“But politics is a game of addition in the Patrick administration, which adheres to the core Democratic belief that a job for a politically wired candidate today will lead to an important campaign alliance or policy victory down the road.”
AS OPPOSED TO
“John Moffitt served as chief secretary for former Republican Governor William Weld during the early 1990s. He, too, was in charge of major personnel appointments and patronage. But he took a different view of the job. ‘I saw my role as a goalie for a hockey team – keep pucks out of the net,’ said Moffitt.”
Anyone with an intact memory must have gotten a huge belly laugh out of the Moffitt quote considering back in ’96 he wasn’t stopping pucks, he was the GOP’s patronage high scorer! Case in point: On his way out the door, Weld ‘eliminated’ the position of Susan Costello (GOP activist, Weld ally and Assistant Secretary of Human Services) two days after she reached 20 years in the state system. As a result of her ‘elimination’ and 20 year employment the 42 year old Costello received a state pension, which I’m sure came in very handy in supplementing her pay in her next job with a lobbying firm headed by none other than – you guessed it! – Weld’s pal and former patronage chief, John Moffit. Same John Moffitt who memory challenged Larry Harmon wants us to canonize now.
I am very concerned about Larry Harmon’s memory. They say hindsight is 20/20 but it appears that Larry’s political memory has gone off the tracks and become very weak and purposefully selective.
BMGers! Let’s help Larry fill in the GOP political patronage gaps that he is for whatever reason missing:
. District Court Judge Douglas Stoddart – former Republican state rep. (Appointed by GOP Gov Weld or Cellucci).
. District Court Judge Robert Howarth – former Republican state rep. (Appointed by Weld).
. District Court Judge David Locke, Jr. – son of Senate Minority Leader David Locke, Sr. and brother of Republican state rep John Locke (Cellucci)
. Jeffrey Locke – appointed Norfolk DA after Delahunt elected to Congress. And, OMG what a coincidence, another son of the Senate Minority Leader and brother of the state rep!! (Weld)
. William Constantino – Republican state rep and non-lawyer appointed as a Dept. of Industrial Accident judge (Weld)
. Greg White – failed Republican candidate for Worcester County DA, appointed a DIA judge by Romney (though he had no experience in workers comp or industrial accident cases)
. The Massport crew:
. Jane Swift – no experience in aeronautics (the helicopter flight came years later)
. Peter Blute – need I say anything? Refer all calls to Sandy Tennant in the marina.
. Stephen Tocco, former Deputy COS – I guess the airport needed a pharmacist
. Joseph Lawless, (Weld driver / trooper)
. Charlotte Amorello – Matt Amorello’s then-wife
. Bob Marsh, former Republican state rep appointed to Massport Board (I think by Romney). Completely impossible that a Republican would make an appointment to influence patronage though. In Harmon’s world, that is the rule for Dem’s board appointments but apparently not Repubs.
. Mitch Adams – Weld’s college roommate was at MTC making some $300k plus or minus for years. Protected by Republican appointed board and impossible to fire until a second Democratic term (due to length of board appointments). Definitely not a hack though, because he went to Haahvaahd.
. Peter Torkildson – appointed by Romney as exec director of the Mass. Workforce Investment Board.
. Dan Winslow – seen today as rising political star , experienced judge, etc. But when Weld appointed him to the District Court, he had minimal experience and just happened to be the young legal counsel to the state GOP
. Matt Amorello – MassHighway and Mass Turnpike
. SJC Justice Bob Cordy – Weld’s former general counsel, with no previous judicial experience.
MDC Commissioner David Balfour who took creating and fulfillng patronage jobs to new levels
State Treasurer Joe Malone, don’t even know where to begin with his operation! Not enough bandwidth on this site!
These are just a handful of examples from over the years, but I am sure BMGers with sharper memories than Editor Harmon can think of the many others from GOP state committee members, donors, etc.
Truth be told (but not so much lately in the Globe), most Republicans appointed to or recommended for state positions were qualified for the positions, as are most Democratic appointees. But the double standard the Globe is applying is blatant, offensive and absolutely ludicrous. Why is it okay and appropriate for GOP leaders and office holders to have their team in place (through patronage appointments) to move state government forward, but nothing short of ‘hackerama’ for the Dems to do the exact same?
BMGers, HELP ME HELP LARRY! EDITOR HARMON NEEDS OUR ASSISTANCE TO RESTORE HIS MEMORY! (and some of the Globe’s credibility that is being squandered of late)
Share whatever you can…every little bit helps when dealing with this serious condition…
From The Boston Globe (via BMG) in 2006:
nice add, Chris…I thank you…and Larry thanks you!
Don’t forget Special Sheriff Jeff Perry, anti-patronage crusader-turned-hack.
You are on a roll Chris!…Jeff perry is a perfect example of GOP high-minded public service non-hack politics! Good example!
Here’s another “good government” GOP-er. Essex County Sheriff Frank Cousin’s fundraising questioned. Another example of why “bringing balance and good government” with the MassGOP is a false choice.
In 2005 The Globe reported that Buonopane was only putting a few hours a day in the office while on the state’s timeclock.
One can only imagine the kind of no-show hacks Romney would appoint if he were President…
I don’t get what that analogy means exactly, although the Globe seems to be suggesting that the R’s were more thorough about background checks and more inclined to make appointments based on merit. Previous commenters have already rebutted that suggestion pretty nicely.
I don’t accept the Globe’s premise that persons who are known to the Executive should never be appointed to jobs – they may be the best qualified.
But OK, going along with Moffitt’s theme, here are some pucks — all judicial appointments — that got through the net during the 16 years between 1990 and 2006, when our Governors were Republicans.
1. Steven Pierce (Former GOP state rep and former counsel to Gov. Swift) appointed to the the Housing Court by Swift.
2. William Meade (Former counsel to Gov. Romney) appointed to Appeals Court by Romney.
3. Fran Marini (Former GOP state rep) appointed to District Court by Gov. Swift.
4. Scott Kafker (Former counsel to Gov. Weld and MassPort) appointed to Appeals Court by Gov. Cellucci.
5. Harry Grossman (Former Administration and Finance counsel) appointed to Land Court by Gov. Romney.
6. David Lowy (Former Counsel to Gov. Weld) appointed to District Court and later to Superior Court by Gov. Cellucci.
The “firing” of Jane Swift’s chief of staff Peter Foreman that enabled him to retire with an enhanced pension
Just in from a sharper Dem. than I…From Open Checkbook site…follow-up on 2 GOP appointments mentioned in earlier: Thanks to Gov. Weld and John moffit’s sleight of hand, Susan Costello receives a retirement amount of $32,415 annually. She has been drawing that amount for 16 years. Total $518,640.00.
Peter Forman gets $45,224 and has been retired for 10 years. $450,224.00. …your tax dollars at work! He is now the President of the South Shore Chamber.
n/t
It would be hard to describe the Globe article as balanced. I’m afraid that I can’t give examples that have not already been covered. Thanks, hl and everyone else who contributed to this thread.
thanks.
Virginia Buckingham, former Weld Chief of Staff, appointed Massport Director.
although we would run out of page on the site from all the Democratic hackery.
We should be hearing some juicy news from convicted Speaker Sal DiMasi (third consecutive Democratic speaker to resign from being Speaker). Will he be ratting out some fellow Democrats? Maybe he’ll be talking about the upcoming Probation Department scandal, full of well connected Democrats. Or maybe it’s about the Chelsea Housing Authority… more Democrats? How about Merrimack Special Education Collaborative former executive director, John B. Barranco, (accused of transferring $11.5 million to a related nonprofit and using the funds to cover lavish salaries for himself, a former girlfriend, and a close circle of associates) was he a well connected Republican. Any former Democratic politicians sitting on any MA Authorities, Pike, Massport…
How are you guys missing these guys?
He was a favorite of Weld and Cellucci.
Boston Globe article on Barranco. There’s another one the Boston Globe conveniently forgot, even though they published a story last year on him.
I was wondering why Suzanne Bump’s office would chase this guy down, while so many other crooked MA pols go scott free, he’s a Republican.
Johnd: You were off on barranco, he, too, belongs on the GOP side of the aisle…the thread is about helping Editor Larry Harmon remember GOP hacks and patronage hires…Harmon had already cast ALL Democrats as hacks and Republicans as saints…we were trying to help Larry regain his failing memory.
There has been PLENTY of content on this site over the years condemning the sins of Democratic pols.