Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

Questions about Deb Goldberg’s ad

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When I first saw Deb Goldberg’s new commercial, I thought she was just guilty of uber- embellishment and political pundits would dismiss it as “politics as usual”.  Anyone familiar with basic town government in Massachusetts understands that one selectman has little—or no—impact on adding more firefighters, as Goldberg’s ad states.  Basically the Finance Committee develops and Town Meeting passes the budget, with minimal contribution from the entire Board of Selectmen, acting on majority votes. 

So while it is an outrageous stretch for Deb Goldberg to claim, as she does in her ad that, “as Chair of Brookline Selectman, she increased firefighters when most towns cut them,” the claim would appear to be accurate.  (About as accurate as me saying, “As I write this post, the sun shines on the Earth, but not for most objects in space, therefore my writing is responsible for daylight.”)

While Deb does have a record of embellishing facts, this claim appears to have crossed that wide and fuzzy line of truthiness and landed squarely into the territory of lying. 

The source of this allegation is the blog onbrookline.com, which is run by Jim Conley, who according to the site, is a former columnist for the Brookline TAB for three-and-a-half years.  Judging by the site, he knows a lot about Brookline government, finances and politics.

Conley asserts that there was no change in the number of Brookline Fire Fighters while Deb Goldberg was Chair of the Board of Selectmen—plain and simple.  He offers links to the three Brookline budgets that would have overlapped Deb’s tenure to back up his charges. 

What will Deb Goldberg offer to back up her claims of additional fire fighters and refute these assertions?  Or will she just spend $2 million dollars in advertising and ignore the facts as she tries to buy her way into winning the primary for Lt. Governor?

(Note: I originally posted this on Sunday, but onbrookline.com apparently had some technical issues and the link I provided was not working.  So I deleted the original post.  Now that the link is working again, I’m putting the post back up.)

NOTE (by David): since Bob promoted this, I have edited the title to be less of the “When did you stop beating your wife” variety.  I haven’t changed the content of the post.

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Comments

  1. When one really does not have a record but has held office it’s easy do strectch the numbers. Most decent politicians have mastered this and in Deb’s case she has the personnel dough to do it as well.
    Now I think it’s going to be a turn off and the voters across the state who are already tired off seeing GABS,HEALEY, etc….will void out for the most part the LG’s race. Let’s face it after awhile the all sound the same.

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    It’s about message and grass roots in a close race, GOTV, and that is why I think Patrick and Murray will win. Both have the best message and our well organized to pull a vote out across the whole state.

    • The latest polls do not seem to prove your statement to be true, Highhopes.  Your contention that “now I think it’s going to be a turn off and the voters across the state who are already tired off seeing GABS, HEALEY, etc will void out….”  Gabrieli has taken an 8 point lead in the latest Suffolk University poll and Gabrieli has the best poitives vs negatives of any candidate in the race.

      • Boy, can one upset over nothing.As a Murray supporter I agree that things are far from over? But to talk about Deb’s Ad, there is no way that she had more firefighters added. It was the back filling of positions, plain and simple. Folks, many firefighters do you think a small town Brooklin has?? It’s politics as usual, and Deb’s cash will try to make her look like a true leader.

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        I hope Tim’s grass roots will continue to go forward.

  2. Perhaps Deb Goldberg exaggerated a bit by claiming to have added firefighters singlehandedly…and perhaps she did save homes for seniors although that claim is a bit more vague…as is the assertion that she saved an adoption agency as it is unclear whether she did that as Selectwoman or by giving personal money to bail out the business…the ad is unclear on those points…HOWEVER, politics being what it is today, I do not think what Deb Goldberg claimed to have done is any more deceptive than Andrea Silbert claiming to have created 14,000 jobs or whatever the number now is added to the multimillions in tax dollars she claims to annually generate…what’s missing is the “we”…better to have said “I led a non-profit group that gave money to hundreds of women who wanted to start businesses and they took that money and added their own sweat, energy and determination and THEY created 14,000 jobs”…by giving credit to others who deserve it, you ultimately receive more for yourself.

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  3. this release just came into BMG central.  Key excerpt:

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    Brookline Firefighters –

    ▪ Between May 1998 and June 2004, 53 Firefighters were hired by the Town of Brookline while Deb was a Selectman, 28 of them while Deb was Chairman of the Board of Selectmen. 

    ▪ After Deb joined the Board of Selectmen in May of 1998 the Town of Brookline hired its first female firefighter.

    ▪ In January of 2004, the Town of Brookline hired three firefighters, all of whom had been laid off by their hometown Fire Departments (two from Springfield, one from Taunton).

    Chet Riley, former President of the Brookline Firefighters Union, is available to answer any questions regarding Deb Goldberg and the hiring of firefighters while she served on the Brookline Board of Selectmen.

    • WAS THERE A NET INCREASE OF FIRE FIGHTERS ADDED IN BROOKLINE, WHILE DEB GOLDBERG WAS CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN?

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      That is the claim that Deb made in her TV ad–see for yourself. 

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      The statement issued by the Goldberg campaign does not answer this simple question.  This response does not document any actual increase in the number of firefighters while Deb was chair of the board for two years, it just documents how many new hires were made during Deb’s entire time on the board–without taking into account normal attrition and turnover.

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      THIS STATEMENT WAS CAREFULLY WORDED TO AVOID ANSWERING THE CHARGE THAT GOLDBERG LIED IN HER AD.  Apparently, other folks agree.

    • It appears that the town was just filling vacancies, not creating new positions.

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      That said, the chair of the Board of Selectmen has very little to do with hiring.  The town administrator and fire chief do the hiring.
      The town meeting, on the recommendation of the finance committee, votes the number of positions to be filled.

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      Next ad?  Brookline residents read 21,518 books because of Deb Goldberg!  YES, the public libraries were open during her tenure as chair of the Board of Selectmen.

  4. Who the hell is creating these spots for Deb.  I like Deb a lot but her convention video and these ads are the worst things I have ever seen. I liked Lois Pines Taxi Video better than these!  Or Bald is Beutiful was better than this.  I have feeling that someone must be advising Deb.  PLEASE HELP DEB!!!

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    HIRE SOMEONE NEW –>  As a supporter YOUR AD’S AWFUL. 

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    What the heck does saving an adoption agency have to do with being either a selectwomen or the Lt. Governor?????

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    What does the Lt. Gov do anyway????

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