Posted on 12/13/2009 3:58:20 AM PST by raccoonradio
Howie thread starting with his Sunday Herald column
Sunday column ping
He knows when they’ve been naughty . . . and how!
By Howie Carr | Sunday, December 13, 2009 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Columnists
And now for a new episode in that hit State House series, “Solons Behaving Badly.” So many reprobate reps, so little time.
We begin with Rep. Willie Lantigua, newly elected alcalde, I mean mayor, of Lawrence. Now that he’s going to make $100,000 running the ciudad, er city, is Willie going to quit his $61,000 day job as a solon?
No way, Jose. He says he can do both jobs, not an unreasonable position, except for one thing. Back in September 2000, Patricia Dowling was the mayor of Lawrence and she was also running for re-election to the Governor’s Council. On Sept. 15, the Eagle-Tribune ran a front-page picture of Willie, at a candidates’ night in Haverhill, holding a pamphlet that read, “WANTED FULL-TIME MAYOR . . . CITY OF LAWRENCE.”
In other words, Willie was for a full-time mayor before he was against one. But that was then, this is now.
Next, let’s look at the furloughs that the House members have been asked to take, giving up five days’ pay, just under $1,200 of their base pay. Some of their staffers have also been laid off. The reps are angry - how dare the leadership ax their lackeys?
Especially bitter are the supporters of the defeated candidate for speaker, John Rogers, an ethical cipher who once compared a convicted felon speaker to Jesus Christ. Then there was that problem with the summer cottage and his consultant.
Rogers, a State House lifer, is one of just 12 elected hacks balking at taking the furlough/paycut. Another holdout is Rep. Paul Kujawski, notorious drunkard, whose brother and son both have hack jobs, who just sweetened his pension. Obviously Kujo can’t afford the paycut - do you know how much a case of Budweiser costs now that Kujo and his pals imposed the 6.25 percent sales tax on alcohol?
Also refusing to take a pay cut - Rep. Marie St. Fleur, most recently in the news for another refusal - to pay her taxes. Ditto, Rep. Ben Swan of Springfield, whose brother, a convicted felon, was all over the front pages in Springfield this week.
It seems a new $79,000 job was created at a state charter school and two minutes later it was filled by the solon’s brother, Fred Allen Swan. Another nationwide search. And at such a fortuitous time, too - just two days after Fred Swan had completed probation for nine felony convictions in a federal bid-rigging case.
Also declining to take the furlough: lame duck Rep. Robert Spellane of Worcester, who dumped the mother of his four children for a 20-something TV babe who was then hired as a lobbyist. Hey Rep, have you been deposed yet in that lawsuit your father-in-law filed against you?
Then there’s Rep. Mark Falzone of Saugus. He, too, nixed a pay cut, but now asserts he will donate the $1,200 he’s keeping to his chief of staff, who was also furloughed. Falzone announced his selfless decision from San Diego, where he was on a junket, I mean fact-finding mission.
Falzone then put out a press release lauding his chief of staff as “hard-working . . . dedicated, effective . . . my right-hand man. . . .”
Oddly, throughout the effusive statement, Falzone refused to name the beneficiary of his largesse. Falzone doesn’t want to “drag his name through this,” he told the State House News Service. By the way, if you’d like more information on the unnamed chief of staff, Falzone’s press release advises reporters to call Bob Smith.
He’s the chief of staff.
Then there’s Rep. Lida Harkins, a member of “leadership” during the last two squalid administrations. Lately she’s been angling to become the sergeant at arms - the gal in the top hat with the big stick who’s the boss of the State House door-openers. Lida in the lid would be another milestone for women - hack women.
Lida is angry, though. Four of her six staffers got the boot. When she complained, Rep. Garrett Bradley pointed out the obvious - that she’s been in the Legislature too long.
Garrett always seems to go after the women when hes on the attack, Lida replied. Maybe that’s where he feels the most comfortable.
Wow. Was Lida referring to the firing of the awful Carol Aloisi? What a blow for feminism that was. Has Martha Coakley weighed in yet on the outrage? Hey Lida, forget the top hat. No stick for you either, unless it’s in your stocking.
You know what they say about Christmas. Someone’s making a list and checking it twice. I just wish it was the U.S attorney instead of Santa Claus bothering to find out who at the State House has been naughty and nice.
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/columnists/view.bg?articleid=1218494
No kiddin'!
Probation for nine felony convictions?
Probation?
Guess no hate thought was involved.
Howie’s set to discuss the stick-figure-Jesus-in-Taunton issue
Yuppie Christmas Cards Mail: 20 Guest Street, Brighton, MA 02135 Fax: 617-779-3467 Email: howiecarr@wrko.com
1st Hour
An 8-year-old boy was sent home from school and ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation after he was asked to make a Christmas drawing and came up with what appeared to be a stick figure of Jesus on a cross, the child’s father said today. Does the school owe this family an apology?
2nd Hour
3rd Hour
Call in for THE CHUMPLINE!!!! 617-779-3469 and leave a message for Howie or Sandy about today’s stories or whatever else is bothering you!
A national immigration enforcement advocacy group is warning members of Congress that the public backlash against the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Amnesty bill to be filed by Congressman Luis Gutierrez today is going to ignite an unprecedented political fire storm which will cost many members of Congress their jobs in 2010. We will speak with Bob Dane of Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) about what we can do to stop this legislation.
4th Hour
Oral Roberts has died at 91
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2408190/posts
don’t know if he was in death pool
Wed. column ping
Martha Coakley, don’t hex the ballot
By Howie Carr | Wednesday, December 16, 2009 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Columnists
Martha Coakley better be careful what she wishes for.
She claims to want this third-party guy named Joe L. Kennedy included in all her Senate debates against GOP state Senator Scott Brown.
Doesn’t Martha understand the notorious dementia that grips the voting public of Massachusetts whenever they see the name “Kennedy” on the ballot?
I’m not saying Kennedy will cost her the election. But why give her dim-bulb voters a chance to get mixed up, yet again, and pull the lever they so instinctively yearn to? Let’s face it, she’s not fishing in the deep end of the gene pool to begin with.
You understand the obvious strategy. The more candidates, the less the TV viewers will be able to focus on her record, or lack thereof. You see, Martha is a prosecutor from the Tom Reilly school. In Chicago they say, don’t make no waves, don’t back no losers.
In the Reilly-Coakley school of prosecuting, the motto is: Don’t make no waves, don’t indict no potential campaign contributors.
But Martha’s problem is, with a Kennedy on the ballot - any Kennedy - any damned thing can happen. Back in the 1950s, three times Massachusetts elected a treasurer named John F. Kennedy, the F being for Francis, not Fitzgerald. The other JFK probably could have gone on having it made, except he decided to run for governor in 1960, the same year the real guy was running for president.
The other JFK finished fifth. Two other John Kennedys ran for treasurer. They lost too. Three other John Kennedys ran for office that year too - two for state rep and one for Norfolk County treasurer. I think they lost too.
Back in 1986, Joe Kennedy - Joe P., not Joe L. - was running for Tip O’Neill’s seat. I knew a guy working the polls on primary day in Medford - Ed Markey’s congressional district. All day, the guy said, old ladies would go into the voting booths and then come out, waving their ballots.
“I came down here to vote for Kennedy,” they’d yell. “Why isn’t Joe Kennedy’s name on the ballot?”
In those days the electorate was befuddled by beer. Now, I would venture to guess, most of Martha Coakley’s potential voters are addled by powerful prescription meds. Does anyone seriously think the electorate is shrewder than it used to be?
So Martha wants Joe Kennedy. Do you suppose she’d feel differently if the third name on the ballot was . . . Josephine Kennedy?
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/columnists/view.bg?articleid=1219219
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Howie; good show today, ad plase podcase the Christmas letters shows
I love his yearly readings
Fri column ping
How to qualify for a state ‘job’
By Howie Carr | Friday, December 18, 2009 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Columnists
You don’t have to give money to Deval Patrick if you want a six-figure state job but . . .
If you don’t do the right thing by Deval, it certainly doesn’t hurt to do the right thing for Barack.
The following names and statistics came from a cursory reading of questionnaires submitted by some of Deval’s recent appointees to the judiciary and the Parole Board ($93,000 annual salary).
* Let’s start with Pamela Dashiell, now of the Dorchester District Court, formerly the $114,945-a-year “director of planning and policy development” for the state trial court administrative office.
Judge Dashiell gave $500 to Deval in 2006 and $300 last year. Frederick Dashiell of the same address ponied up $650 and Lindsey Dashiell, ditto. (In an amazing coincidence, there’s also a Lindsey Dashiell on the state payroll, for $41,637 a year.) The future judge in 2008 gave $250 to the Obama Victory Fund.
Did I mention Judge Dashiell was born in . . . Chicago?
* Come on down, Margaret R. Guzman, nominated to the Dudley District Court in June, to replace Paul V. Mullaney, who retired Nov. 21, 1989 - hey, I’m just reading Deval’s own letter to Governor’s Council. Obviously quite an important judgeship, having been left vacant for almost 20 years, and filled only during a year of billion-dollar budget deficits.
But Mags is eminently qualified. Her husband gave Deval $500 in 2006 and chipped in $100 the same year. Barry got a C-note last year.
At least Judge Guzman’s got some experience in the Dreaded Private Sector. I quote: “From 7/03 to 12/08 . . . I was the owner of a hair salon.”
* Let’s move on to the Parole Board. Roger Michel, appointed last month. He gave $500 to Obama in September 2008. He joined Cesar Archilla, who gave $250 to Deval in 2006.
I inquired yesterday as to the governor’s official payoff, I mean campaign-contribution policy. The deal is, “commencing with the submission of the application” a wannabe judge or clerk-magistrate can’t take care of the gov, the lieutenant gov or members of the Governor’s Council.
Once nominated, you can’t give to anybody - even Obama! Of course, if you’ve given nothing to nobody, why even waste 44 cents mailing in an application? If you haven’t ponied up, you ain’t gonna get nominated, period.
My favorite contribution reported this year was made by Shannon Frison, appointed to the District Court two months ago. Judge Frison took care of indicted ex-Sen. Dianne Wilkerson back in 2002. Next time, a lot more names, numbers, and maybe even a chart.
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/columnists/view.bg?articleid=1219691
There used to be a Judge at the Boston District ourt, an old Yankee Elijah Adlow in the 70’s. I was taking some courses in Boston at the time, we used to go to the Court during Lunch breaks to watch him in action a sight to behold.
LOL! Talk about a "cheap date"! :)
You couldn't pay for entertainment as good as that, reality TV at its best. If I remember correctly he got a standing O a couple of times, quickly gaveled down.
The only Judge entertainment I enjoyed more was Kevin Harrintons Uncle Joe, District Court Judge in Salem, try to crawl up the stairs of Moes Skellar in Peabody after a night on the Town.
Special Saturday column ping
Anthony Galluccio laps up wrist slap
By Howie Carr | Saturday, December 19, 2009 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Columnists
So Christmas comes a week early for state Sen. Anthony D. (for Drunkard) Galluccio.
After his latest brush with a bad ice cube, the besotted solon gets . . . home confinement. Nice. Most guys jammed up as often as Galluccio would have gotten confinement in a new home, namely, the House of Correction.
This bum should be bunking with John Buonomo in Billerica, instead he’s telling reporters, “I’m going to open my home to constituents.”
The only problem is, sometimes when he’s got a load on he forgets where he lives. But you’ll be able to spot his house easily enough. It’s the one with the swinging doors.
“I have made a firm decision that there will be no alcohol in my life.”
Are you aware, Senator, that beer is in fact alcohol?
If I ever get in a jam, I don’t ask for any special favors. Just treat me like Sen. Galluccio.
There’s an old saying in the military that sums up this squalid case: “different spanks for different ranks.” I don’t so much blame the judge - Galluccio has been pardoned for two OUIs, and the clerk/magistrate in Boston broomed his demolition derby caper in the Back Bay. And of course, he ran away from his latest crash and hid long enough to make a Breathalyzer immaterial.
But still, the fact is, a lot of guys have done a lot less behind the wheel - and haven’t sent anyone to the ER - and they still ended up doing six months in Plymouth, or Dedham or Deer Island. They lost their licenses, their jobs, their families.
Galluccio gets a Dianne Wilkerson sentence, as they say at the State House. Hell, even Dianne had to go to a halfway house.
And Galluccio has the audacity to say, “I cannot overstate my regret for the decision I made that day.”
Give me a break. Not sticking around for the field-sobriety test - the sidewalk Olympics - was the best move he ever made, and he knows it. And where were the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) outside the courtroom?
Senator, to ask the question of the old song, was it the high cost of living, or the cost of living high?
This guy is acting like his last name is Kennedy. The only thing missing from yesterday’s sob story was a claim that he was on his way to a vote at the State House.
“This experience,” he blubbered, “has been a life-altering one for me.”
No it hasn’t. Six months in the House of Correction - that’s life-altering. This is a broom.
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/columnists/view.bg?articleid=1219877
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