Finegold Benefitted from Campaign material printed by the Lawrence Public Schools

Illegal Campaign Material - Barry Finegold

By: Tom Duggan – July, 2009

An investigation by the Massachusetts office of Campaign and Political Finance may not have issued their report yet on which elected officials benefited from campaign material printed in the Lawrence Public Schools I’m gong to tell you who they right now. At least three members of the Lawrence School Committee (Morris, Larocque and Mejia) benefited from literature printed at the taxpayers’ expense.

Also benefiting from material printed at LPS were former School Committeeman Omayra Mejia, and State representative Barry Finegold in his campaign for congress against Niki Tsongas. Mayoral Candidate Marcos Devers says he received campaign material printed at LPS but showed the Valley Patriot his canceled check made out to, get this, Simard Printing. Devers says he was approached by another politician who promised he could get Devers campaign material at cost for Devers’ campaign against Willie Lantigua for State representative last year.

Devers said he gave the check to the other politician believing he was going to receive literature for his State rep. race from Simard Printing. Unbeknownst to him, he says, the check went to an employee of the Lawrence Public Schools who cashed the check at a local store.

While candidates who benefited from material printed illegally at the Lawrence Public Schools MAY not be facing criminal charges (and yet some may) it is an election year in the city of Lawrence and anyone connected to the scandal may face more wrath from voters than they do from the impotent office of Campaign and Political Finance.