Friday, October 21, 2005

Senator Creedon, Client on Line Two

It looks like Lisa O'Connell of Dedham is going to be need a good lawyer.

A 19-year-old Dedham, Mass., woman will face charges of vehicular homicide Friday morning for allegedly plowing her car into a group of Bridgewater State College students, killing one of them.

[snip]

Police arrested the driver of the car, Lisa O'Connell. She will also be charged with operating a car under the influence of alcohol.


So, if you know Lisa O'Connell, please give her this contact information for State Senator Robert Creedon of Brockton. He's apparently got nothing better to do these days.

Senator defends taking OUI clients: Creedon sees no conflict of interest

The top senator on the legislative committee that approved a weakened version of "Melanie's Law" was in court defending an accused drunken driver with a history of alcohol offenses as the clock was running out on time to finalize the bill this month.

Sen. Robert S. Creedon Jr. (D-Brockton) acknowledged yesterday he successfully obtained a not-guilty verdict before a Brockton District Court judge on Oct. 5 for his client, Craig A. Hirtle. This was at the height of negotiations over Melanie's Law within the conference committee Creedon co-chaired.


Christ, a three-day old dog turd on my front lawn could recognize the conflict of interest at play here.

State Representative Eugene O'Flaherty was unavailable for comment.

Vacation trumps OUI bill: Jet-setter guts law, hits Spain

A powerful Beacon Hill lawmaker who helped gut a highly touted anti-drunken-driving bill jetted off with colleagues for a European vacation yesterday as final debate on the measure began, to the disgust of victims' advocates.

Eugene O'Flaherty was among a half-dozen lawmakers who left for a week in Spain and Portugal as work continued on the measure called "Melanie's Bill" in honor of a 13-year-old girl who was killed by a repeat drunken driver.


Hope you are enjoying choke on the paella, asshole.

O'Flaherty was the House Democratic chairman of the conference committee that worked to reconcile House and Senate versions of the bill. An attorney, he has close ties to the state's defense bar.


To employ the phrase "reprehensible scum" here would be a grave insult to scum everywhere.

UPDATE: Senator Creedon was just on The John Depetro Show on WRKO adamantly denying that his involvement with this legislation was, in any way, in conflict with his financial interests as an attorney representing drunk driving defendants.

Anyone buying that?

Here's the pertinent chapter of Massachusetts General Law he kept referring to in his defense.

CHAPTER 268A. CONDUCT OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES

Chapter 268A: Section 6A Conflict of interest of public official; reporting requirement

Section 6A. Any public official, as defined by section one of chapter two hundred and sixty-eight B, who in the discharge of his official duties would be required knowingly to take an action which would substantially affect such official's financial interests, unless the effect on such an official is no greater than the effect on the general public, shall file a written description of the required action and the potential conflict of interest with the state ethics commission established by said chapter two hundred and sixty-eight B.


CHAPTER 268B. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE BY CERTAIN PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES.

Chapter 268B: Section 1. Section 1. Definitions.

As used in this chapter, unless the context requires otherwise,

[snip]

(p) "public office" means any position for which one is nominated at a state primary or chosen at a state election, excluding the positions of Senator and Representative in congress and the office of regional district school committee member elected district-wide;

(q) "public official" means anyone who holds a public office, as defined by clause (p) of this section;


Seems the only issue remaining would be whether or not he filed the required paperwork with the state ethics commission. Based on his stance that no conflict of interest exists, I'd wager the state ethics commission received nothing from him on this matter.

Remember, just because it's a law doesn't mean it applies to those who make the laws.

"Plus ça change...", indeed.