Blue Mass Group

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Patrick notes Healey/Hillman’s weak record on public safety

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In response to the recent hoopla over the Benjamin LaGuer case, the Deval Patrick campaign released the following statement:

“It is the height of politics-as-usual that the Healey/Hillman campaign is criticizing Deval Patrick today, when their Lt. Governor candidate Reed Hillman’s record includes contacting the parole board on behalf of James W. Mitchell, a “buddy”, who was accused of assaulting a police officer and other crimes; when Kerry Healey skipped more than half of the meetings of the Criminal History Systems Board during her two year appointment there; and when the Romney/Healey Administration has vetoed support for the sex offender registry and their record on crime and public safety is one of cuts in public safety initiatives and rising crime and violence.

“Deval Patrick has said that almost 10 years ago he wrote a letter on Mr. LaGuer’s behalf. He was not alone in expressing concern about the case at the time. Dr. John Silber of Boston University, legal scholars, newspaper editorials and many news reporters also expressed concern; indeed, several investigative reporters looked into the case and raised questions as well. 

“Deval felt strongly at the time – and does so today – that whenever issues of fairness are raised in our court system, they should be addressed in a serious manner.

“Deval has said that after reviewing an update to the case–including DNA evidence that was not available at the time –he now feels that the right outcome has been achieved and that justice has been served in this case.”

All of Patrick’s statements in support of LaGuer were before the DNA test in 2002 that failed to exonerate LaGuer from the crime.  Sorry Eric, but unless the DNA test can be conclusively shown as defective, it’s pretty tough to get behind this guy.

We noted Reed Hillman’s support for his drunk-drivin’ cop-assaultin’ “buddy” when the Herald first broke the story.  Hillman’s got some ‘splainin’ to do on that one — so the LG’s debate should be fun.

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Comments

  1. Thanks David for keeping the door open. Actually, several DNA experts have looked at the case and determined that the test was defective. I’ve posted that information before and here it is again. Use the links below to read their letters.

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    November 1, 2005 letter from Dr. Theodore D. Kessis of Applied DNA Resources in Columbus, Ohio.

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    August 21, 2006 letter from Prof. Daniel L. Hartl of Harvard University.

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    March 30, 2006 Case Review by Dean A. Wideman of NucleoGenix in San Antonio, Texas. 

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    May 28, 2004 letter from Dr. Lawrence Kobilinsky of John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City.

  2. Everything I am hearing indicates that Hillman keeps on backing out of previously scheduled debates and now the only date he can do is when Pres. Clinton is coming to town for the Patrick/Murray ticket.

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    So much for Hillman wanting to “get it on”.

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    I agree with what others have been saying with regards to Patrick – it’s time to get tough and start bringing it to Healey. Sure maybe he has a 25 point lead but it feels like he is always playing defense.

    • A friend I know who works at North Shore Community College told me that the college and some other groups from Lynn, including the Lynn Daily Item, tried to organize an LG debate but that Hillman refused to participate.  Don’t know if it’s true, but the guy is pretty reliable.  I wonder if the Daily Item will write about that…?

  3. I am not as much of a political junkie as most on this board so let me see if I get this straight:

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    Deval is fighting this LaGuere thing,

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    There is an intern/page thing going on in Washington.

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    And Clinton is coming to stump for Deval?

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    I don’t understand this strategically or tactictly. Anybody who is going to vote for Deval because of Clinton IS ALREADY VOTING FOR DEVAL. 

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    I know so many former Dems who have voted Repub in the last ten years.  They are very on the fence. They don’t like Healey.  But they are looking looking for an excuse to pull the lever for Healey.  These people have one thing in common, their distrust and loathing of the Clintons.

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    Please, somebody explain this to me.

    • Clinton is not coming to solicit votes for Deval. But too raise him money.

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    • ,,,as I noticed you just registered today.  I’ll assume your question is sincere–sorry but trolls are part of the game in blogs–and the answer to your question is simple:  Clinton will be raising money for Deval.  No doubt there will be a press availablity with Deval and Clinton, but I doubt Clinton will be doing some campaign barnstorming with Deval–but rather a couple of fundraising event for both Deval’s camaign and the state party’s coordinated effort.

    • Clinton is coming to town for a fundraiser. It’s not turning votes so much as emptying pockets.

    • “Anybody who is going to vote for Deval because of Clinton IS ALREADY VOTING FOR DEVAL.”

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      I doubt that’s true. And in any event, Clinton won Massachusetts by 18 points in 1992, and 33 points in 1996. So, I hope he does campaign with him.

    • that Clinton’s coming to town for Deval.  His fundraiser for Deval will likely raise more money in one night than any other.  And remember, Deval has to compete with Healey, who has already stated that she plans on spending up to $15 million of her husband’s fortune.

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      Besides, Clinton, I think, is the best President we have had, at least in my lifetime.  Under Clinton, we had peace, prosperity, respect around the world, and the biggest budget surplus in the history of the country.  I’d ask him to campaign for me any day!

    • A. Clinton is exceptionally popular in Massachusetts, regardless of how your friends feel.

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      B. Like others have mentioned, Clinton’s going to raise money. Deval could get upwards of a million bucks from one night with Clinton, which means a lot at this stage of the game.

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      C. What the heck does either Foley Gate or LaGuere have to do with Clinton? (The correct answer is nothing.)

  4. Thanks for the explanation.

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    I really do believe you. And I was very sincere, although seemingly naive, which I admitted up front.

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    Sorry if I upset people.

    • More than a few trolls have shown up here and parroted Republican talking points under the guise of “Gee, I like Deval but (insert talking point here)” over and over…That’s why people get testy.

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      However, I do think that people have been getting a bit too testy too quickly, at least lately. This is the apex of a crazy year for MA politics and for BMG. New people do sign up here, and they have a right to ask a question just as anyone else does.

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      Let’s let someone show their true colors beyond the shadow of a doubt (who remembers jdhaverill?) before we pull out the torches and pitchforks, eh folks?

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      New people are a good thing!

  5. Does anyone else believe that Deval is about to be Willie Hortoned? Sounds like a page from Rove’s playbook. Love Deval but am getting really frustrated because he’s so laid back. A little feistiness would be refreshing. The fourth debate willbe a yawn if he doesn’t mix it up a bit.

    • I remember in 2004 when the swift boat campaign started up and I dismissed its potential too quickly.

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      I know that the commercials being played right now seem to us desperate and the charges baseless, but the Patrick campaign must not be complacent.  Patrick will need to attack back.
      I like the approach of this press release, but all the warm fuzzy commercials he’s playing now need to supplemented with attacks on Healey. She must be kept on the defensive.

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      Patrick has my confidence now, but if I do not start to see something more than soft warm images soon, I am going to have to wonder if he is making the same mistake so many Democrats before him have made, and fall into a defensive posture for the next month, fending off one silly charge after the next.

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      Don’t ignore her attacks, but don’t play her game either.  Ther is plenty to put her on the defensive about, so do it.

  6. There seems to be a coordinated attack coming today regarding the LeGuer case. This is definitely a Willie Horton moment, and I expect that Kerry Healey’s commercial will prominently feature menacing pictures of Black criminals.

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    There are a number of trolls posting on Masslive.com forums — far more than normal, with the exact same message. “Deval Patrick wants to let rapists out of jail”, followed by “Deval Patrick will let your grandmother be raped”.

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    Howie Carr was doing the same schtick on his show today. He then went after the fact that Patrick apparently worked to commute the death sentence of someone who killed a cop while a defense attorney. (note, even I heard this as “he tried to get a cop-killer off” in the chatter). Howie is also running statements from the son-in-law of the victim in the case on his website — the old “I was going to vote for him, but now I’m not” narrative.

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    This is fairly difficult to rebut in a sound bite because of the complexity of the cases. People don’t understand that Patrick’s support came pre-DNA test. People don’t understand that LeGuer just might be innocent due to badly collected evidence, collected before DNA testing even existed. People don’t understand that LeGuer was up for parole, meaning that he was eligible to be released.

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    Reed Hillman is also now calling Patrick a “defense attorney”.

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    The only message out there right now is that “Deval Patrick wants to let rapists and cop-killers go free”.

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    This is going to be the unwavering, beating drum for the next 34 days — putting endless visions of Black grandmother-rapists into people’s heads.

  7. According to the Office of Campaign and Political Finance, the “buddy” whom Reed Hillman sought a pardon for has contributed $100 to Reed’s state rep campaign account on January 18, 2003.

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    Granted $100 isn’t a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but it still smells when considering Hillman requested a pardon for the drunk-driving cop abuser.

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