"While lawmakers made a big deal about strengthening open meeting laws for municipal officials, they made sure the Legislature would still be exempt"
Related: The Perils of One-Party Politics: Massachusetts' Democracy
Quite an amazing set of turds we have her in Massachushitts, 'eh?
Do turds float? (Flush) Too late!
"Leaders approve ethics revamp; House, Senate to vote today; Bill would bar most gifts" by Matt Viser, Globe Staff | June 25, 2009
.... There are several provisions that were left out, including one that would have banned lobbyists from making or soliciting campaign donations.
Of course!
THEY WRITE the LEGISLATION for PASSAGE and SUPPLY KICKBACK BRIBES posing as "campaign contributions!!
"The legislation also does not give the attorney general’s office wiretapping authority, as proposed by Patrick in his ethics bill.
Yeah, it is OKAY to VIOLATE OUR RIGHTS, but THEY PROTECT THEIR OWN!
Can you SMELL the RANK STENCH of hypocrisy?
And while lawmakers made a big deal about strengthening open meeting laws for municipal officials, they made sure the Legislature would still be exempt.
Also see: The Perils of One-Party Politics: The Problem
Why Massachusetts Needs Republicans
“There’s no doubt there’s been a lot of lobbying on the lobbying bill by the lobbyists,’’ said Secretary of State William F. Galvin, who expressed concern that the bill did not give him the power he had requested to issue rules regulating lobbyists.
The new plan also calls for a ban on certain gifts to public employees, although there are loopholes for ceremonial gifts and gifts given by friends or family members. It would be a civil offense for a public official to accept a gift of between $50 and $1,000, and a criminal offense, punishable by up to a $10,000 fine and five years in prison, to accept gifts worth more than $1,000....
Of course, as soon as they passed it, they VIOLATED IT:
FLASHBACK:
"Patrick's gifts probably violated ethics rules" by Matt Viser, Globe Staff | June 12, 2009
Beacon Hill has had more than its fair share of scandals this year. But Flowergate? Cigargate?
Yesterday, after legislators agreed to approve pension reform, Governor Deval Patrick sent House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo a box of cigars and Senate President Therese Murray some flowers.
Nice, right? You can bet the cigars weren't White Owls purchased at a nearby
So WHO PAID for those? TAXPAYERS?
In fact, they were so nice, sitting in a fancy vase, that they became a topic of conversation when the Senate held a closed-door caucus to discuss ethics reform in Murray's office, with the flowers on display nearby. Well, nice but for one nagging fact: They probably violated state ethics rules....
They certainly violated a key tenet of the proposed ethics overhaul Patrick is trying to push through the Legislature: an outright ban on gifts of any kind to public officials. Last night, when a reporter inquired about the gifts, officials and their various spokespeople kicked into damage control. Patrick aides argued a technicality....
Pffffft! SOME REFORM!
Seth Gitell, a spokesman for DeLeo, said: All indications were that he would do the only logical thing with the gift: smoke them.
Oh, I see. It is OKAY for HIM to SMOKE!!! Did he pay the increased taxes?
That'll fill up those closed rooms, 'eh, Bob?
What is there to say, really?
Back to our lying, tax-approving, "change" slickster, 'er, guverner:
The legislation would also ban the kind of special campaign committee that has allowed Patrick to maximize the amount of money he can raise from individual donors, well beyond the $500 limit. With his Seventy-First Fund, named after his status as the state’s 71st governor, Patrick has collected $5,500 from individuals, $500 of which goes directly to him and $5,000 to the state Democratic Party, which in turn has paid for some of the governor’s political bills.
See: The State Senate Strikes Back!
The legislation would still allow $5,000 donations to political parties. Lawmakers had previously proposed limiting all campaign donations to $500, which would have made it difficult for Republicans to raise money ahead of next year’s election.
And they WONDER WHY I HAVE SUCH VENOMOUS VITRIOL?
As lawmakers unveiled the bill, they were surrounded by law enforcement officials in an apparent effort to display broad support for the ethics legislation. Shortly after 5 p.m., Senate President Therese Murray emerged from her office with Attorney General Martha Coakley and officials from the State Ethics Commission and the Office of Campaign and Political Finance. She walked to DeLeo’s office before they all paraded into the House Members’ Lounge for a press conference. “This is a day that we’ve all been waiting for,’’ Murray declared. '
Pffft!
Several government watchdogs and law enforcement officials said that, while they had little time to review the proposal, it appeared to be far-reaching....
How would they know what's in it? Even those who voted on it don't know.
Unless they wrote it, right?
Republicans accused Democratic leaders yesterday of crafting the final legislation in secrecy, without input from rank-and-file members of the six-member conference committee.
Yeah, the smug stink of the liberals is suffocating.
“To be totally excluded from an ethics bill is so symbolic of what’s wrong with Beacon Hill,’’ said Representative Jeffrey Perry, a Republican from Sandwich and one of the committee members....
--more--"Oh, down memory lane.....
"State outlines DiMasi role on ticket bill; Alleges that he, aide much more involved" by Andrea Estes, Globe Staff | June 19, 2009
Salvatore F. DiMasi and his top lieutenant when he was House speaker, state Representative Thomas M. Petrolati, were far more involved in helping ticket brokers win favorable legislation on Beacon Hill than has been previously disclosed, prosecutors from the office of Attorney General Martha Coakley said in court yesterday.
DiMasi and Richard Vitale, the former speaker’s friend and former accountant who is charged with violating state lobbying and campaign finance laws, discussed the ticket broker legislation several times, even while on vacation together, said Assistant Attorney General Andrew Rainer....
The bill, which removed the cap on consumer ticket prices, passed the House in October 2007, but stalled and eventually died in the Senate....
Petrolati was reappointed speaker pro tempore by House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo....
WTF?
A spokesman for DeLeo said the speaker had no comment on the appointment.
--more--"Related: The Perils of One-Party Politics: Speaker's Shoes
I look at Beacon Hill now and its a siren district for looters.
Neon $$$ signs made out of TAXPAYER DOUGH!
