By: Tom Duggan – January, 2014 Lawrence’s new Mayor, Dan Rivera, wasted no time making personnel changes in Lawrence City Hall, firing the City Comptroller David Camasso on his first day, and telling the Valley Patriot in an exclusive interview that he also plans to fire City Clerk William Maloney. Maloney’s firing must be […]
December, 2013 Right to the bitter end, Lawrence Mayor Willie Lantigua went down swinging as he told reporters on the day he conceded that if he were white, he would be on the cover of Forbes or Money magazine for his financial achievements as mayor. “Those who are not blind of conscience, as I always […]
We started off the year of 2013 losing our good friend and colleague, Ronnie Ford of Methuen. We missed him all year and it would be impossible to start a “year in review” without remembering Ronnie and his family. AUDITOR SUZANNE BUMP & ALL THOSE MISSING EBT CARDS Massachusetts State Auditor Suzanne Bump conducted an […]
Complaint Seeks Civil Penalties and Future Compliance with Finance Laws August 27, 2013 2:15PM OTHER BREAKING NEWS BOSTON – The Mayor of Lawrence has been sued for allegedly committing several campaign finance law violations, including accepting several thousands of dollars in potentially illegal cash and corporate contributions, Attorney General Martha Coakley and the Office of […]
“… what Mayor Lantigua and City Attorney Charlie Boddy are doing is, they are using your public money to hire a law firm out of Boston, to prevent you the public from getting access to documents you already paid for. It’s like something out of the Twilight Zone.” ~ Tom Duggan, Publisher The Valley Patriot […]
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 […]
By: Tom Duggan – January 2013 With several Valley Legislators filing legislation to reform the state’s public records law in response to The City of Lawrence’s refusal to turn over public document to The Valley Patriot, Senator Jamie Eldridge of the Middlesex Worcester District has filed his own bill to ensure members of the […]
By: Tom Duggan – January 8, 2013 What do you call it when the legislature passes a law but they purposely don’t impose any penalties for violating that law? Well if you live in Massachusetts you would call it the Public Records law, or MGL Chapter 66. Now Sate Representative Diana DiZoglio says the first […]
Local Legislators to File Bill Adding Penalties to Public Records Law Violators By: Tom Duggan – October 17, 2012 (2:30pm) TOWN HALL, NORTH ANDOVER, MA During a press conference today endorsing Karin Rhoton for the 14th Essex Rep. seat, Rhoton, Senator Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R) Gloucester, Representative Brad Hill (R) Ipswich, and Representative Brad Jones […]
Attorney Violates Judges Murtaugh’s order to Turn Over Public Documents Lawrence City Attorney Charles Boddy has turned over half of the public documents requested by the Valley Patriot back in February of this year (and refiled in July). The documents that the city did release had the amounts paid to the Law Firm of […]
October 11, 2012 Essex County Superior Court Judge Murtaugh ordered the City of Lawrence to turn over public documents sought by The Valley Patriot “forthwith, and that means immediately, sooner than immediately, I want these records produced,” Murtaugh said this afternoon. At issue is Valley Patriot publisher Tom Duggan’s claim that the City of […]
Attorney Charles Boddy Refuses to Comply, Refuses to Take their Calls In a letter dated October 3, 2012 Secretary of State Bill Galvin’s Supervisor of Records, Attorney Shawn Williams issued an administrative order against Lawrence City Attorney Charles Boddy to turn over public records requested by The Valley Patriot back in February. The documents Boddy is refusing […]
City Hides DiAdamo Payments – Double Dipping in School Department By: Allan Knowles, Staff Writer – October 3, 2012 Valley Patriot publisher Tom Duggan filed court action Wednesday against The City of Lawrence, Lawrence City Attorney Charles Boddy and Secretary of State Bill Galvin’s Office for purposely refusing to turn over public documents that […]
Former Assistant City Attorney Says Mayor, Lawyers Violated his Rights ANOTHER VALLEY PATRIOT EXCLUSIVE By: Tom Duggan – September 20, 2012 (LAWRENCE) Former Lawrence Assistant City Attorney Richard D’Agostino may be coming back to work if a superior court judge agrees with allegations in a lawsuit filed by D’Agostino claiming that the law was broken […]
Corruption, Law Breaking, And No Solutions for Troubled City PAYING ATTENTION WITH TOM DUGGAN By: TOM DUGGAN, FEBRUARY 8, 2011 Well, the Willie Lantigua administration celebrated it’s one year anniversary last month and a quick review of his first year in office has proven to be one of the most disastrous years for the […]