From today’s Herald:
Inmates watching Brokeback Mountain and other blockbuster movies behind bars. Lifers having parties at maximum security prisoners. Killers getting day passes to visit sick loved ones. Cons being entertained by circus acts behind the wall. Coddling perps and pedophiles in the Massachusetts prison system is the theme behind a series of ads running on local radio stations ripping apart the Romney/Healey record at the Department of Correction.
True to form, Healey talks the talk, but Romney/Healey didn’t walk the walk. The ads are sponsored by the Mass. Correction Officers Federated Union, which represents prison guards. In two radio ads — which you can listen to here and here — MCOFU says that Romney/Healey has ignored worsening conditions in Massachusetts prisons, hasn’t done anything about the depleted ranks of prison guards, and has allowed the coddling of hardened criminals.
The prison guards come right out and say it: “Romney and Healey are soft on crime. You and your family pay the price.” Seems to me they’re in a pretty good position to know. Certainly, they’ve done more to protect the public from violent criminals than, say, Howie Carr.
Not to be outdone, a different reporter also has a story in today’s Herald claiming that Deval Patrick was also a con-coddler — that story, of course, is the one that appears on the Herald’s front page in 50-point type. But no bias there, right?
Where was all this interest in who prison guards supported during the primary? Oh that’s right, they supported Tom Reilly, which explains why we heard nothing about them on BMG until now.
The reason I heard about their radio ads was that it was in the Herald. I don’t recall hearing about MCOFU running radio ads during the primary, nor do I recall them getting a Herald story to themselves (though it’s possible I missed it). In any event, we didn’t report every union endorsement of every candidate then, nor do we intend to do so now.
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This is newsworthy now because the “soft on crime” issue is presently center stage. Or hadn’t you noticed that?
Actually, I don’t really have a point. I’m just a big Reilly supporter and a bit of a sore loser at the moment.
It IS appreciated. I think if the tables were turned and I was in your shoes – I could be feeling the same way.
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I think though the thought of Kerry Healey as Governor would make me do whatever I could to make sure we are not saddled with that outcome…
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