The Next Governor of Massachusetts?
Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly, once again, seems to be going out of his way to torpedo what's left of his campaign for the governor's office.
Reilly OK'd gag clause on probe of Dig leaks
So, essentially, he's single-handedly guaranteed that the taxpayers of Massachusetts will be kept in the dark until sometime in the year 2011, at which time this information will be made readily available to the public.
Well, that's just fucking fabulous.
Can anyone please explain to me how this could even remotely be in the best interest of the Commonwealth? Because, from where I'm standing, the person who might benefit the most from this would be someone who might not want any damaging information to be released to the public until after this someone's potential re-election bid in 2010.
But, please, feel free to insert your own conspiracy theory here.
Come on, Eric, this is hardly the first time Reilly's jammed his foot in his mouth. Pay attention, man!
Gee, ya think?
Yet, this is the candidate considered, by many, to be the front-runner in the race for governor?
Yikes.
What? There's another side?
At the "end of the day"? What the fuck good does that do us if that "day" won't roll around until the year 2011.
And, since when does Bechtel "control" the project? They were hired to serve as the "owner's representative", to monitor the project on behalf of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (i.e. the taxpayers).
Their primary function on the construction side of the project was to ensure the work was done in accordance with the specifications of the job, to report any deficiencies in the "materials or methods" to the Commonwealth, and to oversee any and all remedial work performed thereto.
In my days as a Bechtel employee on the Project, the motto was "If the client says "jump", you ask "how high?".
And now, thanks to the man who would be Governor, the client (aka: the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority) also stands to benefit from this five-year duck-n'-cover period, during which time, they will be under no obligation to divulge information relevant to any wrong-doing or mismanagement on their part, related to the deficient work performed on the downtown portion of the I-93 tunnel.
So, who are you trying to protect here, Tom? The out-of-state lobbyists for Bechtel who are helping to fund your race for governor? Or your fellow Bay State hack politicians running the Turnpike Authority?
I'm guessing both. Because, it sure as hell isn't the hard-working, tax-paying citizens, whom you so desperately wish to govern.
Reilly OK'd gag clause on probe of Dig leaks
Attorney General Tom Reilly signed a secrecy pact that will conceal information about leaky Big Dig tunnels unless the same company whose work is being investigated grants him permission to disclose it.
The five-year confidentiality agreement among Reilly, the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority and Big Dig general contractor Bechtel Parsons Brinkerhoff [sic] states that data on the tunnel leaks cannot be divulged "without the written consent of all three parties."
So, essentially, he's single-handedly guaranteed that the taxpayers of Massachusetts will be kept in the dark until sometime in the year 2011, at which time this information will be made readily available to the public.
Well, that's just fucking fabulous.
Can anyone please explain to me how this could even remotely be in the best interest of the Commonwealth? Because, from where I'm standing, the person who might benefit the most from this would be someone who might not want any damaging information to be released to the public until after this someone's potential re-election bid in 2010.
But, please, feel free to insert your own conspiracy theory here.
"I've never heard of a state attorney general voluntarily gagging himself," said Eric Fehrnstrom, spokesman for Gov. Mitt Romney.
Come on, Eric, this is hardly the first time Reilly's jammed his foot in his mouth. Pay attention, man!
"What Tom Reilly has done is to delegate to Bechtel and the Turnpike Authority the power to determine what he can say, when he says it or even if he says anything at all. That is not in the public interest."
Gee, ya think?
Yet, this is the candidate considered, by many, to be the front-runner in the race for governor?
Yikes.
Former Pike board member Christy Mihos, a frequent Big Dig critic who is running for governor, said the confidentiality agreement "represents the dark side of government in the commonwealth."
What? There's another side?
Asked why Reilly would enter into a confidentiality agreement with Bechtel, [Reilly spokesman David] Guarino said: "Bechtel controls the project at this point. WeÂre doing monitoring in their project and of course they have to be a part of this. At the end of the day, we control this data."
At the "end of the day"? What the fuck good does that do us if that "day" won't roll around until the year 2011.
And, since when does Bechtel "control" the project? They were hired to serve as the "owner's representative", to monitor the project on behalf of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (i.e. the taxpayers).
Their primary function on the construction side of the project was to ensure the work was done in accordance with the specifications of the job, to report any deficiencies in the "materials or methods" to the Commonwealth, and to oversee any and all remedial work performed thereto.
In my days as a Bechtel employee on the Project, the motto was "If the client says "jump", you ask "how high?".
And now, thanks to the man who would be Governor, the client (aka: the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority) also stands to benefit from this five-year duck-n'-cover period, during which time, they will be under no obligation to divulge information relevant to any wrong-doing or mismanagement on their part, related to the deficient work performed on the downtown portion of the I-93 tunnel.
News of the agreement comes as Reilly continues to mull whether to move forward with a lawsuit against Bechtel to recover taxpayer money allegedly misused on the project or seek a settlement. The AG has been criticized for dragging his feet on the probe while accepting donations from Big Dig contractors and their lobbyists. Reilly recently returned more than $5,000 in contributions from such firms but has kept money from Bechtel lobbyists.
So, who are you trying to protect here, Tom? The out-of-state lobbyists for Bechtel who are helping to fund your race for governor? Or your fellow Bay State hack politicians running the Turnpike Authority?
I'm guessing both. Because, it sure as hell isn't the hard-working, tax-paying citizens, whom you so desperately wish to govern.
