If former head of probation John O’Brien is indicted in a quid pro quo scheme to get his wife and daughter a job in the Treasurer’s Office, certainly Tim Cahill, who provided the job for campaign donations, can’t be far behind?
A Suffolk County grand jury has indicted former probation commissioner John O’Brien on charges that he traded political donations to former state treasurer Timothy P. Cahill in exchange for a job for O’Brien’s wife.
The grand jury did not indict Cahill, who hired O’Brien’s wife and daughter in the weeks and months following the July 2005 fund-raiser at which dozens of probation department employees donated to Cahill’s campaign. But the panel indicted Cahill’s chief of staff at the time, Scott Campbell, who handled personnel matters for Cahill.
The indictments were handed down in June and unsealed today, according to one source. The two men are expected to be arraigned next week. The investigation was handled by Attorney General Martha Coakley.
Cahill, who left office after running unsuccessfully for governor, hired O’Brien’s wife shortly after the fund-raiser at which scores of probation employees poured thousands of dollars into his campaign fund.
Maybe we should move the state capital to Western Mass and either make the patronage more accessible or at least get us in on the action.
