The original anti-Romney blogger, Ben of Romney is a Fraud, now posts only rarely. But when he does, it’s still well worth checking out.
Ben’s most recent installment recalls that Romney once made a big deal about how terrible it was to “create monuments to the egos of public officials” (referring to the now-discontinued practice of having the Highway Department repaint their signs every time a new Governor came into office). Yet Ben has learned that, oddly enough, His Excellency has seen fit to create his own “coin of the realm”:
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A bit of Latin legalese seems appropriate here: res ipsa loquitur. The thing speaks for itself. And boy, does it ever!
Please share widely!
That is NOT the Seal of the Commonwealth – it is the seal of the Office of the Governor, which is not controlled by the MGL (and think twice before you call for its regulation, in case you ever get back into office someday!) We went through this same non-scandal at the Convention, when Frank Pierce tried to make a big deal about the Seal being on the Governor’s podium.
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My sources tell me that these are NOT produced with taxpayer money, but with camgaign funds. I have a neat black pen, with Mitt’s signature on one side, and his title on the other – I offered it to Sen. Dole when she used it to sign an autograph for me.
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Now, I have another trinket to aspire to!
Is clearly in use here. This is the first I’ve ever heard that slightly altering the State Seal makes it not subject to MGL???
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If it isn’t a conflict of interest, it is certainly “the appearance of a conflict of interest” which is just as illegal. Especially if these are being used for political purposes.
That it’s lacking the words “Sigillum Reipublicae Massachusettensis” (Seal of the Republic of Massachusetts)? Don’t the words “Commonwealth of Massachusetts” suffice? The central design is the same – looks an awful lot like the real thing to me.
Source:
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http://www.mass.gov/ethics/COI_92_5.pdf
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MGL c.268A §23
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“This opinion also applies to the use of the “coat of arms” of the Commonwealth as described in 950 CMR 34.01(1)(a) promulgated by the Secretary of State.
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I can state unequivocally that there coat of arms is clearly visible in the medal.
It certainly seems to me that, regardless of whether or not replacing the words “Sigillum Reipublicae Massachusettensis” with “Commonwealth of Massachusetts” and “Mitt Romney” exempts this from the laws governing use of the state seal, and regardless of who paid for it — indeed, especially if these are to be used for campaign or promotional purposes of some sort — that there’s simply no question about it being a “monument to the ego of a public official.”
Seems to imply these are given out on these national and international trips as a favor for “serving” the governor?
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Clearly he is using them as a political memorabilia to curry favor in seeking the Republican nomination for President.
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I’m not an attorney, but clearly their use in Massachusetts would be construed as illegal. I certainly wouldn’t take the word of the second poster that “his sources tell him they were privately paid for.”
I mean His Excellency and get them cracking right away on this.
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1) Need a good excuse to explain a public non political purpose.
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2) Make sure wasn’t bought for from state funds in the governor’s office.
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3) If it was state funds in governor’s office, find frontman willing to fall on sword to save face for Governor. (Otherwise might become laughing stock on Presidential Trail as this winds its way throught legal system).
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4) Redo medal with alternate fake seal that IS legal to hand out for political purposes. (Maybe use Morman Seal? no scratch that.)
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5) Keep working on list.
This seal did NOT originate with Romney – it’s been around for MANY years.
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Look at some old 1987 vintage photos…
Right we’re talking about the state seal, the one that has been around for a couple of hundred years, the one that it is illegal to use for political purposes.
It is the Governor’s seal, which is an incredible facsilile! The Sec. of State, Treas., etc. also ahve seals – which look almost identical – and they use them, too!
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I think the whole thing is somewhat silly, but this HAS been written about. Check the GOP convention stories, when they tried to work up a ‘scandal’ then.
And it is illegal to use EITHER for political purposes AND CRIMINAL to use them for ADVERTISING purposes.
Romney is the 70th Governor of Massachusetts.
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So LXX is the Romney Insider tip off for those close to Romney. Funny after travelling around the country putting Massachusetts down with the “Cattle Rancher at the Vegetarian Convention” remarks, he’s now burnishing the state seal on political memorabilia.
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I’m confused… Are we the Great Commonwealth of Massachusetts or the Butt of your Jokes?