Monthly Archives: June 2011

Wednesday Morning: Inspector General Unravels Education Collaborative Theft

Published June 22, 2011

The state inspector general says a former director of an education collaborative spent millions of public dollars that were intended to help educate special needs students. Inspector General Gregory Sullivan’s allegations against former Merrimack Special Education Collaborative Director John Barranco come a day after Sullivan detailed a “no-show” job at the collaborative.

We talked to Sullivan this morning:

According to documents obtained by the Globe, gubernatorial candidate and former Treasurer Tim Cahill directed a change in advertising strategy for the state Lottery while running for the corner office. The change stressed the Lottery’s effective management. The Lottery is run by Treasury.

A $2 billion expansion of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center took a small step forward yesterday when a state panel signed off on the proposed project. In other waterfront development news, this afternoon Vertex Pharmaceuticals breaks ground on its big Fan Pier complex.

Following last month’s bus driver “game of chicken,” a Herald review found that MBTA drivers have been hired despite driving histories that include suspensions and at-fault accidents.

A supplemental budget bill signed yesterday by Gov. Deval Patrick includes $15 million to pay for tornado response and $10 million in youth-violence-prevention grants.

Universal Hub says Borders liquidation won’t start next week, as previously announced, leaving the Downtown Crossing location a bit more in flux.

Tuesday Morning: Hill Lobbyist Back Under Scrutiny

Published June 21, 2011

Days after being convicted on conspiracy and fraud charges in the DiMasi corruption trial, the state’s inspector general says Beacon Hill lobbyist Richard McDonough obtained a “sham” public position that gave him health benefits and a generous pension. In a letter (PDF) first published by the Boston Globe, Inspector General Gregory Sullivan asks the state Board of Retirement to review McDonough’s pension he received for the alleged “no-show” position at the Merrimack Education Collaborative. Through his lawyer, McDonough denied that he did anything wrong.

Documents released in a Sept. 11 wrongful death lawsuit reveal potential failings associated with Logan Airport security screeners. Detailed by the Herald, the suit alleges that security personnel were unaware of al-Qaida’s threat, didn’t know how to identify Mace and struggled speaking English.

Would you believe that targeted ads during “The View” are part of the FBI’s new strategy to hunt down fugitive crime boss “Whitey” Bulger? Well, they are. The agency’s commercials turn the focus to tracking down Bulger’s longtime girlfriend.

New figures show the number of people using food stamps in Massachusetts has nearly doubled, compared to four years ago. A state commissioner says part of the rise is due to outreach efforts. In other economic news, the state’s under-8 percent unemployment rate means that some residents will lose jobless benefits.

Also, shhhhhh. Rolling along during the Bruins’ Stanley Cup run, the Red Sox poured in runs again last night, improving to 14-3 this month.

Monday Morning: Mass. To Revamp Its Homlessness Plan

Published June 20, 2011

As of last week, 1,540 homeless families were living in motels throughout Massachusetts, according to a Boston Globe report. By the end of the next fiscal year, the Patrick administration will try to get that number down to zero. That’s the aim of a new approach to homelessness, as the state tries to cut down on costs and keep families in more-permanent housing.

Today the Federal Emergency Management Agency opened seven more disaster recovery centers in tornado-damaged communities in western and central Massachusetts. In Monson, one of the communities hit hardest, a very proactive realtor is doing her best to find housing for displaced residents. (MassLive has compiled a comprehensive tornado resource post.)

After Sal DiMasi last week became the state’s third consecutive speaker convicted on federal charges, the Boston Herald says current Speaker Robert DeLeo is under renewed scrutiny, especially as “Beacon Hill prepares to get cozy with casino lobbyists.” That casino debate is occurring behind closed doors, a fact that’s drawing criticism in the wake of DiMasi’s conviction.

With an eye toward the fishing communities in their districts, two Massachusetts representatives — Barney Frank and John Tierney — have issues with the Obama administration’s next Commerce Department nominee. The nominee, John Bryson, has ties to the Natural Resources Defense Council. To the Globe, Frank says some environmental organizations have “been reflexively antifishing” in their support of regulations.

What we’re following: The FBI will announce today a new campaign focused on nabbing fugitive James “Whitey” Bulger via his longtime girlfriend.

Let The Duck Boats Roll

Published June 17, 2011

From left, Bruins Dennis Seidenberg, Greg Campbell and Nathan Horton pose with the Stanley Cup at Tia's Restaurant in Boston on Thursday. (AP)

From left, Bruins Dennis Seidenberg, Greg Campbell and Nathan Horton pose with the Stanley Cup at Tia's Restaurant in Boston on Thursday. (AP)

Mr. Claude Julien, I bow at your feet! I kiss your Stanley Cup ring! Never one to like your coaching style, never one that appreciated your stubbornness, I will never again question your coaching decisions.

Mr. Julien, you have done what the likes of Don Cherry, Fred Creighton, Bep Guidolin, Gerry Cheevers, Terry O’Reilly, Mike Milbury, Steve Kasper, Brian Sutter, Rick Bowness, Pat Burns and Mike Keenan could not do. Dave Lewis and Robbie Ftorek were clueless about what you have accomplished.

Mr. Julien, you have brought Boston a Stanley Cup and you did it your way. Critics like me, be damned! You never wavered in what your plan — whatever it was — would be. You didn’t change your mind on who would dress and who would sit. As you have said numerous times, all that matters is what those men in the locker room believe in. And they believed in what you said, planned, drew up, and they went out and did it all and captured the most beautiful chalice in the world.
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Timeline: Boston’s Decade Of Dominance

Published June 16, 2011

When the Bruins returned to Boston today toting the Stanley Cup, the team capped an astonishing decade for Boston sports teams.

Fans in Boston have witnessed an incredible run of championships over the past 10 years.

Though hard to believe, the decade of dominance is real. Here are the details to prove it:

[special url=”http://cdn.wbur.org/media/special/2011/hubbub_0615_champions”]

This Is The Buzz Of Boston

Published June 16, 2011

Bruins captain Zdeno Chara hoists the Stanley Cup after his team finished off the Canucks Wednesday. (AP)

Bruins captain Zdeno Chara hoists the Stanley Cup after his team finished off the Canucks Wednesday. (AP)

They are No. 1. (AP)

They are No. 1. (AP)

Meanwhile, back in Boston... (AP)

Meanwhile, back in Boston... (AP)

Boston, awash in black and gold (Curt Nickisch/WBUR)

Boston, awash in black and gold (Curt Nickisch/WBUR)

It's been 39 years, Stanley Cup. Good to see you again. (AP)

It's been 39 years, Stanley Cup. Good to see you again. (AP)

More Bruins Coverage:

Artists Sneak Into MFA For Renegade Bathroom Exhibit

Published June 15, 2011

Last night a group of nearly two dozen Boston artists mounted an exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts. Not in a gallery, though. Instead they snuck work into a pair of bathrooms for a “renegade” exhibition.

Yes, this means they installed art in a major institution without obtaining permission. But, no, they did not break in. And yes, they got caught — but not immediately.

The MFA stays open late on Wednesday nights, and last night was particularly crowded because admission was free. This allowed the art bandits to slip in casually with the other visitors.

At about 6:45 p.m. they entered the men’s and women’s rooms adjacent to a stairway between the below-ground Chihuly exhibition and the MFA’s new atrium courtyard.

Art patrons view last night's "renegade" art show in the bathrooms of the MFA. (Courtesy)

Art patrons view last night's "renegade" art show in the bathrooms of the MFA. (Courtesy)

They quickly pulled out a trove of original drawings, prints, photos — even sculptures. The works were smuggled into the MFA inside backpacks, shoulder bags, folders and notebooks.

It took just 15 minutes to install the unsanctioned exhibition, titled “Best of Boston.” The “opening” took place as scheduled, at 7 p.m. Security started removing the artworks about 20 minutes later.

As it turns out a nearly identical scene played out at the MFA exactly 40 years ago to the day.

In fact last night’s stunt was a reenactment marking the June 15, 1971, “joke show” known as “Flush with the Walls.” It was organized by seven Boston artists: Todd McKie, Martin Mull, Fred Brink, David Raymond, Bob Guillemin, Jo Sandman and Kristin Johnson. They even printed rascally invitations on toilet paper that said, “When you gotta show you gotta show.”
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Live Blog: DiMasi Found Guilty On Corruption Charges

Published June 15, 2011

The News: A federal jury found former Speaker Sal DiMasi guilty in an scheme to steer state contracts in exchange for kickbacks. His accountant, Richard Vitale, was found not guilty on eight charges. An associate, Richard McDonough, a lobbyist, was convicted on six of eight charges.

(Read the full story here.)

The defense table reacts as the verdicts are read by Judge Mark Wolf. (Margaret Small for WBUR)

The defense table reacts as the verdicts are read by Judge Mark Wolf. (Margaret Small for WBUR)

Update 6:45 p.m.: We’re closing the live blog for the evening. Morning Edition tomorrow will have plenty more coverage, including reaction to the former speaker’s conviction at the State House and in his North End district.

Update 6:06 p.m.: “Men of conviction” — that’s the dialogue bubble on the Globe’s verdict cartoon, which places DiMasi next to former Speakers Tom Finneran and Charles Flaherty.

Update 5:40 p.m.: WBUR’s David Boeri, who’s covered this whole thing from the beginning, called this a “devastating conviction” for DiMasi. He offered this debrief last hour:

Update 5:06 p.m.: DiMasi’s attorney, Tom Kiley, provides a clearer indication of his appeal strategy. He says government misrepresented the payments that his client received as a lawyer:

It involves the practice of law and one’s entitlements to work. It presents, as the court said, novel issues, and we will be pursuing those issues until everybody gets it right.

Update 4:27 p.m.: DiMasi and his team were eating lunch, trying to kill time, when word came that Judge Mark Wolf wanted to see them in the courtroom, the Globe’s Glen Johnson reported.

Leaving behind half-eaten lunches, half-drunk bottles of water, half-read newspapers, the group moved toward the elevators, uncertain of the reason.

It’s a lunch DiMasi will never forget.

Update 4:21 p.m.: “I’m very disappointed … I’m still in shock,” DiMasi told the Herald. The paper also has video of the former House speaker speaking with reporters outside the courtroom.

Update 4:10 p.m.: WBUR’s Jesse Costa has this graphic on the specific charges:

Click the image below for the full graphic.

Update 3:52 p.m.: More from legal analyst Randy Chapman, as he’ll join us on All Things Considered later on:

Chapman says the “theft of honest services charge” is likely to be the issue that will percolate in appeals, perhaps all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court.


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Jurors In DiMasi Case Struggle With Complex Instructions

Published June 15, 2011

The jury in the federal corruption trial of former House Speaker Sal DiMasi and two co-defendants is in its second full day of deliberation today.

The jury instructions from Judge Mark Wolf in this case are 65 pages long. That’s even longer than the government’s indictment of the three defendants!

It took the judge over two hours, with a brief intermission, to instruct the jurors on the law Monday. Yesterday, the jurors requested the judge give them the instructions a second time. He did.

Then, yesterday afternoon, the jury sent a note asking for a written transcript of his instructions. This morning, Wolf told the jurors they will get them some time today.

You want to see just how complicated the charges in this case are? You want to see what the jurors are struggling with? Here are the judge’s instructions. You be the jury.

See the jury’s full instructions

Wednesday Morning: Do Or Die For The Bruins

Published June 15, 2011

Nevermind the road. Rubber, meet ice.

When the rubber puck drops tonight in Vancouver, the Bruins and the Canucks will decide who is crowned the NHL’s champion. The Stanley Cup hasn’t been in Boston since Bobby Orr and the Big Bad Bruins won the 1972 championship and no Bruins team has ever played in a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup finals.

You’ll have to celebrate a Tim Thomas save or drown the sorrows of a Henrik Sedin goal by yourself after tonight’s game, because there won’t be a Bruins viewing party the TD Garden. Boston police and the TD Garden couldn’t reach an agreement over limiting liquor sales.

Jurors in the corruption trial of former House Speaker Sal DiMasi and two others will deliberate for their second full day today. We’ll provide updates on the case as they become available.

After being labeled, gasp, a flip-flopper four years ago, former Gov. Mitt Romney is holding his ground this time around, the Globe reports. Romney is doing more sticking to his guns, even if it puts him at odds with many national Republicans.

Sen. John Kerry controls more stock in media companies than any other member of Congress. He even owns a stake in Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp., which owns Fox News.

The Boston police officer who was shot yesterday responding to a domestic dispute in Dorchester was in stable condition last night after undergoing surgery to control bleeding. Boston Police Officer Shawn Marando, 46, is a former member of the Air Force and Marine Reserves.

The Boston Archdiocese is getting a new vicar general. Monsignor Robert Deeley, originally from Belmont, will become one of the top aides to Cardinal Sean O’Malley.

The Mark Wahlberg movie “Ted” filmed a scene at the Somerville Theatre last night. Mila Kunis also stars in the movie.

What we’re following: As we watch for developments in the DiMasi case, we’ll continue to report on the ex-aide to the mayor of Lawrence in federal court and the student in Attleboro charged with raping a classmate at school.