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.
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