The other day I rambled on about the last three times the legislature had to fill the vacancy of a statewide office.
These all occurred in the 1960s.
But there was a fourth time I had forgotten. This too happened in the 1960s. Jack Davoren was the speaker and Kevin Hagan White was Secretary of State. White’s father was a former state senator and his father-in-law was “Mother” Galvin -the old political boss from Charlestown (no relation to Bill Galvin).
Remember “Vote WHITE” signs when he ran against Ed Brooke?
But anyway, Kevin gets elected Mayor of Boston. Yet he isn’t rushing to resign from Sec State job. (The mayor’s election was in between sec of state elections)
The legislature wanted him go so they could appoint Davoren and then they could all move up. A leadership type rep that was friendly with White was dispatched.
At the Parkman House they met. Not the Parker House, The Parkman House. (The Irish rep had to go in through the back door of course. White was a traditionalist)
And Kevin, never a member of the legislature, had to be educated on how important it was for the citizens of Boston and the City to have a full time mayor without distractions.
In today’s’ jargon it was like “Dude, if you don’t resign we are going to Fuck You Up!!”
The legislature’s version of a horse’s head in the bed.
In the 1960’s, Ted Buczko, a State Representative from Salem was appointed to fill the term of the recently departed State Auditor. Ted held the office until the early 1980’s when he was appointed to a judgeship. Long retired, he still resides in Salem.
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The then auditor dropped dead real close to the election. Maybe even the night before.
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p>If I recall correctly there was an issue about the ‘body not being cold yet’ and perhaps they should wait. I know of at least one rep that took himself out because of that.
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p>But again, notice how it went to a rep.
in the primary. I don’t think it was a legislative appointment until after the primary where he beat the dead guy with stickers.
The sitting Auditor, Thomas J. Buckley did pass away the day before the primary. However, Buckzo was not one of the sticker candidates in the primary, which the deceased Buckley won handily.
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p>I’m guessing that since there was a failure to nominate, the State Committee must have stepped in and nominated him for the November ballot, after the Legislature appointed him as Auditor in late September.
He actually passed away in the apartment of a woman who, as they say, was not his wife…a la Rockefeller flagrante.
In the unlikely event of a vacancy in the Office of AG, :0), is it possible for the Senate to decline to convene a joint session of the Legislature? In such scenario, wouldn’t the person appointed to the Deputy AG post (most recently vacated by the highly-regarded Dave Friedman when he went to work for the Red Sox front office) serve as the Acting AG pending legislative appointment? And isn’t that scenario the way that the Senate, by Terry Murray’s close relationship with Martha Coakley and her advice to Martha about who to place in the Deputy AG spot, rather than the House the most likely source of the selection of the next Acting AG? There’s gonna be a lot of disappointed State Reps in January I think.
The history shows that the speaker and the house members take this very seriously for many reasons. This is personal for many mnay people. Rarely is it like this.
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p>Therefore, they are willing to take out the serious artillary for anyone that stands in their way.
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p>Also, the law gives the First Assistant limited powers when filling the vacancy. He/she does not have full authority.
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p>The law is clear in its intent. keep the ship steady as she goes and we will have a captain on board very soon to chart a course.
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p>If Terry is willing to stand in the way she will hurt the seante, individual senators, her constituents, and herself. The House will see to that.
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p>And by the way, Terry can’t negotiation either.
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p>No say in who will be chosen other then her one secret vote. She may try, but she will lose, and that too will cause her problems in the future.
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p>It’s just the way it is. Dynamics of a democratic legislature.
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p>Big things and little things will be done. Things so far under the radar but so important to Terry and each individual senator who voted her their leader.
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p>Kevin White was told that. Terry Murray should know this.
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p>Question: What has Terry Murray done? Seriously. She just cries and moans and gets even with people. Has she had an original thought comeout of her which wasn’t about getting even with someone.
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p>I bring this ou because this A.G. thing is what Terry lives for. The opportunity to get personal and screw people just because she can.
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p>Bottom line amicus, there maybe a lot of disappointed reps in January but if that happens there will be a alot of angry, uneffective, logjammed senatrs and a senate president.
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p>It’s Terry’s choice i guess.
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p>I hope she doesn’t call the con con. It will be so much fun to watch the blood spill.
….but I’ve never known her to back down from attempts at intimidation. Spineless she’s not. Not by any stretch. We’ll see how this plays out. It’s ironic that the best chance of preventing intraparty bloodletting in an election year for Democrats is (yes, I’m going there….are you surprised?) by Scott Brown’s election on Tuesday.
And it about a threat. It’s how things work.
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p>Jesuscrist man. That is her problem Pick and chose your fights and don’t get into some just because you can.
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p>Do you need a person much bigger than you to tell you not to punch him in the face. Whether he tells you or not, you are a rational semi-intelligent person. You know that if you punch him in the face it will hurt him. But you also know you will pay dearly making the punch in the face you gace him not worth it. You also know there will be times when the show will be on the other foot.
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p>That’s all I’m saying. You’re answer suggests that Terry is a fool if she does not punch him in the face simply because she can. Interesting.
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p>I agree. But let’s see how smart she is. Or rather isn’t.
Senate President Murray is a force of nature. One would be more successful in an attempt to intimidate and threaten an earthquake or a hurricane. DeLeo can’t possibly be so stupid as to not understand that.
has accepted? At what benefit to her? That will prove she is a lousey senate president. Win some shitty battle to prove a point then lose a war.
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p>This is not about intimidation. It is about the political process. “Politics” is not a bad word.
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p>Like I said. I want her to throw bombs. It will be so much fun to watch.
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p>Wait until Terry tries to get a job for someone in the A.G.’s office under the new first assistant/A.G. A.G.
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p>Guess what, sorry. No can do. The law doesn’t allow the first assistamt repalcement to make appointments. Like hireing assiatnt A.G.s
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p>Terry wants this important job to go unfilled for a whole year? hmmm. Why Terry. Why?
“Ernie” makes it sound like Kevin White was brought to his knees by the Legislature. In fact, White used his “dual” offices to leverage a state assumption of welfare costs worth significant dollars to Boston and, I assume, other cities and towns. The above paper cities Margaret Weinberg’s book, “Managing the State”, an account of Gov Sargent’s time in office.
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p>Today, you can still find some evidence of the old City “Board of Welfare Overseers” in building across the city, 43 Hawkins Street downtown in one such example.
That’s not what it was about. Just tyhe fruits. For Kevin it was all about being paid as Sec State and being paid as mayor for the next year. That’s what it was about. The Doe-ray-me.
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p>Kevin was all about Kevin. And $$$$. That’s why he the lonely man in love whith “his city”.