DiZoglio’s “Lantigua Bill” Signed by Governor, Local Candidates Can no Longer Appear on Ballot if They Violate Campaign Finance Laws

DiZoglio’s “Lantigua Bill” Signed by Governor, Local Candidates Can no Longer Appear on Ballot if They Violate Campaign Finance Laws

By: Tom Duggan – May 21, 2014 Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has signed what has been called “The Lantigua Bill” by some lawmakers after the former Lawrence Mayor refused to file his campaign finance reports with the state’s Office of Campaign and Political Finances.  The new law, authored by State Representative Diana DiZogio (D-METHUEN), will […]

Coakley To Pay Fine for Campaign Finance Violations on Her Federal Committee Expenditures

Coakley To Pay Fine for Campaign Finance Violations on Her Federal Committee Expenditures

The Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) has concluded that State Attorney General Martha Coakley’s state campaign committee was not in compliance with the campaign finance laws when her U.S. Senate committee paid for campaign services that should have been paid by the state committee. Under Massachusetts law, federal committees are prohibited from providing […]

Most fundraising and spending records broken in 2013 mayoral elections

Most fundraising and spending records broken in 2013 mayoral elections

All major mayoral fundraising and expenditure records, which former Boston Mayor Thomas Menino held during his 21 years as mayor, were eclipsed during the 2013 election, according to a study of campaign finance reports filed by mayoral finalists. The 63 mayoral candidates in 2013 reported total expenditures of $8.8 million and receipts of $8.5 million […]

Roofing Company Agrees to Pay $45,000 for Trying to Conceal Contributions To Boston Mayor Marty Walsh

Roofing Company Agrees to Pay $45,000 for Trying to Conceal Contributions To Boston Mayor Marty Walsh

Reliable Roofing and Sheet Metal, a Framingham-based company, made a $45,000 payment to the state’s general fund to settle campaign finance matters concerning prohibited corporate campaign contributions to Martin Walsh’s Boston mayoral committee and disguising the true source of those funds, according to a disposition agreement between company president and owner James O’Donovan and OCPF. […]

Representative Diana DiZoglio Fights to Close Campaign Finance Loopholes

  Last month, during the state budget debate, Representative Diana DiZoglio (D-Methuen) addressed her colleagues for the first time in the 188th General Court in support of closing a serious loophole regarding municipal election ballot access. In Massachusetts, the Office of Campaign and Political Finance, commonly known as OCPF, requires all candidates for public office […]

More than $9 million spent on statewide ballot questions in 2012

More than $9 million spent on statewide ballot questions in 2012

   More than $9 million was spent to influence three questions put before the voters on the 2012 statewide ballot, according to disclosure reports filed by ballot question committees with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF).  OCPF’s review of ballot question committee activity showed a total of $9,304,909 spent by 13 committees on […]

Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella Fined 4,000 for Conflict of Interest

Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella Fined 4,000 for Conflict of Interest

Directed the City’s Housing Rehabilitation Program Coordinator to use grant funds to renovate the mayor’s friend’s home without following standard procedures   The State Ethics Commission approved a Disposition Agreement (“Agreement”) in which Leominster (“City”) Mayor Dean Mazzarella (“Mazzarella”) admitted to violating G.L. c. 268A, the conflict of interest law, by directing a subordinate to rehabilitate […]

Unions & Groups Make $782,000 in Independent Expenditures for Legislative Races

Unions & Groups Make $782,000 in Independent Expenditures for Legislative Races

  BOSTON – Unions and associations reported making $782,052 in independent expenditures to support or oppose 114 legislative candidates this year. In addition, five Independent Expenditure Political Action Committees, known as Super PACs, reported $200,923 in expenditures. Independent expenditures are expenditures made to expressly advocate the election or defeat of candidates, and are made without […]

Paul Adams Answers Bogus Eagle Tribune Story on His Finances

  By; State Representative Paul Adams – December, 2010 An Eagle Tribune story last month called into question the source of campaign money spent by State Representative-elect Paul Adams and even insinuated that he lied about his background and work experience prior to the election. Adams issued this press release a few days later, and, […]

Laws? Laws? We don’t need no stinkin’ laws!

Corruption 101: Willie Lantigua, Lenny Degnan and Patrick Blanhette, By: Robert O’Koniewski, Esq.- June, 2010 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts comprises 351 cities and towns. From the Berkshires to the Cape, 350 communities and their leaders play by the rules and actually follow the laws as written. Then there is Lawrence, where apparently no rules or […]

Five of ten mayoral candidates fail to file campaign finances

Five of ten mayoral candidates fail  to file campaign finances

  By: Tom Duggan – October, 2009 Only half of the ten candidates running for mayor in Lawrence filed their campaign finances reports with Lawrence City clerk Billy Maloney by the September 15th deadline before the primary. By state law, candidates for all municipal offices must record and file a detailed accounting of all money raised and spent on […]