!!UPDATED!! FILTHY ‘BIG TIME’ LOBBYING HITS LOCAL LEVEL; HOW WILL y-o-u-r COUNCILORS RESPOND? PLANET FOUND OUT HOW FOUR OF THEM (AND COUNTING) DID
By DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015) — THE PLANET is not surprised that our politicians at the national level are owned — bought and paid for — by the unseen hidden Special Interests. These nefarious subverters of democracy use their incalculable wealth to hire $200-an-hour lobbyists — usually former politicians — to arm twist on Capitol Hill and the White House using the lure of gigantic campaign contributions.
That’s how the filthy game of politics works at the national level, and even to some extent on the state level. What, you don’t think Peter Larkin, a registered lobbyist, took his fat Rolodex (to say nothing of his Rolex) with him from the State House and donated it for charity, do you?
Okay, so we get that.
Now what would you say if the big-time whores are trying to buy influence for their clients with your Pittsfield City Council?
THE PLANET got wind of this as it’s connected with pending local legislation pertaining to a proposed ban on polystyrene.
We obtained a copy of the letter sent by the firm of Serlin Haley of Boston and Washington, D.C., to the city council. Serlin Haley’s slogan taken straight from the letterhead reads: “Representing Business Before Government.” You can’t make that up.
According to the best of our knowledge, the following letter was sent to each of the other 10 councilors:
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WRITTEN ON SERLIN HALEY LETTERHEAD
| Council[or Name Inserted],I’m writing today to request a brief meeting on behalf of the Dart Container Corporation on the afternoon or evening of May 19th or the Morning of May 20th to discuss some concerns related to the proposed polystyrene ban. Please let me know when would be a good time to meet and discuss this issue. Thank you.Sincerely,Nathaniel R. Fedorchak (617) 830-5237 cell (703) 203-6616 cell nfedorchak@serlinhaley.com |
| CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail message (including any attachments) is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510-2521, and is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed. Further, this e-mail from the law firm Serlin Haley LLP may be protected by attorney-client privilege and/or attorney work-product doctrine and is intended for the PERSONAL and CONFIDENTIAL use of the recipient named above. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, dissemination, copying, forwarding or distribution is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, or received this e-mail in error, please contact the sender by reply e-mail, permanently delete the original e-mail message and any attachments from your system, and destroy all copies of the original message and attachments. |
Nathan R. Fedorchak
Serlin Haley LLP
(617) 830-5237 direct
(703) 203-6616 cell
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Who Owns the Government?
A bit creepy, isn’t it, from the standpoint of local representative out- and up-front government? Ah, but the HUGE question is how are our Right Honorable Good Friends going to reply? Such meetings as are described in Fedorchak‘s letter are done out of public purview. That’s never a good thing when it comes to representative government. Will councilors issue a proper “take a hike … get lost, buddy … Hit the road, Jack … Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out“? Or will they agree to a session of arm twisting?
THE PLANET wants to know, and we’ve contact all 11 councilors. We have learned from one and are hoping to hear from all before today is done. We have the answer in the case of Ward 6’s John Krol.
Krol took the proper stance, telling the lobbyist to play “Aloha!” on the steel guitar. The councilor wrote back a polite, professional “take a flying f***” to the Incorrupt Non-bastard. He wrote:
Hi Nathan,Thank you for the offer. However, I respectfully decline. I will be happy to hear from you and your firm during the public meetings on this issue.Best wishes,John
This is the kind of response THE PLANET expects — and respects — from our “representatives.” Good speed, John Krol, for your principled stance. Now, what about the other 10? Lisa Tully, Kevin Morandi, Nick Caccamo, Chris Connell, Jonathan Lothrop, Tony Simonelli, Melissa Mazzeo, Barry Clairmont, Church Cotton, and Kathy Amuso, how did you answer Mr. Lobbyist Man? Please respond forthwith to THE PLANET.
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As of press time early this morning, THE PLANET heard from Caccamo, Simonelli, and Clairmont. The responses are interesting.
Simonelli said he received the letter. He said he thought it was “junk mail”: “I deleted it,” Tony said. “I guess that’s the end of the story.” You have to love that. There could be no better response. Clairmont said he, too, was contacted and asked by the lobbyist for a private meeting: “I did not reply,” Clairmont told THE PLANET. “I did not consider it necessary. If he has something to say, he can say it to everyone at a council meeting.” Caccamo replied this way: “Mr. Nathan Fedorchak did not reach out to me at anytime. This is the first I’m hearing of his name. We have not spoken on the phone, exchanged emails, or met in person.” Amuso said she “did not receive an e-mail from Mr. Fedorchak.” Tully said she got the letter and deleted it.
Lothrop joins Amuso and Caccamo is saying he didn’t receive the e-mail. Connell added this comment:
“I didn’t receive the email but councilor Mazzeo told me about it . Apparently, this firm wanted to meet and if not, then they wanted to come to the May 26th council meeting. I mentioned to her that it would be better if they came to the next O&R meeting on June 1st.
“In regards to how I feel with this firm reaching out to the councillors, I don’t think it is any different than Mr Delgallo calling all the councillors about the proposed ban. Also, the law department of Cumberland farms contacted the councillors as well expressing their concern about the ban. They were totally unaware of the proposed ban and according to a conversation I had with Mr Delgallo, he had said that businesses were aware of the vote on the ban. That’s why I have been adamant that all businesses are notified so that we as a council can hear ALL the pros and cons of this issue.”
Mazzeo said she did receive the communication from the lobbyist. She did not meet with him, but invited him to attend the Ordinance and Rules Committee meeting on June 1 “if he wanted to speak on the issue.”
THE PLANET thanks our Right Honorable Good Friends for responding. We shall publish the answers of Morandi and Cotton, if and when they respond — or wake up, whichever comes first. THE PLANET shall present the final tally tomorrow in our Weekend Edition.
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“Day turned black, sky ripped apart
Rained for a year ’til it dampened my heart
Cracks and leaks
The floorboards caught rot
About to go down
I had almost forgot.
“All I got to do is to love you
All I got to be is, be happy
All it’s got to take is some warmth to make it
Blow Away, Blow Away, Blow Away.
“Sky cleared up, day turned to bright
Closing both eyes now the head filled with light
Hard to remember what a state I was in
Instant amnesia
Yang to the Yin.” — George Harrison, “Blow Away,” from the album George Harrison, (1979).
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
With Mr Gees indulgence I would like to ask a question.
Did the mayor get such a letter? I ask because he was kind of like the elephant in the room when he came out in favor of the gas pipeline when everyone else was against it. I suspect he got a letter from someone concerning that issue.
And Caccamo did not get a letter? Either they figure he was already in the bag or his opinion did not count? Curious they would leave him out of the conversation. Or perhaps he was just afraid of being drawn into the conversation.
Good one Dusty, with an open and transparent administration and the difficulty of proving a negative, coupled with honoring our veterans with a three day weekend, it’s my guess we’ll never know.
I wonder if there were any lobbyists from the construction industry
Involved in the decision to build a new high school.
My very thought, Paul. We can all guess who the names are and not be surprised. From what I have heard about the city’s Purchasing Dept. in the past, nothing concerning the bids received would surprise me.
If government wants to make it illegal for people to buy a product it’s government that is interfering in private matters, not private interests interfering with government.
Respectfully but wholeheartedly disagree. It’s the gov’t’s task to prevent harmful or fraudelent products from hitting the market. Consumers need protection, as the does the environment, to a reasonable degree.
The FDA has no problem with polystyrene, which also can be burned cleanly. Or are we also going to let loonies ban vaccines in our communities? There is nothing wrong with lobbying defensively against arbitrary regulations
Polystyrene can be recycled and reprocessed, but is not as abundant as paper, glass and plastic bottles that we put at the road side now. I have seen in other parts of our country where bins are set up just for polystyrene products at fast food restaurants and food courts that use polystyrene. The replacement for polystyrene, single use coated paperboard foodservice packaging , are not recycled because the coating and paper cannot be separated economically.
Perhaps a council member could do a sting.
A camera could record the entire illegal backroom arm twisting closed meeting and a copy be sent to the State Ethics commissioner and one to Planet TV for airing.
The council member who exposes this would be guaranteed a reelection to their seat as the people would trust them.
A splendid time is guaranteed for all.
I agree with Dv. At the local level this type of high-priced professional lobbying is not healthy.
Oh but it’s okay for the environmentalist to spew their garbage nonsense – you think they are not paid somewhere down the line?? This lobbyist is only doing what the law allows – good or bad. Like you said, they are paid to influence. You think they all represent big business – which you liberals have lately likened to the devil thanks to the (gasp) union lobbyists? As for this issue, they are only fighting against the dreaded foam container restrictions about to be enacted.
Personally on this issue, I couldn’t care. But when you ignore one issue and let them win it just gives them more clout and power to go after the next item on their agenda which you or I might care about.
The next line of defense will be against plastic bags. Well my family is low income and we happen to re-use the so-called single use plastic bags a lot. We use them from necessary wastebasket containers (we have one practically in every room) to using them to transport materials. I remember when paper became the enemy – save the trees – now it is plastic bags? I’m sure we are not the only ones that do this. Perhaps we should all dump our trash basket contents on your doorstep or preferably Del Gallo’s.
Del Gallo has failed on so more levels before – trying to change father’s rights laws, political activism, etc. that now he has figured out that if he pushes the liberal agenda (oh so very popular in this state), he will be loved and supported. He will play the game and become our own little reverend Sharpton, another great phony.
Who cares who got a letter. Perhaps the mayor is secretly supporting a Nigerian Prince?
Instead of pointing out the obvious about a lobbyist attempt, perhaps you should investigate the real influence into our local government. Right now, you’re not helping.
DEAR PV POSTERS. I HAVE ESTABLISHED BEYOND ANY DOUBT THAT THIS CITY COUNCIL CAN NOT FOLLOW THEIR OWN RULES THAT GOVERN THEIR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS. MAZZEO DIDNT ALLOW RESIDENTS TO SIGN IN PRIOR TO 7;30PM . SHE DIDNT ALLOW INDIVIDUALS TO SPEAK FOR OTHERS WHICH SHE AND CLAIRMONT STATED THEY COULD DO. I AM THE ONLY ONE OUT THERE TRYING TO MAKE WRONG RIGHT.IHAVE BROUGHT TO THE LIGHT OF DAY THE MANY THINGS THAT ARE WRONG IN OUR CITY AND AGAIN I AM OUT THERE ALL BY MYSELF.. I WILL NOT DROP THE BALL. NEVER, I AM A FIGHTER. IN 1982 I WAS DAVID AND THE CITY WAS GOLIATH B UT THROUGH PERSERVERENCE I succeded.I SEE MANY ON THIS SITE WHO COMPLAIN BUT I DONT SEE MANY ACTING.. YOU CAN COME TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND TELL THEM WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE ACCOMPLISHED. I HAVE LAID A GOOD GROUND WORK FOR YOU TO COME AND BE SUCCESFULL. REMEMBER DAN V AND I CAN ONLY LEAD YOU TO THE ROT THAT EXIST IN THIS CITY BUT YOU OUT THERE MUST DO MUCH MORE THAN YOU ARE PRESENTLY DOING. EVERY BODY MUST ADOPT THE ATTITUDE THAT ONE PERSON CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE ESPECIALLY IF WE ARE MARCHING IN LOCK STEP. LOOK WHAT DAN V HAS ACCOMPLISHED ON HIS OWN. HE IS ONE PERSON. MANY MORE PEOPLE READ THIS BLOG DAILY BUT MANY ARE THE SILENT MAJORITY. LETS HOPE THAT PEOPLE LIKE ME AND LINDA TYER ARE NOT OUT THERE WORKING OUR BUTTS OFF FOR NOTHING. RUNING FOR OFFICE IS DIFFICULT AND IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT EVERYONE STUDIES ALL THE ISSUES AND THAT WE ELECT THE PERSON WHO CAN BEST TURN THIS CITY AROUND. THE ONE PERSON THAT CAN NOT BE ELECTED IS BIANCHI . PUTTING HIM BACK IN WOULD B E THE FINAL NAIL IN THE CITY COFFIN. PLEASE EVERYBODY GET PERSONALLY IN VOLV ED SO THAT AFTER THE ELECTION YOU CAN SAY YOU DID YOUR BEST.HAVE A NICE WEEKEND AND REMEMBER THAT WHAT WE CELEB RATE PLEASE IF I AM NOT ELECTED I WILL PROUDLY SAY I GAVE IT MY BEST EVEN WITH PEOP LIKE ED MAC ; HORRACE JIMMY GEE AND SEVERAL OTHER NUTS ON THIS SITE THROWING STONES AT ME AND CASTING DOUBTS ABOUT MY RESUME . PV POSTERS PERHAPS YOU DONT JUMP IN AND RUN FOR SOME OFFICE BECAUSE OF THESE TYPES .DONT BE DETERED THEY HAVE NO FOLLOWING .LETS GET BACK TO THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL. WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO . PLEASE REMEMBER THOSE WHO PAID THE PRICE FOR YOUR FREEDOM. THIS WEEKEND WE CELEBRATE THE BEST OF EVERY PHILE WE WERE TOGETHET AND PRESENT GENERATION.. THEY HAVE LAID IN THEIR GRAVES AS YOUNG MEN AND WOMAN WHO NEVER HAD A CHANCE TO ENJOY THE FREEDOM EACH OF THEM GAVE TO US., GOD BLESS YOU GEORGE SHUFELT , DAVID BOREY AND ALL THE YOUNG MEN WHO DIED IN VIET NAM I PARTICULARLY WILL NEVER FORGET MY FRIENDS WHO DIED THAT I SERVED WITH AT THE FIRE BASES AND LANDING ZONES I WILL CONTINUE TO FLY MY POW FLAG AS I HAVE FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS UNTILL THE DAY I DIE OR WHEN EVER THE REMAINS OF THE LAST POW REMAINS ARE BROUGT HOME AND
I’m not a political strategist, but I can’t imagine how any of these bloviating diatribes you post on here will have any positive influence on your campaign.
Mr. Gaetani you need to hire a communications professional.
These diatribes are embarrassing…at least make them readable and grammatical.
Water man. I think it’s time for little R&R.
I hope you people don’t seriously think that this is him.
Each presidential candidate will spend $2.5 billion each over the next 1.5 years to win the White House. Where do you think they are going to raise that kind of cash? Not from Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski!
Waterman, how many names do you post under? What the heck
Is with all the caps? Your posts seem a bit immature for a serious political candidate. I really don’t get where your coming from.
Since when has it been unethical to meet with interested parties? The only way legislation is effective is for those being regulated to inform the regulators. This happens in Federal agencies routinely and it is both encouraged and funded by the taxpayers. There is absolutely no way that regulation works without it. Nobody in government would have an idea of how to implement any regulation without discussing it with the regulated. I participated in many meetings while at the Securities and Exchange Commission in DC. It is illegal and unethical to accept gifts but Fedorchak is offering nothing but time. The councilman who refused, Jon Krol, is misrepresenting Ward 6.
There are no doubt legal guidelines for councilpersons meeting with the regulated. I’m not a lawyer, but I imagine that its necessary to disclose the meeting and make available any materials. The councilpersons could meet with the business representatives and then with environmentalists to see what both have to say. Voters need to know the final arguments and facts, the process is really not very helpful and often very boring.
“UMass to pay incoming president $769,500 in salary, perks”
By Laura Krantz, Boston Globe Staff, May 21, 2015
Incoming UMass president Martin T. Meehan will make $769,500 during his first year on the job, including salary and benefits, according to terms of his five-year contract released Thursday.
The deal to oversee the five-campus university system will pay him less than his predecessor Robert Caret, but includes a penalty if he leaves before the end of the agreement.
Meehan’s overall compensation package will rise to $869,000 in 2019. Those figures include annual performance bonuses, retirement and life insurance contributions, and housing and car allowances.
The increases amount to about a 3.5 percent raise each year for Meehan in base salary, which starts at $525,000 when he begins in July and will rise to $602,000 five years from now. Caret’s annual raise was about 4.5 percent.
Meehan, who made $459,000 this year as chancellor of UMass Lowell, said Thursday he is pleased to have the contract negotiations behind him. In the past, he has said he has no intention of leaving early.
“This is my dream job and I am excited to get started,” he said in a statement.
For the first time, trustees stipulated in the agreement that if Meehan breaks his contract, as Caret did, the president will owe UMass a penalty that begins at $150,000 next year and shrinks to $50,000 by 2019.
Caret announced in December that he would leave UMass to head Maryland’s university system, two months after trustees had negotiated a new contract for him that would have paid him $952,000 in overall compensation by 2018, the final year of his contract. Caret would have earned a $600,000 base salary that year.
Unlike Caret’s contract, Meehan’s includes no deferred compensation payments, which would have awarded Caret an extra $200,000 over the life of his contract.
Meehan will get annual performance bonuses of 11 percent his base salary and retirement contributions of 18 percent his salary. Caret received 15 percent bonuses and 20 percent retirement contributions.
Contact Laura Krantz at laura.krantz@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @laurakrantz.
And to all you kids out there complaining about student loan debt. Thank this guy.
To all:
There is a saying back in the BBS days (Before Internet) –
‘Don’t Feed The Trolls’. When someone posts something off-topic – ignore them. Don’t respond. Keep the thread on topic.