Sunday, April 22, 2012
The Supreme Court's 'Citizens United' decision "has unleashed an unprecedented amount of corporate money into our political process, presenting a serious and direct threat to the nature of our democracy," Toomey writes.
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Sunday, April 22, 2012
Editor's note: Rep. Tim Toomey, who represents much of Somerville, writes in support of a constitutional amendment that would prevent corporations from making political contributions. The Somerville Board of Aldermen also supports such an amendment. ---------------------------------------------------------------- In the recent "Citizens United" ruling, the U.S Supreme Court gave corporations and unions the same political speech rights as individuals under the First Amendment. The Court ruled that there was no basis for prohibiting corporations and unions from using their general treasury funds to make election-related independent expenditures. Citizens United has unleashed an unprecedented amount of corporate money into our political …
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Details of possible "pay-to-play" contributions emerged in an investigation by the State Attorney General's Office into the actions of former Middlesex County Sheriff James DiPaola
The State House News Service reported today that Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley has closed the investigation into the Middlesex Sheriff's Office under the late James DiPaola without any criminal charges, despite evidence of a "pay-to-play culture." After a series of conflict of interest fines levied against Middlesex Sheriff's Office employees over the past year (see previous articles below), one last fine has been levied: a $4,000 fine against DiPaola's sister and campaign treasurer, Patricia Covelle, according to the State House News Service. Yesterday, Fox 25 News reported that Covelle was discussing a deal with the Attorney General's Office and that if she took the deal, she'd pay a fine but not face criminal prosecution…
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Senior Deputy Sheriff Michael Jackson admitted to soliciting donations for a campaign fundraiser for then-Sheriff James DiPaola from subordinate employees during work hours.
A senior deputy sheriff in the Middlesex Sheriff's Office paid a $5,000 fine after admitting to soliciting donations for a campaign fundraiser for then-Sheriff James DiPaola from subordinate office employees during work hours, a violation of the state's conflict of interest law, the State Ethics Commission announced in a press release. According to a disposition agreement in which Jackson admitted to the violation, the Ethics Commission said, Jackson decided to hold a campaign fundraiser for DiPaola in October 2009 and then solicited Middlesex Sheriff's Office employees, most of whom were his subordinates, at the office during work hours. The fundraiser was held on Oct. 14, 2009 at Jackson’s home; was attended by 30 people, most of whom …
Rachel Anderson
10:59 pm on Monday, April 23, 2012
What hypocrisy! Tim Toomey voted with the corrupt House leadership to kill the plan for public financing of elections -- a plan that was voted into law by a 2-1 margin via a ballot initiative. That's one of the reasons why we are in this mess. Now he's bragging about some testimony he submitted for a bill that's going nowhere. Tim is the real lucky one: he collects two paychecks, one for being … more ›