrated PR designed for immediate political gain as opposed to well thought out substantive policy that has common sense and practicality built into it. Jackboot will scream “we need tougher laws” over and over again and bash the protectors of the unique rights our Massachusetts constitution provides. Jackboot doesn’t care because his agenda will be to follow orders, wear his polished boots, tell the families he’ll protect them and the ever-smart Reagan Democrats will see through the transparency and bring back a Democrat. Too bad we didn’t have any good democratic candidates but as long as we win. Go Reilly (I guess and it pains me to say that) 

    2. So let me see: Gooch had one OUI pardoned, plead on a 2nd OUI(but it was treated as a first due to the pardon) and most recently had an alleged 3rd incident which if he’s charged, he’ll be charged as a 2nd offender. If he hadn’t been pardoned, it would be a 3rd and he’d be facing jail time and loss of license for years & years. Can someone please convince my State Representative to just do it and run for the Senate seat. Are there any candidates around?

      • I BELIEVE the idea behind ascertaining the ability to subdue a live steer was to determine if the officer in queston could handle a 250 man on drugs – something that a Statie might well be called upon to do, even if the scheduled activity is to sit and write speeding tickets.

    3. complaint filed by an aggrieved party against any agency of the state if requested to do so. In this case the Attorney General on behalf of the State Police was litigating State Police Rules and Regulations . The cops set forth unusual  performance standards of their pregnant female officers.

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      However, in the trial it was determined that the rules had hair and the state police lost. But, the point here is that  the AG is the advocate for the state and must perform its duty at the request of the client. . To insinuate that  Reilly  or his staff were antifemale for doing their job in accordance with the law is not politically correct. By the way Reilly has a 52% favorability rating with women over Patrick and it certainly isn’t his charm or good looks.

      • I have personally been involved in cases, both when I was working for the state and in private practice, in which the Attorney General’s office declined to represent a state agency in litigation because, in the AG’s view, the agency’s position was not defensible or not in line with the “legal policy” of the Commonwealth.  In such cases, the AG usually authorizes the appointment of a “special assistant attorney general” or SAAG, who is normally a private attorney.  I forget whether the AG’s office or the agency pays the bills, but the point is that the AG’s office does not have to defend every case filed against a state agency, and it could have declined to defend this one.

        • i should have never started blogging…cause it is too damn frustrating.  are we as Democrats really going to let the Healey/Hillman ticket get away with the facts of his background and his treatment of women just so we can hit Tom Reilly?  if this is what our party has become then fine, have at it, maybe those unenrolled voters have a point, neither party is standing up for the people of Massachusetts.  we have an opportunity to weaken their ticket RIGHT out of the box, but because someone like Reilly runs for AG and does his job we just can’t help ourselves but HIT HIM and NOT THEM.

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          I mean come on guys, i don’t like it any more than the rest of you but the guy is the frontrunner again, i don’t know how it happened or when, but the people of Massachusetts keep sending us clear messages that they want someone like Tom REilly in the corner office.  I haven’t decided where i will fall in the primary but for crying out loud why would we focus ONE second of attention beating up one of our own when they have left themselves open to dozens of negative stories that will help to weaken further Healey’s persona among women.  I just don’t get it.

        • I meant to say that an answer must always be filed , especially where the State Police is involved. Also, the fact that the issue was about pregnant women and a policy established by the police the suggestion that Reilly was discriminating is so far out there that I don’t beieve you will find many takers to that argument. You should really look at his record with women,especially  hiring minority women.

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          Finally, I believe I relate to 90% of the straight men in the world and I assure you there is no way any of us want a pregnant broad out there protecting us or our families. Sorry its not  PC but its the real world.

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