Thursday, February 02, 2006
Massachusetts Gets Hit Again: Downies Mucked Up By that "Culture of Corruption"
First, the two US Senators who represent Massachusetts disgraced themselves by trying to filibister Samuel Alito. Now, in-state politics there has reared its ugly head, as Downies are in complete meltdown mode in picking a gubernatorial slate for this year's election.
Downie Tom Reilly, the State Attorney General, picked liberal black State Representative Marie St. Fleur (that French name is a dead giveaway, isn't it?) as his running mate to be Lieutenant Governor if elected. Unfortunately, Reilly had his "Tom Eagleton Moment" when St. Fleur was exposed as a corrupt piece of crap one day after being picked, and had to step down.
Mass. Gov. Candidate's Running Mate Quits
So, now TWO Downies have been implicated in this IRS scandal! How wide does the net go? Who knows any more?
First, the two US Senators who represent Massachusetts disgraced themselves by trying to filibister Samuel Alito. Now, in-state politics there has reared its ugly head, as Downies are in complete meltdown mode in picking a gubernatorial slate for this year's election.
Downie Tom Reilly, the State Attorney General, picked liberal black State Representative Marie St. Fleur (that French name is a dead giveaway, isn't it?) as his running mate to be Lieutenant Governor if elected. Unfortunately, Reilly had his "Tom Eagleton Moment" when St. Fleur was exposed as a corrupt piece of crap one day after being picked, and had to step down.
Mass. Gov. Candidate's Running Mate Quits
BOSTON (AP) -- A day after gubernatorial candidate Attorney General Tom Reilly introduced her as his running mate, a state legislator on Wednesday abandoned her campaign for lieutenant governor amid revelations of tax and loan delinquency.
Democratic Rep. Marie St. Fleur reportedly owes the IRS more than $12,000 and failed to pay $40,000 in student loans. In December, she was barred from renewing her driver's license because she did not pay motor vehicle taxes in Boston last year, records reviewed by The Associated Press show.
Reilly, who did not attend St. Fleur's news conference, issued a statement saying he expected she would continue helping him with his campaign but that he would not seek another political partner.
"I will keep working to bring change to Massachusetts but will do so without a formal running mate. As I said before, there are many qualified Democratic candidates for lieutenant governor and I will be happy to serve with any of them."
In Massachusetts, candidates for governor and lieutenant governor appear on separate ballot lines for the fall primary, before being united for the November general election.
Reilly's top rival for the Democratic nomination, Deval Patrick, responded to the financial disclosures about St. Fleur with a statement that said he also had been delinquent on taxes.
More than a decade ago, Patrick said, he and his wife triggered an IRS lien by missing "one or two" payments in an installment agreement with the agency. He added that they paid the $8,788 they owed in full within five months.
So, now TWO Downies have been implicated in this IRS scandal! How wide does the net go? Who knows any more?
