A good recording, on DVD, of the Governor’s Public Integrity Task Force hearing is available, although not from the PITF. Contact Janet Aldrich, COMFLM, REGISTRY Independent Media, Catch of the Day Video News, 978-388-2457. She films many state house hearings as a volunteer project, and shows how helpful official recordings of meetings and hearings would be. If anyone knows how to upload it to YouTube, she will give you permission. There was a lot of very informative testimony aside from the written testimonies submitted (and now posted on the TF website). (You can see Chair Ben Clements’ respond to my question about making the documents available to the public.)
Please share widely!
I read the public testimony posted on the task force web site. I already want that hour of my life back. How could you watch a video of this stuff?
This Task Force was appointed at this time especially in light of the current Beacon Hill Scandals does appear as damage control. Their failure will be apparent with cursory recommendations that will come forward amount to only window dressing.
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p>Look at the some names on this so called task force Charles Baker Jr., Scott Harshbarger, and Representative James Fagan! All had a part in the Big Dig fiasco that went from$2.3 Billion to $23 Billion that was riddled with waste, fraud, and abuse. This project was the largest construction cost construction project in history.
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p>Does more need to be said about their watch and responsibilities? The Governor appointed this group and his person was named chair! Done deal, can this bring real reform? more political posturing and not real reforms?
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p>The time has come for an independent government reform organization that should be installed and more independent than the WARD Commission that was formed during the Government Center Scandal. Maybe this time around the recommendations will be folllowed. Stop fooling the citizenry.
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p>Time for a Governor and Legislature of both parties to disinfect their act and become true statesman.
She has tromped in, on her own dime, taping these hearings day after day, week after week, month after month. This should be done routinely, they should ALL be on Cable.
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p>As for this “ethics committee” composed 100% of bigwigs – no I am not impressed, no I am not hopeful – where are the grunts, the day to day staffers, folk who are in touch with real life?
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p>Same problem with so many hearings, really. When I went to the hearings of the House Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect I seemed to be the only person who wasn’t on the payroll of the child welfare industry – testimony was all by Commissioners, Presidents and CEOs, Union officers – just three parents and one “grunt” who actually does child welfare cases….at the end of the last day.
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p>And so it goes.
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p>”Change” – real change – requires bringing in the “grunts” of the system, the users of the system, those who actually are and have been effected, and know how a particular government entity – whether child welfare or ethics over sight works from the ground. That is STILL not happening.
Whether it’s exciting or boring, promising or disheartening, this video should be available to the public. Everyone should be able to hear what these officials and citizens had to say at a hearing on ethics and accountability. And we’re lucky to have Janet Aldrich filming it and handing it to us.
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p>So please, if you have the skills to upload recordings like this to YouTube, please call me (617-421-0835) and let’s figure out how to do it.