Speaking of Live Wires
Who doesn’t have an ethics problem these days? Gov. Deval Patrick has proposed major reforms to the state’s ethics laws, including granting subpoena powers and allowing the use of wire taps.
“I never thought I’d see the day,” State Inspector General Gregory Sullivan told the Globe, who must feel like the reforms are his emancipation proclamation.
But what about good old-fashioned patronage?
The Herald continued to hammer Mayor Menino over his policeman son’s on-the-side gig with Suffolk Construction, which contrary to the mayor’s office denials does seem to do quite a bit of business with the city. So, where’s the outrage?
The tab set this one right up there on the tee and it’s just waiting for someone, (anyone?) to come along with their Big Bertha and blast it right down the middle of the fairway. So, where is Mike Flaherty? Where is Sam Yoon?
The cynic would say that nobody wants to mess with the mayor on this one because A) it involves family and B) let he without ethical taint cast the first stone lest some other sweetheart deal make the front page of the Herald.
The Mayor told the paper that if Thomas Menino, Jr.’s last name was anything but “Menino” no one would care, but that’s beside the point. Of course that’s why it’s a story. So, who wants to play?
January 8th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
The real issue is the lack of ethical compass here. Menino’s MO has always been to see how much he could get away with, going back to City Council days. Better to seek forgiveness than ask permission, as it were. Operating on pure Machiavellian guile rather than real curiosity or intelligence will only get you so far. Ethics aside, let’s just say he’s no Kevin White. (But perhaps a Joe Timilty, now that I think about it?)