sco has a must-read post (as are all of his posts) in support of Sen. Marian Walsh’s (D-West Roxbury) proposal of an independent expert review board with subpoena power for the Big Dig, modeled on the Ward Commission, an expert panel which said, “We have learned that corruption is a way of life in Massachusetts.”
The Ward Commission caused reforms in the way public contracts were made and fulfilled in the Commonwealth. But perhaps not enough:
“I think it would be a tremendous idea for an independent body to go back and review the history of the Big Dig and really tell the story of what happened here,” says current Inspector General Gregory Sullivan. “A lot of facts would come out that would really amaze people.”
“The system failed here,” says former Attorney General Scott Harshbarger, who also supports the idea. “I think we do need to have some kind of independent review of how we got here and why we got here.”
(More here from sco on the Ward Commission)
Look, regardless of what you think of AG and Gov. candidate Tom Reilly, or of Romney’s former Admin. and Finance Secretary Eric Kriss, who has been tapped to head the Governor’s investigation, their investigations are compromised by other commitments. Reilly has taken donations from Big Dig contractors in the past (has he returned all of them?), and is, after all, running for Governor; Kriss is circling in the Romney ’08 orbit. Are these the most impartial, qualified people to do the job? Is this really sufficient? No way.
Sen. Walsh has proposed the most independent and most qualified investigative team of any of those contemplated. As the legislature is a center of the Big Dig culture, it has obvious incentives to resist the proposal as strongly as it can. They won’t vote for it unless they absolutely have to.
And that means they need to hear from you. (617) 722-2000. Support Sen. Walsh’s Emergency Investigative Review Board proposal.
the foxes guard the henhouse. Support the emergency investigative review board! I see it as the only way there is a chance of giving people confidence about the infrastructure (unless you don’t care about people dying from the remaining hidden problems). Enough is enough. Find the impartial experts and give them the ability to make it right (if that’s possible). Let the chips fall where they may. Otherwise, we’ve got the equivalent of what’s left of New Orleans right here in MA.
I fear we would wind up as Diogenes, holding our lamp high, seeking an honest man. I’ll settle for getting a dog that will eat a dog.
Why the surprise? Every construction project I can remember over the last sixty years has been fraught with corruption and incompetence. Why should this be different?
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It is little different from other states, except for the coverage of the problem by the print and broadcast media. In Massachusetts these media outlets do little more than publish the output of the various public affairs officers. They are little more than the lap dogs of the state and corporate spin doctors.
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But, go just south of Massachusetts to Rhode Island and the culture changes dramatically. The Providence Journal, WPRO, and the ubiquitous talk radio provide constant information on state and local corruption. The Journal and broadcast media provide real investigative reporting.
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Many years ago the Boston Globe had a Globe Spotlight series that highlighted corruption, but that is long since defanged and the broadcast media’s investigative reports are just plain silly and Massachusetts talk radio in largely ignored. Howie Carr, who instilled fear to local politicians and bureaucrats is relaxed on WRKO.
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Why is it that the only place I heard of Chapter 40T was at this site? Is it because the print and broadcast media are only taking press releases?
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I think it’s because the ruckus over eminent domain hasn’t hit a nerve in Massachusetts like it did in New London (i.e. Kelo). There’s no outrage here and won’t be until the State or a Town takes a neighborhood to build a mall.