Springfield City Councilor Timothy Rooke has agreed to pay $5,000 to the state’s general fund for campaign finance violations that include using campaign funds for personal purposes, failing to keep records, and not disclosing certain financial activity, according to a disposition agreement between Rooke and OCPF. Rooke paid $2,000 to the state when the […]
FROM SATE REP JIM LYONS Boston, MA -“This is the most disgraceful example,” said Representative Jim Lyons, “of those who break the rules being subsidized by decent, hard-working, taxpaying families – families who follow the rules.” Rep. Lyons, an Andover Republican, was referring to news reports exposing some of the taxpayer-funded benefits provided to the […]
IRS Special Edition Tax Tip 2013-09 It’s sad but true. Following major disasters and tragedies, scam artists impersonate charities to steal money or get private information from well-intentioned taxpayers. Fraudulent schemes involve solicitations by phone, social media, email or in-person. Scam artists use a variety of tactics. Some operate bogus charities that contact people by […]
PAYING ATTENTION WITH TOM DUGGAN By: Tom Duggan – April 2013 Private citizen Richard D’Agostino applied for the open city solicitor’s job in Methuen among eleven other candidates. He was by far the most qualified for the position as he was one of the last two finalists before political shenanigans derailed his chances of employment […]
“The help we give to Lawrence will not be an infusion of capital it will be getting at some management changes.” Deval Patrick January, 2010 “My goal is to decentralize” Jeff Riley 2011 By: Tom Duggan – April 16, 2013 When State Receiver Jeff Riley took over the failing Lawrence Public Schools more than two years ago, he promised to decrease the […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL – APRIL 2013 Lawrence City Councilor Dan Rivera is running for mayor against incumbent Willie Lantigua. We find that odd. For the last two and a half years, Lawrence City Councilor At-Large, Dan Rivera has approved nearly every hack appointment made by the embattled Mayor Lantigua. His approvals included the now indicted […]
Enforcement Division failed to prove allegations that Glodis improperly used his position as Sheriff to provide a benefit to his friend and campaign contributor The Massachusetts State Ethics Commission today issued a Decision and Order (“Decision”) in which it found that the Commission’s Enforcement Division failed to prove that former Worcester County Sheriff Guy W. […]
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD OR PLAY HOUR 1 CLICK TO DOWNLOAD OR PLAY HOUR 2 Today’s discussions: A review with audio clips of the 9th Anniversary BASH and the politics of Methuen with the arrival of Willie Lantigua
By: Tom Duggan – March 29, 2013 Lawrence Mayor Willie Lantigua has written a scathing letter to members of the Methuen City Councilor in an effort to sink Attorney Richard D’Agostino’s chances to become the next Methuen City Solicitor. D’Agostino was fired by Lantigua the day he returned to work after being out on medical […]
ANOTHER… VALLEY PATRIOT EXCLUSIVE! By: Tom Duggan – March 29, 2013 Less than a day after the Valley Patriot broke a story about Methuen City Solicitor Peter McQuillan interfering with the hiring process for his replacement, City Councilor Tom Ciulla is calling for a police investigation into McQuillan’s actions. The Valley Patriot revealed Thursday night […]
By: Tom Duggan – March 28, 2013 The search for a new city solicitor in Methuen has turned ugly as one of the two finalists to replace fired Attorney Peter McQuillan has found himself the subject of a smear campaign by the man he is seeking to replace. So says Attorney Richard D’Agostino who was […]
Allegedly used her position to try to get her police officer son restored to active duty The State Ethics Commission’s Enforcement Division issued an Order to Show Cause, alleging that Groveland Board of Selectmen member Elizabeth Gorski repeatedly violated G.L. 268A, the conflict of interest law, by using her selectman position to attempt to get […]
BOSTON – This Department of Public Health is in desperate need of top-to-bottom reform,” said Rep. Jim Lyons. “The DPH acts like bureaucratic bullies, when it deals with families and school children,” Lyons noted about the state agency mandating that so-called “BMI Fat Letters” single-out particular students. “At the same time, this bureaucracy has manifestly […]
By Attorney Christine Sullivan The husband and wife both love their children and spend as much time with their children as possible. There has never been any physical or mental abuse in the marriage, but the marriage simply isn’t working. After a stressful weekend of arguing, the husband tells the wife that he wants a […]
By: Tom Duggan While the Democrat leadership on Beacon Hill has blocked any attempt by Republican Legislators to change the Massachusetts Public Records Law (M.G.L. Ch. 66), a revolt among Democrats has caused a tidal wave to build in both the House and the Senate where rank and file members of both parties are calling […]