Subpoenas, wiretaps proposed for state ethics reform

January 6, 2009 02:52 PM Email| Comments (13)| Text size – +

By Andrea Estes and Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff

A governor's task force has recommended a sweeping overhaul of the state's lobbying and ethics laws, proposing a steep increase in penalties and a broad expansion of enforcement and investigative tools.

The report, which can be found here, suggests giving subpoena power to the office of the secretary of state, wiretapping authority to the attorney general, and significantly increasing the scope of the State Ethics Commission and giving it more teeth. The task force also proposed a change to the state conflict of interest law that would give the attorney general more latitude to prosecute corrupt officials.

At a press conference this afternoon, Governor Deval Patrick said he plans to file the reform bill on Wednesday, the first day of a new legislative session. Patrick urged lawmakers to act within 30 days and said he was optimistic that the measure would pass.

"No one can legislate morality, we all know that," Patrick said. "But we can assure ourselves and the public that the consequences for breaching the public trust will be serious, swift, and certain."

Massachusetts Inspector General Gregory W. Sullivan hailed the proposals as "extraordinary" after the press conference.

"I never thought I'd see this day," Sullivan said. "If this passes, I think it will be the most significant legislation since I've been inspector general by far."

The governor formed the 12-member task force in November after a major corruption scandal and a series of ethics controversies roiled the State House. Former state Senator Dianne Wilkerson was arrested on federal bribery charges. A series of Globe stories sparked investigations by several agencies into large payments made to friends and business associates of House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi. One of those friends -- Richard Vitale, the speaker's longtime accountant and campaign treasurer -- was indicted on charges of violating lobbying and campaign finance laws.

In a statement, DiMasi downplayed the importance of ethics reform, saying that the state faced serious challenges in the coming year that included balancing the budget amid a fiscal crisis and reforming the transportation system.

"The best way to maintain and build upon the public’s trust is by tackling these problems directly, leveling with people and engaging them in our solutions," DiMasi said. "In the process, I believe some common sense ethics reforms should be considered. The members of the House will thoroughly review the recommendations from the Governor’s task force and we will seriously consider any necessary changes in the new term.”

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13 comments so far...

Wait a second, we have an Attorney General?

Posted by ReElect Nobody January 6, 09 01:37 PM

All the ranting and raving from liberals about Bush's Patriot Act to protect the US from terrorists, and here our own State Government will give the power to wire-tap to the AG (who has exercised bad judgment on many an issue...)

Posted by pj1 January 6, 09 02:18 PM

The AG stopped a $20M no-bid contract in Lowell without surveillance that we know of. So the AG is clearly able to enforce the law when violations are visible. What about accountability? Shut down an illegal project on a technicality and the individuals involved simply lay their bets on the next fixed race. Greater wiretap authority is just what the AG needs.

Posted by Fairness Doctrine January 6, 09 03:26 PM

I support Deval's efforts in most areas but this is one path he does NOT want to follow. He wants to talk about breaching the public's trust? Well wiretaps are a surefire way to get there. For once DiMasi is right about something. Deval, get back to work on the things that actually matter.

Posted by Jack January 6, 09 03:40 PM

Gotta agree with PJ, our elected officials get caught accepting bribes (Wilkerson) so to make up for it, you call for this wiretapping proposal that will probably be used to punish ordinary citizens.... give me a break. Apparently the US Constitution is nothing more than a history lesson, our founding fathers would be sick that this could actually pass!

Posted by drew January 6, 09 03:53 PM

Who's, going to watch the person doing the watching - I'm with you on that (pj1) LOL

Posted by MeMe January 6, 09 04:31 PM

This reform sounds like a good start, but why not establish an IMPARTIAL judicial panel to evaluate and enforce ethical laws pertaining to politicians and government employees? We would have to be naive not to think the Attorney General (who is committed to a certain political party), might have asked or done certain favors to get elected. Are we naive enough to think he or she might not be swayed a certain way to return these favors?
How about mandatory jail time and full restitution for any appointed or elected governmental official that took the oath of office then violated it?

Posted by bogie January 6, 09 04:52 PM

Umm.. pj1, I guess you missed that is about Public Officials, not private citizens, that is a very different subject.

Posted by mtbr1975 January 6, 09 04:52 PM

My fellow Baystaters...the only way to get reform and transparency is to elect more Republicans in this state at ALL levels of government. How many more correct and ethically-challenged Democrats to we need to see before we all get the message? How many more OVERRIDES because the Democrat selectmen and School Committees don't cut programs and are in tight with the UNIONS? Elect Republicans and the Democrat Party has to be very careful. Let's get it done.

Posted by Gentleman Farmer January 6, 09 09:36 PM

I thought we believed in the US Constitution in Massachusetts, not the Bush Doctrine.

Wiretaps for the AG Office with no judge involved? So we're going to get our pols to behave because Big Brother may be watching? And it will be partisan. Special Prosecutor Big Brother style against the political opposition of the day. Hey, I rather risk having a few bucks pushed down a bra than losing what once was most important about being an American--a system of checks and balances. Gonzales would be proud of Deval.

Posted by Geophizz January 6, 09 10:42 PM

If any one bellieves that these proposals will be encoded into law I got a bridge for you. Just another disengeneous smoke screen by the disfunctional legislature.

Posted by willie January 6, 09 11:14 PM

Lots of posters are trying to make this sound like it's Deval's idea to so this. These are recommendations made by a task force, not just Deval. If want this sewer of a legislature cleaned up, it's going to take drastic action. We have a choice of corruption or wiretaps. I'll go with the wiretaps.

Posted by bribeau January 6, 09 11:22 PM

I hope that everyone that voted against Prop #1 are happy. Give our elected officials more money and they will spend it, largely for what they perceive is their own personal or political gain.

The person who said we need more republicans is right. Not that they are any better, but you need checks and balances. There are none here. Deval has been a major disappointment. He's done nothing.

How we get saddled with deMasi and others, who have followed Finneran and all the others is just unbelievable, but, I take that back, this is a one party state.

If ordinary citizens screw-up, perhaps miss a tax payment, we get no sympathy and yet these scumbags steal from us.

Posted by George Stephenson January 7, 09 08:31 AM