In Memorium .....

On this truly sad day when vested interests and lobbyists were allowed to prevail and the public and wisdom was silenced, there are many who shone their integrity and courage and stood to speak the truth.

Here are but a few of the heroes and heroines --



... Rep. Ruth Balser, who described deep opposition to the proposal.

"What we're deciding today is about the introduction of slot machines into Massachusetts," she said, before reading from expert testimony that described modern slot machines as devices intended to encourage gamblers to "play to extinction." "If we actually look at what these [slot machine] algorithms are doing, it's a kind of high-tech version of weighting the deck or loading the dice, which no self-respecting casinos would ever think of doing."


Rep. Matthew Patrick, a vehement gambling critic who said he would attempt to delay the House's attempt to pass a gambling proposal, took the House podium shortly before 1 p.m. invoking the prayer offered by the House's chaplain at the start of Saturday's session.

"Would Christ even conceive of a bill that would bring such extreme pain and suffering to so many people?" he said. "In gambling, someone has to lose. That's an unfortunate fact."


Rep. Carl Sciortino (D-Medford), a gambling critic, said he read the compromise gambling bill until 1 a.m. and said it was "a challenge" to understand. He questioned whether his colleagues fully understood the bill they are preparing to vote on. Taking the microphone shortly after 1:30 p.m., Rep. Denise Provost said she sees no silver lining to the proposal, just "pure cloud."

Sen. Susan Tucker, D-Andover, a staunch gambling opponent, said the casinos and racinos will be a "total economic loser for Massachusetts."

Sen. Susan Fargo, D-Lincoln, another expanded gambling opponent, predicted the industry will only grow larger and the state will cater to any new demands of the gambling industry.

"You can't regulate these interests," she said. "They will talk their way out of everything."


Governor, Will you do the right thing?

Rosenberg Excludes Public! More Back Room Deals and Secret Meetings

SAME OLD! SAME OLD! with Kathi-Anne Reinstein and the rest of this crowd, did we expect anything different?

Remember her past conduct?

Mushroom Farming Flourishes on Beacon Hill

Kathi-Anne Reinstein, a Revere Democrat who organized the SECRET CLOSED DOOR briefing, told the News Service the session was closed TO THE PUBLIC so state reps would "feel comfortable to ask any questions without having any type of criticism'' and surely at the request of gambling interests who can make undisputed wild promises that are unsubstantiated and never be held accountable.

The practice of having its most important debates behind closed doors, and the arrogance that practice reflects, has everything to do with the Legislature’s lack of credibility with the public. It may be unfair, even inaccurate, to assume corruption thrives behind locked doors in the Statehouse, but DeLeo and his colleagues only feed that notion with their actions.

Rep. Reinstein: At least she's consistent

Today, SHNS [no link available] reports that the public has NO RIGHT TO KNOW --

The decision to close the casino talks, approved by a unanimous vote, drew sharp criticism from lawmakers opposed to expanded gambling, six of who attended the State House meeting only to be asked to leave.

“The Senate, actually, was quite proud of its days and days of open debate and transparency,” said Sen. Susan Tucker (D-Andover). “And that makes this particularly sad that in the final hours they’re closing off the public and other legislators.”

Tucker said she had served on two conference committees during her career and said she didn't remember taking a vote to close them.

“I don’t know of any instance in which a closed-door conference committee was allowed to share with a member of the Legislature or the public what happened behind closed doors,” added Rep. Carl Sciortino (D-Medford), who joined Tucker and Reps. Steve D’Amico (D-Seekonk), Matthew Patrick (D-Falmouth), Denise Provost (D-Somerville) and William Brownsberger (D-Belmont) for the 30-second-long public portion of negotiations.

Added D’Amico, “I think government and taxpayers would be better served if all conference committees were open.”

Senator Rosenberg, who would like to pretend this process has been transparent, when it hasn't, and has included the public, which it hasn't, SHNS reports --

At the conference meeting, Rosenberg made the motion to close the meeting and said he hoped negotiators could “get to yes as quickly as possible.”

Earlier in the week, SHNS announced -

The House on Monday appointed its negotiators: Economic Development Committee chair Brian Dempsey, division leader KathiAnne Reinstein, whose district abuts DeLeo’s, and GOP Rep. Paul Frost, who represents a central Massachusetts district. The Senate named Senate President Pro Tempore Stanley Rosenberg, the chamber’s point man on gambling policy, Senate budget chair Steven Panagiotakos, and Sen. Richard Ross, who represents the district that includes Plainridge Racecourse.

Of the six conferees, four – Dempsey, Reinstein, Frost and Ross – support racinos, eyed as a key bargaining point between the House and Senate as a variety of other bills near the finish line.

Shall we call this the Sham Committee?

Kudos to Rep. Carl Sciortino (D-Medford), Sen. Susan Tucker (D-Andover), Rep. Steve D’Amico (D-Seekonk), Rep. Matthew Patrick (D-Falmouth), Rep. Denise Provost (D-Somerville) and Rep. William Brownsberger (D-Belmont) for having the courage to stand against this tyranny.