Tuesday, August 24, 2004
Outsourcing 301
Not content to simply outsource jobs and contracts (see RiaF, 3/26/2004, 4/1/2004, 6/2/2004) Willard Mitt has seemingly turned his attention to outsourcing state agencies!
The Fraud Governor's appointments to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst Board of Trustees include three out-of-staters: one from Pennsylvania, one from Colorado, and one from New Jersey. (source: umass.edu)
Guess he couldn't find anyone 'good' among the six-million-plus who are trying to make it in Massachusetts.
Romney has three more appointments to make to the Board this year. Here's guessing he takes one from Utah (natch), one from New Hampshire, and one from Iowa.
All in the name of reform, of course.
Bad Writing? Yeah, We've Got That
Hey, where-oh-where is Willard Mitt's ghost-written tome on the Amazon charts?
Who cares. Because 'sources say' that Romney is number-one-with-a-bullet at his favorite book-seller: Staples.
Seems Tom Stemberg is trying to goose the turgid sales of Romney's tome by placing the book as an impulse item at cash registers across the land. (source: source)
Right between the tape dispensers and the nail clippers.
So which will hit the remainder bins first, Willard Mitt's "work" or Angry Eric Kriss' IPO?
And who will get stuck having paid full price for each?
V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N
In honor of the achievements of the US Olympic basketball team, we're shutting it down for a few days.
Books we’re toting to our Neponset River vacation manse:
-A Rum Affair: A True Story of Botanical Fraud, by Karl Sabbagh;
-Us and Uncle Fraud, by Lois Lowry;
-Nurtured for Fraud, by Dan Thomas;
-Jeane Dixon: Prophet or Fraud?, by Mary Bringle;
-The Fraud of Tender Loving Greed, by Mary Adelaide Mendelson;
-The Comstock Gold Fraud, by J.R. Roberts;
-Fraud 101 : Techniques and Strategies for Detection, by Howard R. Davia;
-Fraud: The Strategy Behind the Bush Lies and Why the Media Didn't Tell You, by Paul Waldman;
-Turnaround: Crisis, Leadership, and the Olympic Games, by Timothy Robinson; and,
-Swedish Land-Use Planning, by Michael Stanley.
RiaF will return in September.
Not content to simply outsource jobs and contracts (see RiaF, 3/26/2004, 4/1/2004, 6/2/2004) Willard Mitt has seemingly turned his attention to outsourcing state agencies!
The Fraud Governor's appointments to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst Board of Trustees include three out-of-staters: one from Pennsylvania, one from Colorado, and one from New Jersey. (source: umass.edu)
Guess he couldn't find anyone 'good' among the six-million-plus who are trying to make it in Massachusetts.
Romney has three more appointments to make to the Board this year. Here's guessing he takes one from Utah (natch), one from New Hampshire, and one from Iowa.
All in the name of reform, of course.
Bad Writing? Yeah, We've Got That
Hey, where-oh-where is Willard Mitt's ghost-written tome on the Amazon charts?
Who cares. Because 'sources say' that Romney is number-one-with-a-bullet at his favorite book-seller: Staples.
Seems Tom Stemberg is trying to goose the turgid sales of Romney's tome by placing the book as an impulse item at cash registers across the land. (source: source)
Right between the tape dispensers and the nail clippers.
So which will hit the remainder bins first, Willard Mitt's "work" or Angry Eric Kriss' IPO?
And who will get stuck having paid full price for each?
V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N
In honor of the achievements of the US Olympic basketball team, we're shutting it down for a few days.
Books we’re toting to our Neponset River vacation manse:
-A Rum Affair: A True Story of Botanical Fraud, by Karl Sabbagh;
-Us and Uncle Fraud, by Lois Lowry;
-Nurtured for Fraud, by Dan Thomas;
-Jeane Dixon: Prophet or Fraud?, by Mary Bringle;
-The Fraud of Tender Loving Greed, by Mary Adelaide Mendelson;
-The Comstock Gold Fraud, by J.R. Roberts;
-Fraud 101 : Techniques and Strategies for Detection, by Howard R. Davia;
-Fraud: The Strategy Behind the Bush Lies and Why the Media Didn't Tell You, by Paul Waldman;
-Turnaround: Crisis, Leadership, and the Olympic Games, by Timothy Robinson; and,
-Swedish Land-Use Planning, by Michael Stanley.
RiaF will return in September.
Monday, August 23, 2004
Crate-zy Talk Redux
Time flies when you're incompetent.
It's not even been six weeks since state GOP strongman Darrell "I am not a hack" Crate issued his "you should not use the State Ethics Commission and the Office of Campaign and Political Finance to generate political headlines" pronouncement. (source: Letter from GOP (Strongman) Crate Regarding filed complaint, 7/20/2004; RiaF, 8/2/2004)
So guess what the GOP did last week? If you guessed 'file ethics charges against local candidates for the state legislature, then plant stories in an area newspaper heralding the fact' you win! (source: Boston Herald, 8/19/2004)
Looks like the new GOP strongman Tim O'Brien is finding out what Deadman Dom Ianno learned before he was Peter Principled to Rob Gray's elephant graveyard: when given the choice, go negative. It beats trying to make the case for a 'Romney reformer' any day.
It's the breasts, stupid
How do you measure a candidate for the legislature? Particularly if they've never served in office before? The easiest way is to examine their public statements, and the people with whom they associate.
Which should give Republicans in Worcester pause for concern.
Seems that Robi Blute wants to be a state Senator, and is running for the Glodis seat.
So what can we learn from Blute's public statements?
Well, in 2000, Blute, whom the Worcester T&G once called "erratic" (source: Worcester T&G, 8/22/1999) made noise about running against then Lt. Gov. Jane Swift (R - FlagBearer). (source: Worcester T&G, 3/7/2000) Which means she's not exactly a 'good Republican' in the Ronald Reagan sense of the 11th Commandment.
And in 1999, Blute purportedly exposed herself to a Herald reporter on WRKO Radio, criticizing a local stuntwoman saying "God ... my breasts are bigger than hers." (source: Worcester T&G, 8/22/1999)
Despite her vocal oddities, Blute's bona fides appear to be in order, at least as far as Team Reform is concerned: back in 1998, Robi Blute was a charter member of the Joe Malone Army of Darkness. Blute backed Malone against then Gov. Paul Cellucci. (source: Worcester T&G, 8/19/1999)
However, if Blute's personal qualifications don't undermine her candidacy, her staff's may. Blute has hired David Segalini as her campaign operations manager. Could this be the same David Segalini who famously argued that ex-convicts have a right to privacy?
If so, Blute could articulate Willard Mitt's thesis that the Commonwealth should go easy on crime and criminals.
And when she loses her race, she'll be perfectly groomed to take a position in Willard Mitt's new world order.
Time flies when you're incompetent.
It's not even been six weeks since state GOP strongman Darrell "I am not a hack" Crate issued his "you should not use the State Ethics Commission and the Office of Campaign and Political Finance to generate political headlines" pronouncement. (source: Letter from GOP (Strongman) Crate Regarding filed complaint, 7/20/2004; RiaF, 8/2/2004)
So guess what the GOP did last week? If you guessed 'file ethics charges against local candidates for the state legislature, then plant stories in an area newspaper heralding the fact' you win! (source: Boston Herald, 8/19/2004)
Looks like the new GOP strongman Tim O'Brien is finding out what Deadman Dom Ianno learned before he was Peter Principled to Rob Gray's elephant graveyard: when given the choice, go negative. It beats trying to make the case for a 'Romney reformer' any day.
It's the breasts, stupid
How do you measure a candidate for the legislature? Particularly if they've never served in office before? The easiest way is to examine their public statements, and the people with whom they associate.
Which should give Republicans in Worcester pause for concern.
Seems that Robi Blute wants to be a state Senator, and is running for the Glodis seat.
So what can we learn from Blute's public statements?
Well, in 2000, Blute, whom the Worcester T&G once called "erratic" (source: Worcester T&G, 8/22/1999) made noise about running against then Lt. Gov. Jane Swift (R - FlagBearer). (source: Worcester T&G, 3/7/2000) Which means she's not exactly a 'good Republican' in the Ronald Reagan sense of the 11th Commandment.
And in 1999, Blute purportedly exposed herself to a Herald reporter on WRKO Radio, criticizing a local stuntwoman saying "God ... my breasts are bigger than hers." (source: Worcester T&G, 8/22/1999)
Despite her vocal oddities, Blute's bona fides appear to be in order, at least as far as Team Reform is concerned: back in 1998, Robi Blute was a charter member of the Joe Malone Army of Darkness. Blute backed Malone against then Gov. Paul Cellucci. (source: Worcester T&G, 8/19/1999)
However, if Blute's personal qualifications don't undermine her candidacy, her staff's may. Blute has hired David Segalini as her campaign operations manager. Could this be the same David Segalini who famously argued that ex-convicts have a right to privacy?
If so, Blute could articulate Willard Mitt's thesis that the Commonwealth should go easy on crime and criminals.
And when she loses her race, she'll be perfectly groomed to take a position in Willard Mitt's new world order.
Tuesday, August 17, 2004
Kill All The Lawyers. Then Hire Them.
If George Santayana was alive, exhumed and guest-hosting RiaF he'd today not write "those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it" but "why learn history when you can posture and pretend that you know it?"
And he'd be talking about Willard Mitt, who recently compared disgruntled court appointed lawyers with striking Boston police officers. (source: Boston Globe, 8/12/2004) Romney did the Calvin Coolidge thing and termed the decision by private lawyers who said they would refuse to take on new cases "a strike action against public safety."
The Cape Cod Times dope-slapped Romney back to reality by stating that "the lawyers are free agents. (T)he (fraud) governor can't force them to work, particularly at a losing wage." (Cape Cod Times, 8/14,2004)
Romney, however, went one step further, and said that he'd 'enlarge the pool of state-employed public defenders, dispensing with the use of private lawyers.' (source: Boston Globe, 8/12/2004)
Uh, Fraudo, remember last year when you bloviated that, "(w)hen I came into office, I asked how many lawyers worked in state government. I figured the number would be 50, 60, maybe 100. The number turns out to be 800, not including the Attorney General's office and we're still counting. That's way too many lawyers. We'll cut the number of lawyers and bring the remaining ones under a single umbrella. It's more efficient and it will save a lot of money." (source: office of (fraud) gov, 1/29/2003)
But now you want to hire more state lawyers.
Let us guess: in two years you'll fire them all, and claim you're cutting fat.
Must be tough to always be focussing on reform.
Then again, it takes the pressure off of actually having to accomplish something!
Strike Three
Earlier this month we remarked how Team Reform spokestools were using weasel words to back away from Willard Mitt's previous iron-clad statements that he would run for reelection in 2006. (see RiaF, 8/9/2004)
In an effort to pull back the veil of Romney's handlers, an enterprising reporter recently pitched a softball at the Fraud Governor and asked if he would run for governor.
Romney's answer?
"Absolutely." Then, "no final decision has been made." Then, "the expectation is to run again." (source: Boston Globe, 8/14/2004)
When he went home to Michigan to stump for George W. Bush, Willard Mitt labelled Sen. John Kerry as indecisive. (source: Boston Herald, 4/11/2004)
"Absolutely." "No final decision." "The expectation is to run again."
Willard Mitt: the Alex Rodriguez of the decisive set.
If George Santayana was alive, exhumed and guest-hosting RiaF he'd today not write "those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it" but "why learn history when you can posture and pretend that you know it?"
And he'd be talking about Willard Mitt, who recently compared disgruntled court appointed lawyers with striking Boston police officers. (source: Boston Globe, 8/12/2004) Romney did the Calvin Coolidge thing and termed the decision by private lawyers who said they would refuse to take on new cases "a strike action against public safety."
The Cape Cod Times dope-slapped Romney back to reality by stating that "the lawyers are free agents. (T)he (fraud) governor can't force them to work, particularly at a losing wage." (Cape Cod Times, 8/14,2004)
Romney, however, went one step further, and said that he'd 'enlarge the pool of state-employed public defenders, dispensing with the use of private lawyers.' (source: Boston Globe, 8/12/2004)
Uh, Fraudo, remember last year when you bloviated that, "(w)hen I came into office, I asked how many lawyers worked in state government. I figured the number would be 50, 60, maybe 100. The number turns out to be 800, not including the Attorney General's office and we're still counting. That's way too many lawyers. We'll cut the number of lawyers and bring the remaining ones under a single umbrella. It's more efficient and it will save a lot of money." (source: office of (fraud) gov, 1/29/2003)
But now you want to hire more state lawyers.
Let us guess: in two years you'll fire them all, and claim you're cutting fat.
Must be tough to always be focussing on reform.
Then again, it takes the pressure off of actually having to accomplish something!
Strike Three
Earlier this month we remarked how Team Reform spokestools were using weasel words to back away from Willard Mitt's previous iron-clad statements that he would run for reelection in 2006. (see RiaF, 8/9/2004)
In an effort to pull back the veil of Romney's handlers, an enterprising reporter recently pitched a softball at the Fraud Governor and asked if he would run for governor.
Romney's answer?
"Absolutely." Then, "no final decision has been made." Then, "the expectation is to run again." (source: Boston Globe, 8/14/2004)
When he went home to Michigan to stump for George W. Bush, Willard Mitt labelled Sen. John Kerry as indecisive. (source: Boston Herald, 4/11/2004)
"Absolutely." "No final decision." "The expectation is to run again."
Willard Mitt: the Alex Rodriguez of the decisive set.
Thursday, August 12, 2004
All Pork Is Local
Earlier this week Willard Mitt got to do what he does best.
No, not go on "vacation," but that was a lovely guess.
Willard Mitt got to "posture."
On Tuesday, the Fraud Governor signed a transportation bond bill that had been making its way through the system. However, he vetoed part of the bill because 'it was stuffed with hometown projects for state lawmakers.' (source: Boston Globe, 8/11/2004)
In fact, in Romney's 'letter regarding the transportation bond' Willard Mitt wrote, "after appropriate review, only those authorized projects that meet my rigorous criteria will move forward. I commit to spend well less than half of this authorization." (source: Office of (fraud) gov, "Letter regarding transportation bond, 8/10/2004)
Groovy.
So where was this fiscal watchdog last April when the Fraud Process-Maven's Belmont manse seemingly came in for special consideration from that town's Capital Budget Committee? The project, which was estimated at $172,000, was "slipped" into a road-repaving program, and was the program's only earmark. (source: Boston Herald, 4/23/2004)
Oh yeah, and the $172,000 Solution was scheduled ahead of other existing projects "as a favor to the (fraud) governor." (source: Boston Herald, 4/23/2004)
Presumably Romney was too busy "writing" his ghostwritten book to rail against that particular bit o' waste, fraud and abuse of power.
Earlier this week Willard Mitt got to do what he does best.
No, not go on "vacation," but that was a lovely guess.
Willard Mitt got to "posture."
On Tuesday, the Fraud Governor signed a transportation bond bill that had been making its way through the system. However, he vetoed part of the bill because 'it was stuffed with hometown projects for state lawmakers.' (source: Boston Globe, 8/11/2004)
In fact, in Romney's 'letter regarding the transportation bond' Willard Mitt wrote, "after appropriate review, only those authorized projects that meet my rigorous criteria will move forward. I commit to spend well less than half of this authorization." (source: Office of (fraud) gov, "Letter regarding transportation bond, 8/10/2004)
Groovy.
So where was this fiscal watchdog last April when the Fraud Process-Maven's Belmont manse seemingly came in for special consideration from that town's Capital Budget Committee? The project, which was estimated at $172,000, was "slipped" into a road-repaving program, and was the program's only earmark. (source: Boston Herald, 4/23/2004)
Oh yeah, and the $172,000 Solution was scheduled ahead of other existing projects "as a favor to the (fraud) governor." (source: Boston Herald, 4/23/2004)
Presumably Romney was too busy "writing" his ghostwritten book to rail against that particular bit o' waste, fraud and abuse of power.
Wednesday, August 11, 2004
Book Him
Turnaround, Willard Mitt's ghost-writer's tepid tell-all from Regnery Publishing (aka the House of Hate) has been getting rave reviews, assuming you consider Alex Beam calling the piece "fairly awful" a rave review. (source: Boston Globe, 8/10/2004)
Now comes word that the Fraud Governor may have (gasp) violated ethics laws during his one man show publicizing his ghost-writer's product.
Seems that Romney was accompanied to his Boston book signing by his $150,000-a-year Loathsome Spokesman. (source: someone who was there) Said spokestool claims he was not working the gig, as 'press was handled by political adviser Charles Manning.' (source: Boston Herald, 8/11/2004)
So when was Manning hired by the House of Hate? Or does Manning's involvement indicate that the Border's event bordered on a political appearance?
And why would Willard Mitt's official mouthpiece be attending a political event on work time?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Turnaround, Willard Mitt's ghost-writer's tepid tell-all from Regnery Publishing (aka the House of Hate) has been getting rave reviews, assuming you consider Alex Beam calling the piece "fairly awful" a rave review. (source: Boston Globe, 8/10/2004)
Now comes word that the Fraud Governor may have (gasp) violated ethics laws during his one man show publicizing his ghost-writer's product.
Seems that Romney was accompanied to his Boston book signing by his $150,000-a-year Loathsome Spokesman. (source: someone who was there) Said spokestool claims he was not working the gig, as 'press was handled by political adviser Charles Manning.' (source: Boston Herald, 8/11/2004)
So when was Manning hired by the House of Hate? Or does Manning's involvement indicate that the Border's event bordered on a political appearance?
And why would Willard Mitt's official mouthpiece be attending a political event on work time?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Monday, August 09, 2004
But Check
For months the message was the same: Willard Mitt was going nowhere fast.
In February, the Fraud Governor said it himself: "I am planning to be in this position all four years, maybe eight if I am lucky enough to be reelected. I fought long and hard for this job, and I am not going to give it up." (source: Boston Globe, 2/20/2004)
It was repeated by his $150,000-a-year Loathsome Spokesman: "The (fraud) governor's plan is to serve out his four years and then run for reelection." (source: Boston Globe, 3/24/2004)
Even former wrestling aficionado, Romney insider Charlie Manning was recruited to pass the pabulum, mewling "the only thing on his radar screen is to run for reelection as (fraud) governor." (source: Boston Globe, 5/28/2004)
Which made the weasel word used recently by a Romney spokestool so noteworthy. Responding to media inquiries as to his Lord and Master's future intentions, Romney's $150,000-a-year Loathsome Spokesman said, "The (fraud) governor expects to be a candidate for reelection, but we have nothing to formally announce at this early stage." (source: Boston Globe, 8/8/2004)
The spokestool was unable to explain why August, which falls after February, March and May, is too early for a commitment that Team Reform seemingly made in February, March and May.
Lightweight Lieutenant Governor Sherry Kerry Healey could not be resuscitated for comment.
For months the message was the same: Willard Mitt was going nowhere fast.
In February, the Fraud Governor said it himself: "I am planning to be in this position all four years, maybe eight if I am lucky enough to be reelected. I fought long and hard for this job, and I am not going to give it up." (source: Boston Globe, 2/20/2004)
It was repeated by his $150,000-a-year Loathsome Spokesman: "The (fraud) governor's plan is to serve out his four years and then run for reelection." (source: Boston Globe, 3/24/2004)
Even former wrestling aficionado, Romney insider Charlie Manning was recruited to pass the pabulum, mewling "the only thing on his radar screen is to run for reelection as (fraud) governor." (source: Boston Globe, 5/28/2004)
Which made the weasel word used recently by a Romney spokestool so noteworthy. Responding to media inquiries as to his Lord and Master's future intentions, Romney's $150,000-a-year Loathsome Spokesman said, "The (fraud) governor expects to be a candidate for reelection, but we have nothing to formally announce at this early stage." (source: Boston Globe, 8/8/2004)
The spokestool was unable to explain why August, which falls after February, March and May, is too early for a commitment that Team Reform seemingly made in February, March and May.
Lightweight Lieutenant Governor Sherry Kerry Healey could not be resuscitated for comment.
Friday, August 06, 2004
(Snake) Oil Salesman
Back when he was simply a Fraud Candidate, Willard Mitt claimed to be opposed to any hike in gas taxes. (source: Boston Globe, 6/11/2002) However, since becoming Fraud Governor, Willard Mitt has steadily increased gas taxes.
What is it about Willard Mitt and petroleum products?
Last year, Romney goosed taxpayers the equivalent of a 2-cent a gallon fuel tax hike, increasing the levy that gas wholesalers pay for every 10,000 gallons they deliver to retail filling stations. (source: Boston Herald, 3/26/2004; Boston Herald, 4/11/2003; RiaF, 4/13/2003)
This year, Fraudo continued his slippery ways by imposing a two-cent per barrel tax on petroleum products that are delivered to marine terminals. (source: Boston Herald, 8/4/2004)
Ironically, Romney signed his latest assault on Mr. and Mrs. Motorist just weeks after announcing that the Commonwealth would realize a $500 million dollar surplus for FY04, and suggesting that 'the time was right' for a tax roll-back. (source: Lawrence Eagle-Tribune, 6/20/2004)
Everywhere but at the pump.
Or the bathroom sink.
Because if Romney really wanted to tap a hefty petroleum-based revenue stream, we suggest he start using his head.
Back when he was simply a Fraud Candidate, Willard Mitt claimed to be opposed to any hike in gas taxes. (source: Boston Globe, 6/11/2002) However, since becoming Fraud Governor, Willard Mitt has steadily increased gas taxes.
What is it about Willard Mitt and petroleum products?
Last year, Romney goosed taxpayers the equivalent of a 2-cent a gallon fuel tax hike, increasing the levy that gas wholesalers pay for every 10,000 gallons they deliver to retail filling stations. (source: Boston Herald, 3/26/2004; Boston Herald, 4/11/2003; RiaF, 4/13/2003)
This year, Fraudo continued his slippery ways by imposing a two-cent per barrel tax on petroleum products that are delivered to marine terminals. (source: Boston Herald, 8/4/2004)
Ironically, Romney signed his latest assault on Mr. and Mrs. Motorist just weeks after announcing that the Commonwealth would realize a $500 million dollar surplus for FY04, and suggesting that 'the time was right' for a tax roll-back. (source: Lawrence Eagle-Tribune, 6/20/2004)
Everywhere but at the pump.
Or the bathroom sink.
Because if Romney really wanted to tap a hefty petroleum-based revenue stream, we suggest he start using his head.
Wednesday, August 04, 2004
Where's Willard?
On Monday, Homeland Security Field Marshall Tom Ridge declared the most specific Terror Alert in the history of Homeland Security, saying that terrorists might be plotting attacks in New York, Washington or Newark, N.J. (source: Boston Globe, 8/3/2004)
So how did Willard Mitt make sure that the citizens of the Commonwealth were safe during this period of critical awareness?
By holding a book signing in Utah, of course. (source: Boston Globe, 8/3/2004)
The Fraud Governor, sensitive to a recent ethics complaint that charged him with using public resources to campaign for President George W. Bush (see RiaF, 7/16/2004) claimed that he and his three-person entourage were using vacation time to publicize the book (which even a friendly Utah reviewer pronounced "remarkably dull." (source: Boston Globe, 8/3/2004))
According to the Executive Office of Administration and Finance, Massachusetts state employees with less than 4.5 years of service are eligibleto accrue one vacation day for each month that they are employed, up to 12 days.
Romney, who first joined the state workforce in January, 2003, has "earned" 16 vacation days. He used some last summer in New Hampshire and more last winter for a trip to Utah.
So how much time vacation time does Romney has left, or has he exceeded his limit?
And couldn't Romney have done more for Massachusetts' security than leave town during the height of this unprecedented alert?
The fact that Tom Ridge used years old information to justify the alert is no excuse.
Rather than flee the state, Romney could have taken similar Ridgian steps to warn Deerfield residents of possible Indian attacks, or residents of Concord and Lexington that British regulars may soon march.
On Monday, Homeland Security Field Marshall Tom Ridge declared the most specific Terror Alert in the history of Homeland Security, saying that terrorists might be plotting attacks in New York, Washington or Newark, N.J. (source: Boston Globe, 8/3/2004)
So how did Willard Mitt make sure that the citizens of the Commonwealth were safe during this period of critical awareness?
By holding a book signing in Utah, of course. (source: Boston Globe, 8/3/2004)
The Fraud Governor, sensitive to a recent ethics complaint that charged him with using public resources to campaign for President George W. Bush (see RiaF, 7/16/2004) claimed that he and his three-person entourage were using vacation time to publicize the book (which even a friendly Utah reviewer pronounced "remarkably dull." (source: Boston Globe, 8/3/2004))
According to the Executive Office of Administration and Finance, Massachusetts state employees with less than 4.5 years of service are eligibleto accrue one vacation day for each month that they are employed, up to 12 days.
Romney, who first joined the state workforce in January, 2003, has "earned" 16 vacation days. He used some last summer in New Hampshire and more last winter for a trip to Utah.
So how much time vacation time does Romney has left, or has he exceeded his limit?
And couldn't Romney have done more for Massachusetts' security than leave town during the height of this unprecedented alert?
The fact that Tom Ridge used years old information to justify the alert is no excuse.
Rather than flee the state, Romney could have taken similar Ridgian steps to warn Deerfield residents of possible Indian attacks, or residents of Concord and Lexington that British regulars may soon march.
Monday, August 02, 2004
Crate-zy Talk
In the wake of an ethics complaint lodged against Willard Mitt for purportedly using tax-payer money for political purposes while on a recent trip to New York City, Republican State Committee strongman Darrell "I am not a hack" Crate issued a statement saying that "you should not use the State Ethics Commission and the Office of Campaign and Political Finance to generate political headlines." (source: Letter from GOP (Strongman) Crate Regarding filed complaint, 7/20/2004)
Quick, Alfred, to the Bat Cave. Let's run that tape again: "you should not use the State Ethics Commission and the Office of Campaign and Political Finance to generate political headlines."
News Item
In 2004 the state GOP filed a complaint after a state Senate staffer called in "sick" on a day she was actually doing campaign work for a Democratic Senate nominee, and subsequently issued a press release heralding the action. (source: Boston Herald, 2/10/2004 )
News Item
In 2003 the state GOP filed a complaint charging that UMASS board members who were allied with the university President were putting their own interests ahead of the institution they are appointed to serve, and subsequently issued a press release heralding the action. (source: Boston Globe, 7/4/2003)
News Item
In 2002 the state GOP filed a complaint charging the improper implementation of a series of water pollution control loans, and subsequently issued a press release heralding the action. (source: SHNS, 10/22/2002)
News Item
In 2002 the state GOP filed a campaign finance complaint against a legislative candidate, and subsequently issued a press release heralding the action. (source: Massgop.com)
News Item
In 2002 the state GOP filed a campaign finance complaint against Marty Meehan, charging him with "misspending taxpayer money and abusing his office to ensure his re-election," and subsequently issued a press release heralding the action. (source: Massgop.com)
News Item
In 2001 the state GOP filed a complaint charging improper investment of pension funds, and subsequently issued a press release heralding the action. Then GOP-chair Sherry Kerry Healey said an investigation would "clear up any appearance of impropriety." (source: Boston Herald, 12/7/2001)
We'd have listed more, but figured we shouldn't use the State Ethics Commission or the Office of Campaign and Political Finance to generate political headlines.
In the wake of an ethics complaint lodged against Willard Mitt for purportedly using tax-payer money for political purposes while on a recent trip to New York City, Republican State Committee strongman Darrell "I am not a hack" Crate issued a statement saying that "you should not use the State Ethics Commission and the Office of Campaign and Political Finance to generate political headlines." (source: Letter from GOP (Strongman) Crate Regarding filed complaint, 7/20/2004)
Quick, Alfred, to the Bat Cave. Let's run that tape again: "you should not use the State Ethics Commission and the Office of Campaign and Political Finance to generate political headlines."
News Item
In 2004 the state GOP filed a complaint after a state Senate staffer called in "sick" on a day she was actually doing campaign work for a Democratic Senate nominee, and subsequently issued a press release heralding the action. (source: Boston Herald, 2/10/2004 )
News Item
In 2003 the state GOP filed a complaint charging that UMASS board members who were allied with the university President were putting their own interests ahead of the institution they are appointed to serve, and subsequently issued a press release heralding the action. (source: Boston Globe, 7/4/2003)
News Item
In 2002 the state GOP filed a complaint charging the improper implementation of a series of water pollution control loans, and subsequently issued a press release heralding the action. (source: SHNS, 10/22/2002)
News Item
In 2002 the state GOP filed a campaign finance complaint against a legislative candidate, and subsequently issued a press release heralding the action. (source: Massgop.com)
News Item
In 2002 the state GOP filed a campaign finance complaint against Marty Meehan, charging him with "misspending taxpayer money and abusing his office to ensure his re-election," and subsequently issued a press release heralding the action. (source: Massgop.com)
News Item
In 2001 the state GOP filed a complaint charging improper investment of pension funds, and subsequently issued a press release heralding the action. Then GOP-chair Sherry Kerry Healey said an investigation would "clear up any appearance of impropriety." (source: Boston Herald, 12/7/2001)
We'd have listed more, but figured we shouldn't use the State Ethics Commission or the Office of Campaign and Political Finance to generate political headlines.
