Blue Mass Group

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BREAKING NEWS AG Coakley launches probe of Probation Department

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AG Coakley launches probe of probation department  Both the Globe and the Herald have this story headlining breaking news.

AG Coakley’s letter to Senate Republicans makes clear that the matter is also under review by the US Attorney and viewed as a serious breach of the public trust.

More to follow, I am sure.

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  1. Am I to understand that it was not the Globe’s report that impelled the AG’s office, that it was the Ware report? Was there a reason to take it so slowly?

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    p>As I’ve said elsewhere, I’m almost okay with the Attorney General not making a lot of noise and outrage about this, provided her office takes this seriously and pursues it with all the aggression that is consistent with justice, but IMHO, the release of the Spotlight Team’s report should have been the shot from the starting gun.

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    p>Additionally, we progressives constantly make the case that government has a positive role to play. So it is doubly in our interest to make government accountable and well-run. Problems like the Probation Department’s should not be low  or slow on the AG’s list.

    • The question that concerns me is, does a similar issue of hiring based on connections exist in the AG’s office?  If it does to almost any extent then it will be nigh near impossible for Coakley to lead an effective investigation.

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      p>One reason why I have this concern is the large number of public relations staff in her office.

      • Do you really think, or are you just speculating on the basis of no facts whatsoever and so throwing out a serious charge, that the Attorney General’s office is filled with people, or maybe there are just a few, who have been hired on the basis of their campaign contributions or their referral from the office of a key Legislative Leaders to protect her budget.

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        p>And, while I’m at it, let me ask how you think a “large number of public relations staff, (and what is a large number of public relations staff anyway and do you know, or are you just throwing out another  serious speculation on the basis of no facts again,) could possibly stop our wonderful free press, especially the Globe spotlight team, from kicking the shit out of the Attorney General if they wanted to. The press at least, even the Herald, knows how to speculate on the basis of at least some facts.

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        p>Sorry about the run on complex sentences. It’s early.

          • Anonymous speculation to boot. Is it not worth my  time calling to account scurrilous speculation about the  the state’s Chief Law Enforcement Officer? I should just dismiss CosEph future comments as silly? I can do that.  

              • who to take seriously on BMG and who to dismiss as silly. For starters, I’ll put you, KBush, on my Serious List. I don’t think I’ll even start a Silly List, they will simply be dismissed out of hand. (What ever out of hand means.)  

  2. But doing it on the Friday after Thanksgiving is the ultimate squashing of a headline. Nice work Martha Coakley.

    • If I were AG I’d take this opportunity to say, “Look everybody, I’m doing my job and investigating corruption even if it ensnares some of my allies.”

      • “if it ensnares some of my allies”

        who are proven to be criminals and therefore not above the law or shielded by another layer of cronyism.

    • The five Republican Senators on Beacon Hill wrote her on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. She responded on the next business day.

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      p>Unless you accuse the entire GOP delegation of the Massachusetts Senate of colluding with Ms. Coakley to bury this story (an accusation that, I admit, is not necessarily ridiculous), then I think its very hard to complain about her timing.

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      p>I’m glad that she’s mounting the investigation. I hope that she vigorously pursues it, wherever it leads.

  4. Which set of laws did these guys violate? And what can be proven? M guess is that this will be more of a federal beef. But recent court decisions limited what can be done under even federal statutes.

  5. Little mention has been made of the corrupt union leaders at NAGE who have been pretending to represent probation officers during this mess. This year a majority of probation officers petitioned the state labor relations board to leave nage and go with another union. If they are allowed to leave they would be 101st local unit to leave nage since Dave Holway, their $280,000/year president, took over the union in a palace coup a few years ago.

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    p> Why don’t the probation officers trust their union? Here are a few reasons: other unions in the court system have gotten contracts over the past few years but nage has been unable to; some suspect unwilling to; as NAGE has  a history of hiring members of the Bulger family, and is often seen as too close to, if not in bed with management.

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    p>President Holway, is a  creature of the state house, having been a lobbyist for defense contractors, insurance companies and horse breeding outfits, and we was long time staffer in the house. Is there any wonder the union was never made a peep about patronage in probation till now? Nage members are very interested in seeing what these investigations will uncover about their union’s involvement in this mess.  

  6. does anyone wonder why the Globe waited until an election year when this seems to have been a widely known issue?

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    p>The Globe had no problem ignoring Beacon Hill leadership meeting behind closed doors with the Gambling Interests and allowing legislation to be drafted by the Industry.

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    p>The Globe didn’t seem to notice when the Speaker offered committee chairmenships in exchange for obedience.

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    p>One can make a case for this being a more widespread problem that needs to be addressed with an independent ‘whistle blower’ department where confidentiality of sources is mandated by law.  

    • Do you think an independent whistle blower department will pay attention to anonymous sources including bloggers and disregard the 6th amendment to the US Constitution?

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      p>

      In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence[

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      p>Oh well,such a whistle blowers dept  good idea if you live in China I guess.  

      • Your point is well taken, but it is difficult to imagine that since this appears to be a “not so hidden secret,” the information to initiate an investigation need not rely on an ‘accuser.’

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        p>It is difficult to imagine that since a Rep. had the nickname of “Patronage King” this was secret.

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        p>It’s ironic that the GOP jumps on the bandwagon now that the case is made. Where have they been all these years? Who voted to give Probation more than they requested to fund this patronage?  

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        p>Unfortunately, Probation isn’t the only department where this has occurred and requires a more widespread and thorough investigation.

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        p>It also requires more independence than the AG or Governor can provide to restore public confidence.  

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        p>Why wasn’t anyone protesting when Beacon Hill leaders were meeting behind closed door with the Gambling Industry? Why didn’t anyone protest when Beacon Hill gave the Gambling Industry everything it wanted?

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        p>That may be simply one issue, but the Expanded Bottle Bill has been bottled up for years even though most people support it because Big Business opposes it.

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        p>Solid Waste Management could yield constructive municipal savings on a local level over the kicking and screaming of Big Business.

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        p>

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