Sunday, May 23, 2010
‘The Probation Department’s friends in the Legislature’
The Globe Spotlight Team takes a very thorough look at the patronage-infested Department of Probation. … But wait! Howie has a late-breaking update. You see, there’s this probation officer, the son and grandson of judges/legislators and a legislator-wannabe mom, and he got arrested Thursday outside the home of a guy connected to a heroin bust. Take it away Taunton Daily Gazette:
The Globe Spotlight Team takes a very thorough look at the patronage-infested Department of Probation. … But wait! Howie has a late-breaking update. You see, there’s this probation officer, the son and grandson of judges/legislators and a legislator-wannabe mom, and he got arrested Thursday outside the home of a guy connected to a heroin bust. Take it away Taunton Daily Gazette:
After searching Lawton and his Acura, police found several hypodermic needles, a .22-caliber pistol and 30 pills from eight different prescription medications. They also noticed particles of marijuana on the floor of the car and a piece of cigarette filter, often used, police said, for injecting heroin.Remember: He’s innocent until proven guilty. … Hats off to Jack Sullivan and Bruce Mohl and the Boston Foundation for prior digging into the Probation Department. … Two other nauseating tidbits: 1.) Rep. Thomas M. Petrolati, who has put a long list of hacks on the PD payroll, hasn’t faced an election opponent since 2000. Our glorious one-party state. Isn’t it swell? 2.) Tom Finneran, who last decade engineered the Legislature’s effective takeover of the Department of Probation, is actually quoted as saying the following:
If you scan a list of probation officers, there might be sons and daughters of politicians and judges there. That’s not going to go away. And, honestly, I don’t think it should. They shouldn’t be excluded because of the achievements of their parents.With an attitude like that, no wonder lawmakers are resisting this reform idea.
