Blue Mass Group

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EXTRA! SAL LEAVING IN DAYS! – Will Work in Health Care – DeLeo New Speaker! EB3 Got It Wrong!

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Sal’s making the calls and saying his goodbyes.

he’s taking a job with a national health care firm.

That makes perfect sense.

Deleo now has the votes.

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    • Deleo doesn’t have the votes.  If he did we wouldn’t be seeing Jay Kaufman as an option.  The realization that one of the two candidates who have been running for a year might actually become speaker has finally set in and most House members are not enamored with these options.  Thus the rise of Jay.  With neither candidate having the votes, a rotten economic climate and a lack of confidence in the leadership capacity of either Deleo or Rogers, this could be a really fun week … if you like watching car crashes and hockey fights.
       

      • but I think it’s wishful thinking. Too many progressives have already hitched their wagons.

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        p>Here’s a question – does the winner of a Speaker vote have to get a majority or just a plurality? If no one gets a majority do they vote again?

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        p>Also, I’m still wondering why now? Was DiMasi waiting until he got the job lined up or is there new info that is going to come out soon?

        • the thought of speaker kaufman too, but too many things would have to happen in too short of a time for neither rogers nor deleo to win.  in any case, this’ll be a fun week (if you like watching car crashes and hockey fights–h/t drek!)

        • Sorry, there’s no way Jay Kaufman will be speaker.

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          p>DeLeo has the votes.

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          p>Rogers already has a campaign finance scandal in his closet. Deleo may have one in the future if more of this Cognos stuff comes out, but regardless he’s the guy now.

    • local news updates
      updated
      Sunday, 6:04 PM
      From the Metro staff at The Boston Globe
      DiMasi to step down
      January 25, 2009 06:04 PM Email| Comments (0)| Text size – +

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      p>By Frank Phillips
      GLOBE STAFF

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      p>Embattled House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi said in an interview this afternoon that he will resign from the Legislature on Tuesday, saying he is proud of his record and is leaving with his ”head high.”

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      p>DiMasi, who has endured public scrutiny because of influence-peddling allegations involving close his friends, was sending a letter to his House colleagues tonight informing them of his decision.

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      p>Despite the swirl of ethics controversies, he insisted in the interview with the Globe that he is leaving with a clear conscience as he steps down from the powerful Beacon Hill position he has held since October 2004. He was first elected to his House seat representing the North End of Boston in 1978.

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      p>He said he made his final decision to leave today after consulting with his wife, Deborah, and their children.

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      p>”My head is held high and I am proud of my record. That is how I am leaving,” DiMasi said. He blamed much of the ethical controversies on ”powerful special interests” particularly the gambling industry which he had blocked in its efforts to legalize casinos.

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      p>”They are going to be pretty happy by the fact I won’t be here,” he said of the casino industry and its stable of high paid lobbyists.

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      p>DiMasi said he will call for a Democratic caucus for Wednesday to choose his successor. He will also give a farewell address to the full House on Tuesday. He said his ”dream” is to work in the heath care industry.

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      p>The Boston Democrat would not comment specifically on the investigations and charges that have been leveled against his close associates and has threatened his grip on the House. But he insisted that he has done nothing wrong and that much of his troubles have been stirred by those forces whom he battled over his four-year tenure.

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      p>”Certain people who are very powerful and have great influence turn against you,” DiMasi said when asked about the ethical issues and investigations. He instead wanted to point to what he says is a substantial record that includes protecting gay marriage, killing Governor Deval Patrick’s proposal to license three casinos, and shaping the landmark health care law. ”That is why you are attacked and criticized. It is part of the territory. It is not anything new,” he said.

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      p>DiMasi’s depature is spurring a fierce, behind-the-scences fight among House members vying to succeed him.

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      p>The two most likely successors are Ways and Means chairman, Robert A. DeLeo, a Winthrop Democrat, and Rogers, a Norwood Democrat. Both men have said in the last several days that they are confident that they have the majority votes in the 160 member House. Their battle will likely be decided in the party caucus which will held as early as Monday. The Republicans hold only 16 seats and would play a role if DeLeo or Rogers are unable to put together a majority among their Democratic colleagues.

  2. pocolocojoko made a prediction based on facts that every state house gadfly knew. I went further and identified the staff person that was calling around to get his own campaign going.

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    p>I speculated diferently.

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    p>Today however I got solid confirmation that Sal is telling certain people he is leaving and taking a job with a national health care comapny.

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    p>See david? I also have another nice factual tidbit; where Sal’s going.

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    p>See the difference david?

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    p>Speculation is very much different then the telling of facts.

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    p>C’mon David, a thousand other people have been speculating the past week about Sal and the very near future. I did too.

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    p>You do see the difference between this post and pocojokos and the many other stories reported in the past few days?

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    p>The more Harvard people talk the  more they expose themselves.

    • If any of us keep talking without good data, then we are likely to say stupid things.

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      p>In the high tech field, it is GIGO [garbage in, garbage out].

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      p>Even the appellate courts have said that “mere speculation” cannot be the basis of a decree – yeah, I know that this [mere speculation] being the basis of a decree still happens all the time, but when it does, there is at least a stronger appeal for those willing to fight on.

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      p>I think the beef with “some” from Harvard is that because the “brand” is so strong, a Harvardite can confuse their mere opiniop with actual facts.  That is a danger that I have seen myself with some Harvardites – though not all.

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      p>I know colleagues who went to Harvard and – believe it or not – still know the difference between opinion and fact.

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      p>Your reminder to those who graduated from Harvard College, Harvard Law, etc. to remember that they “do not walk on water” and should fact check before wieghing in or making policy decisions is, however, very timely given the number of appointments to the new Obama Administration of those from the “Harvard Brand”.

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      p>As I have said many times, I do not represent the “Harvard Brand” and went to Michigan State University and Wayne State University Law School.  Folks with “the Harvard Brand” have, at times, proven themselves very poor leaders in my view [for example, Harry Spence, the former DSS Commissioner with his love affair with consultants and generally throwing family services under the bus] and I don’t consider that having the Harvard Brand would give anyone a leg up – if AmberPaw did the hiring.

      • I speculated on facts. That was clear.

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        p>You don’t see the differmnece?

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        p>That is called opinion.

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        p>I was wrong.

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        p>Locopocojoko gave his opinion.

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        p>He was right.

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        p>But i gave great facts in this post that should allow BMG to say “Hey. Look What Story BMG is the first to report!”

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        p>bbut the idiots instead use it a time to bust my balls.

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        p>I appreaciate them busting my balls but WTF guys? Find another time.

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        p>Amber, David and you not seeing the distinction between opinion and fact is reprehensible.

          • He He He.  You do need to READ to the end, before coming to a conclusion – just like in a brief, a judge’s opinion or a title search.

      • Was listening to Larry Summers this morning. Did larry Summers attend the Professor Irwin Corey School of Rag Time. Summers spoke for fifteen minutes ( In Iraq they call it “circle talk” and really said very little. Essentially, Summers said that within one year all of our troubles will be behind us. What kind of dope is Summers smoking?  

    • You’re asking me to choose between anonymous State House gadflies?  Both of whom are presenting unnamed sources and unverified factual tidbits that may or may not turn out to be accurate?

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      p>At least I front-paged your post.  

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      p>No idea what Harvard people you’re talking about.

  3. Do you have that? Anyone?
    The most I can figure is that they each have between 50 – 60 votes but I am not as wired as big ern.

    • I bet perhaps 15 vote for Rogers, unless Rogers asks in a caucus that it be unanimous.

  4. We will see!?!

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    p>People better hitch their wagon to the right horse, if Sal is going.

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    p>

  5. the state house made backroom deals and sold out the citizens of Massachusetts.We do not have affordable health insurance but DiMasi got a cushy job.Hello people of Massachusetts you are what they call “MASSHOLES”meanwhile residents can go to jail for the fines for not having health insurance and thats ok with you all?You see no connection when the state house sold us out to the insurance companies???Are all deaf,dumb,and blind?

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