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CONNELL, MORANDI, AND KROL RESPOND TO ACCUSATIONS OF TEAM TYER

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BY DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEKEND EDITION JAN. 24-6, 2020) — For The Weekend Edition, THE PLANET presents statements from two ward councilors regarding accusations made about them on Monday’s post by Eliminator, a key member of Mayor Linda Tyer’s re-election campaign staff. Here, Ward 4 councilor Chris Connell returns serve and then some, especially regarding his qualifications. As you recall, Eliminator called them into question.

Chris Connell

“I have never proclaimed to know everything about everything. I work very hard in educating concerning about issues that face the city and effect the residents. I personally feel that the finance committee is the most important in the city to monitor the city’s impact on the residents taxes.

“My resume comes from the private sector finance, public works and real estate. Yes, private sector [finance] is different from municipal finance, but I have educated myself over the last eight years regarding regarding the differences. That said, there are certainly many similarities.

“Regarding public works, I have done paving work including many potholes and have operated a snow plow, backhoe, and forklift. I have worked on many drainages issues and have researched over the years the different ways to treat roads during the winter, including using magnesium chloride, which I learned by communicating with other DPW commissioners in different communities. I have also installed septic systems in RI. How many councilors have performed that? Also, I have personally set up plowing for 45 stores in RI in my region [with Cumberland Farms], checking insurance requirements and equipment needs for all locations.

“Regarding water and sewer issues, I spent over a year looking at options for these two departments. I was looking at possible ways to save the rate payers by possibly privatizing these two departments. These options were not even considered by the mayor [Tyer]. By the way, two former mayors, Ruberto and Doyle, had advised Mayor Tyer that this was the best approach in a meeting with them and myself and the East Side Café at the beginning of her first term.

“I have a working knowledge of real estate tax lien sales, which I personally have attended in RI and have bid at such sales. I have purchased such properties for investment and have sold them at a profit.

“Regarding the assignments of councilors in 2014, let me just state that Barry [Clairmont] would not have been on finance had it not been for me. Melissa and I were advised not to put him on that committee. I specifically said that he was the most experienced and needs to be on it. Why, you may ask? I have always believed that the city needs the most experienced individuals representing the city. You don’t have to like or agree with everyone, but you need that experience for the good of the city.

“Finally, why am I aggressive with asking questions? I feel the residents deserve the truth regarding the city’s performance since the residents are footing the bill. If department heads don’t like that approach, then all I can ask is give the truth in numbers and answers to myself and the rest of the council.

“Hopefully this answers all of the pushback.”

———- ooo ———-

THE PLANET next heard from Ward 2’s Kevin Morandi. He makes the point that when council members get punished because of politics, it’s actually the citizens they represent that pay the price. We agree.

Kevin Morandi

“I take my committee assignments and city councilor position very seriously. I was elected by the voters of Ward 2 and I will always represent them and be a strong voice for them and all residents of the city until told different [by not being re-elected]. Being a ward councilor, you deal with everyday concerns be it potholes, trees, streetlights, snow plowing, etc. These are the calls and emails I get everyday from my constituents, and it is my job to advocate for them and try to get these concerns addressed and resolved.
“Being on the Public Works and Utilities subcommittee for the last 8 years allowed me the opportunity to ask the hard questions and to make sure that our taxpayers had the best shot at  getting the services that they are paying for. I wasn’t afraid to press for answers, as that is my job to again represent the residents. I gained valuable knowledge and experience from talking to engineers, contractors and construction workers from both the public and private sector and was always prepared for meetings. I always do my homework and research.
As for having  my chairmanship on the Public Health & Safety subcommittee taken away, it was a leadership position that I feel gave me the opportunity to make sure that the public was going to be heard and not cut off. I have been on this committee for 8 years also and chair for 4 years. This is where agenda items are vetted and valuable information and conversations happen. The public has a right to be heard, and as the chair of this committee I made sure that happened. Whether it was public safety concerns, public health concerns or any other items that came before this committee, I ran a fair and organized meeting and always acted professional towards members, presenters, and the public as the chair.
“In closing Dan, I will say that it is my duty as a councilor to make sure that the residents of the ward and the city get what they are paying for, and I will make sure that I will continue to do my best for the residents to be heard. If it means losing a committee assignment or chairmanship because of politics, so be it. It is just a shame that the residents who elect us get penalized. Thanks.”
———- ooo ———-

Finally, THE PLANET got a jingle from former Ward 6 councilor John Krol, responding to Eliminator’s accusation that it was he [Krol] who designed a key late-season mailer for mayoral candidate Melissa Mazzeo. Krol also address the sale of his home. He now lives in Newton.

John Krol

“I definitely DID NOT have anything to do with the Mazzeo campaign, and in particular, certainly had nothing to do with the SWAT postcard.

“And Ali and I sold our house after owning it for 12 years. We sold it for our asking price after investing significantly in our property over the years. Reflective of that investment, the appraised value was quite close to the final sale price. It’ll be a wonderful home for years to come for a new family.”

———- ooo ———-

THE PLANET thanks Connell, Morandi, and Krol for their input in balancing the record. We now invite you to chirp in on the topics of your choosing.

Have a great weekend, everybody.

—————————————————————————-

“Take away the sinners from the saints and you’re lucky if you end up with Abraham Lincoln”Paul Newman in the title role of Hud.

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

The views and opinions expressed in the comment section or in the text other than those of PLANET VALENTI are not necessarily endorsed by the operators of this website. PLANET VALENTI assumes no responsibility for such views and opinions, and it reserves the right to remove or edit any comment, including but not limited to those that violate the website’s Rules of Conduct and its editorial policies. PLANET VALENTI shall not be held responsible for the consequences that may result from any posted comment or outside opinion or commentary as provided in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and this website’s terms of service. All users of this website — including readers, commentators, contributors, or anyone else making use of its information, hereby agree to these conditions by virtue of this notice. When PLANET VALENTI ends with the words “The Usual Disclaimer,” that phrase shall be understood to refer to the full text of this disclaimer.

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SallySays
SallySays
4 years ago

Thank you Mr. Krol for your response about home sale. You set a record for that neighborhood and I do not begrudge you getting what you can. I would like to know your realtor if you had one, and appraiser, so I can either refinance mine or sell it, because you sure got a pretty penny for it. Best wishes to you and your family.

TellitLikeitIs
TellitLikeitIs
4 years ago

I hope councilor Connell or Morandi or both push for a real management study of the Pittsfield Police Department – hasn’t been one since I was a hippie. I would like an unbiased professional review and recommendation on staffing. And the rank and file deserve no less.

Johnny99
Johnny99
4 years ago

Wow, Chris, I can’t believe the GOBSIGS let you in The East to collaborate. Del Gallos must’ve been closed. Keep up the good work. There’s fraud, waste, and abuse and city could and should cut 10 percent across the board and another 10 off the school department. P.S. last thing city needs is 120 cops! Shoot for 99 first, no pun intended.

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

I really do NOT understand Pittsfield politics’ 2 fighting factions because they are all Democrats who answer to the same big wheels in Boston. Mayor Linda Tyer should invite her rivals and all taxpayers/residents to be heard in City Hall. She should denounce City Council Prez Peter Marchetti’s retribution against Melissa Mazzeo’s supporters.

Also, I believe both political factions have failed. Pittsfield has a distressed local economy with economic inequality and poverty. I do not believe Pittsfield politics wants living wage jobs because City Hall makes more money from federal dollars for social services programs. The poor people in Pittsfield have no real chance towards social mobility. The underclass in Pittsfield is being kept “barefoot and pregnant” by City Hall.

I believe John Krol meant well for Pittsfield. He moved on to Newton. Chris Connell is looking at for Pittsfield’s hard hit taxpayers. Kevin Morandi is right that Pittsfield politics’ long history of retribution ultimately hurts Pittsfield’s hard hit taxpayers.

No Shit Sherlock
No Shit Sherlock
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

Chris Connell has voted for every single tax increase since being elected. But you claim he’s fighting for the tax payers. If you believe that then I have a bridge in NYC I want to sell you!

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
Reply to  No Shit Sherlock
4 years ago

Chris Connell must be doing something right to have so many enemies in Pittsfield politics! He is not part of Linda Tyer & Peter Marchetti’s political network, so he faces retribution. I know how it feels. I went through it when my dad was a Pittsfield area politician back in the day. I do agree with you on one point, the 2 factions in Pittsfield politics have both failed.

Johnny2Shoes
Johnny2Shoes
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

Jon,
I feel bad about what happened. Your dad is a good man.

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
Reply to  Johnny2Shoes
4 years ago

January 24, 2020

Re: Sorry for what happened….

In response to a posting on Dan Valenti’s awesome blog: “Jon, I feel bad about what happened. Your dad is a good man.”

I am very thankful for the people who helped my dad and me when my father was a Pittsfield area politician from 1996 – mid-2000. Mary E. Carey, Alan Chartock, and other civic-minded journalists let me know they were on my side, and to let them know what happened, and to always keep them posted.

They had people conspiratorially bullied me, they filed multiple “ethics” complaints against my dad for exercising “Freedom of Speech”, they tried to have me arrested and jailed, they blacklisted me from employment, and they spread vicious rumors about me.

Nearly 24 years later, not one of these conspiratorial Pittsfield political area bullies ever apologized to my dad and/or me. It makes me wonder what politics is really all about. They make wonderful speeches to get elected, but then they love to dish out retribution and pain on common people like my dad and me.

– Jonathan Melle

https://jonathanmelleonpolitics.blogspot.com/2008/05/andrea-nuciforo-jonathan-melle-month-of.html

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
Reply to  danvalenti
4 years ago

Thank you, Dan. My dad and me both think you are a good man who loves Pittsfield.

Plead the Fifth
Plead the Fifth
4 years ago

Tyer’s attitude and that of her team are the same as that of DA Harrington’s – politics first and to hell with the people that elected them…unless of course it makes for a favorable political show.

I see today’s Eagle has continued reporting on Harrington, and I’m sure Squeaky is blowing her cool. In an attempt to cover her expanding derriere, Harrington simply lied in an interview to WAMC. Her puppet McKeever simply spread those lies like moldy cream cheese on a stale bagel. Kempthorne was forced to defend herself. I hate to break it to Harrington, but in the school of public opinion, when it comes to who we believe is telling the truth, Andrea is simple not believable.

I recall a comment made by a now retired attorney: “When asked for a comment, the best comment is no comment. When you don’t say anything, they’ve got nothing to talk about and the story dies in a day or two.”

Clearly, both Tyer and Harrington have never heard of this concept. When you’re standing knee deep in cow manure. you should have enough brains to know it. When you try and walk out of it and fall face first into it, you should have enough common sense to know it’s time to call it quits and hit the shower. Ms. Harrington just doesn’t understand that she’s knee deep in it, was dumb enough to completely swim in it, and it’s the beginning of the end.

Pat
Pat
Reply to  JohnnyTwoCents
4 years ago

I totally disagree with the comparison between President Trump and Ukraine and Andrea Harrington and handing over documents to the Berkshire Eagle. There is no comparison. Ukraine didn’t know anything about any attempt to hold back money from them so that squashes the idea that he was holding it over their heads unless they did something he wanted. President Trump had every right to be suspicious of what Ukraine might do with the money given the corruption that we have seen with Joe Biden and his son and corruption involving lots of other politically connected people in Ukraine. Leave it to a Berkshire Eagle article to take a shot at Trump while investigating one of their own.

Andrea Harrington didn’t want certain documents to see the light of day for fear of political repercussions for her. Totally different scenario.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Pat
4 years ago

Donald Trump was caught red handed trying to corrupt the anti corruption new President of Ukraine.

Rocks 4 Jocks
Rocks 4 Jocks
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

How is asking to look into corruption a crime?

Debra
Debra
Reply to  JohnnyTwoCents
4 years ago

Thank you for posting this JohnnyTwoCents.

JohnnyTwoCents
JohnnyTwoCents
Reply to  Debra
4 years ago

You’re welcome

Auto Phil
Auto Phil
Reply to  JohnnyTwoCents
4 years ago

Can anyone copy and paste the text of this article?

Debra
Debra
Reply to  Auto Phil
4 years ago

By Heather Bellow, The Berkshire Eagle
PITTSFIELD — When Jeanne Kempthorne released public documents about a politically fraught investigation, she said she acted in defiance of Berkshire District Attorney Andrea Harrington, who initially had instructed her not to respond.

Kempthorne, the DA’s public records officer and general counsel, resigned last week from the District Attorney’s Office over Harrington’s continued resistance to releasing the public documents.

Kempthorne pushed back this week against Harrington who, in a WAMC radio interview, laid claim instead to having authorized the release of the documents.

If anything, Kempthorne said, she “irritably acquiesced.”

She also said Harrington’s statements misrepresent public records law as it pertains to documents from state police, and she challenged the DA’s characterization of her tenure in the office as “rocky.”

Kempthorne said the public records dispute was the last straw, and that Harrington routinely ignored her legal advice and ran a “campaign culture” in the office, an atmosphere that places political concerns above the public’s right to information.

The Eagle filed a public records request for communications between the District Attorney’s Office and officials at Bard College at Simon’s Rock concerning a student’s claim that she had been racially attacked on campus.

The costly law enforcement investigation into the racially charged issue was a thorny one for Harrington, and she ultimately decided in mid-November not to press charges against the 18-year-old student for the hoax.

The Eagle sought the records to help gain some insight into the reported assault and conclusion that it was false — a series of events that rattled the student body and community.

In the days that followed The Eagle’s story, WAMC aired its interview with Harrington in which she gave rebuttals to Kempthorne’s claims.

Harrington would not speak directly with The Eagle for its story, which broke Jan. 16 on berkshireeagle.com. She had called The Eagle’s editor to quash the story, but she was denied.

But, through a spokesman, Harrington denied any wrongdoing.

This week, Kempthorne responded to Harrington’s claim.

“She did not approve [the documents],” Kempthorne said.

No legal reason

Kempthorne said she could find no legal reason to justify holding back the emails and fought Harrington’s contention that they not be released.

During a meeting, Kempthorne said, Harrington was “silent” and “annoyed” by her decision to send those documents to The Eagle despite Harrington not providing approval.

“There absolutely never was a [substantive legal] discussion except an email exchange,” Kempthorne said.

In an email thread from Jan. 8 and Jan. 10 obtained by The Eagle, Harrington told Kempthorne that the District Attorney’s Office would not be producing the documents to The Eagle, and that her spokesman would handle delivering that response to a reporter.

When asked for comment about Kempthorne’s specific assertions, Andrew McKeever, the spokesman, said he would not comment on “a back-and-forth on a personnel issue.” But, McKeever was adamant that Harrington did ultimately authorize the release of documents, despite some disagreement in the office.

“She approved it — that’s the bottom line,” McKeever said.

Speaking on the radio, Harrington said there was no harm done because her office ultimately provided the documents to The Eagle.

“There’s no there' there," she said, dismissing the suggestion that her office acted improperly. "We did turn over the request records."

Kempthorne challenged that assertion, though, likening it to President Donald Trump's response to charges that his administration withheld security aid for Ukraine.

"That's like the Ukraine issue," she said. "You [eventually] gave the money, but you gave the money after [being exposed]. Had [Harrington] been left to her own devices, she would not have turned it over."

Kempthorne, who was appointed by Harrington after her election in 2018, said it was Harrington's response to the request for the Simon's Rock emails that was the "straw that broke the camel's back" and set off her decision to resign.

She said Harrington is running a political rather than legal office, and that she had marginalized Kempthorne, "silo-ed" her and ignored her legal advice as general counsel. Kempthorne also said Harrington was supportive of her work as chief of appeals, and that she supports Harrington's reform initiatives.

Kempthorne, 63, gave Harrington one month's notice so that she could organize a transition that would include managing outstanding appeals and other records requests. But, two days later, Kempthorne suddenly was told to clean out her office, did so while supervised and was marched out of the building.

Calling the District Attorney's Office atmosphere a "campaign culture," Kempthorne said Harrington was acting in her own interest, rather than that of the public's, when, in an email exchange with Kempthorne, Harrington said the office would not respond to The Eagle's request, and that she would rely on McKeever.

"We are not responding to this request," Harrington wrote Jan. 8. "Andy will handle this."

But, after several exchanges Jan. 10 in which Kempthorne told her that she could find no legal grounds to withhold them, Harrington said, "I agree," though she expressed lingering concerns about whether it was proper to reveal state police communications.

Kempthorne redacted the emails and sent them to The Eagle on Jan. 10, despite McKeever having told a reporter in a phone conversation that nothing in The Eagle's Dec. 16 records request would be provided.

"I strongly urge Andy to call [reporter] back and advise her that he misspoke," Kempthorne wrote Harrington. "I want to produce these ASAP."

The email to The Eagle already had passed the 10-working-day response time required by state law.

Kempthorne, a lawyer of 36 years who once served on the state's Ethics Commission, countered other claims Harrington made in her WAMC interview, including that no complaints or appeals pertaining to the District Attorney's Office's handling of public records had been made to the Secretary of State or the District Attorney's Office itself in Harrington's first year in office.

Complaints made

Although she has lost access to her records since her departure, Kempthorne said there were two or three complaints or appeals made to the Secretary of State's supervisor of records, and at least one was made directly to the District Attorney's Office, a pushback from a Boston Globe reporter about the release of docket numbers.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AFTER THESE ADS

Kempthorne called the latter a "respectful, professional" questioning, and Kempthorne said she later resolved the situation after studying the case law.

"It's just false that we never had anybody complain," Kempthorne said.

"It's never been an issue"

Harrington said on WAMC and in her email exchange with Kempthorne that her hesitancy to produce the emails was based on the concern that it could interfere with the needs of state police, since some of the Simon's Rock case correspondence contained emails from state police Lt. Detective Ed Culver. Harrington wondered whether those requests had to go through the state police instead.

Kempthorne said this has "never been an issue," and that state police emails that regularly come through the District Attorney's Office instantly become public records because the office receives them. She said she applies the law to all records requests "case by case."

"It's always about the scope of privacy," Kempthorne said. "The hardest questions are about the investigative exemption."

Kempthorne said that complicated issues do exist, particularly related to CORI, or Criminal Offender Record Information, but "this isn't it."

"The interface between CORI and public records is really a mess — that's legitimate," Kempthorne said. "But, this isn't what's happening here. This [state police question] isn't an area of struggle."

In the email thread, Kempthorne responded to Harrington's concern that it was her understanding that Massachusetts State Police emails are exempt and "must go through MSP."

"These are documents in our possession, so any exemption for the MSP is inapplicable," Kempthorne replied. "But, what exemption? ... These are not even internal police records. These are copies, sent to this office, of communications with non-police, non-victim third parties."

But, she told The Eagle that she was frustrated by the lack of legal justification in Harrington's concerns about releasing state police emails to college officials, despite Kempthorne's assurances as public records officer.

"They are not witness statements, they are not work product, they are in no way privileged, indeed, they are not even investigative materials," she wrote to Harrington on Jan. 8. "They are reports to school administrators. I can't think of a basis not to produce them."

Kempthorne then proposed redacting the name of the student who claimed that she was attacked, as well as other identifying information.

No excuse to withhold

Jeffrey Pyle, a First Amendment lawyer with Boston-based Prince Lobel Tye LLP, agreed with Kempthorne's analysis.

"Public record law applies to every document and every record that is in the possession of a public entity," he said. "The DA is a public entity."

Pyle said he understood why Harrington might want to consult with the state police investigator to determine whether the release might threaten an investigation that "is ongoing in a real sense."

But, he said that the record's origin from another agency is no excuse to withhold documents.

And, he added, Harrington even has the discretion to release records, even if those records do not have to be released under law.

"Unless a specific statute prohibits the release," Pyle said.

Pyle said that without this statutory prohibition, a decision to give the state police control of records would speak clearly to an official's stance on open government.

"A DA who is committed to transparency would not outsource public records decisions to the MSP, which is a notoriously secretive agency," Pyle said.

Pyle noted that, in 2015, the group Investigative Reporters and Editors, which advocates for open government, awarded the Golden Padlock Award to the Massachusetts State Police for the agency's persistent clampdown on public documents.

And, Pyle further said that the investigative exemption applies to material that would "threaten law enforcement interest," and that simply saying that an investigation still is open is not an excuse to withhold information from the public.

'Rocky' tenure

Kempthorne disputed Harrington's comments on WAMC that her tenure was "rocky" and that she was a "disgruntled ex-employee."

"It is a baldfaced lie," Kempthorne said.

Harrington always had expressed gratitude for her service, according to Kempthorne.

Upon naming Kempthorne and others to the senior leadership team at the District Attorney's Office in 2018, Harrington called the group an "experienced and talented group of prosecutors" who "are recognized as statewide leaders in the legal community."

In April 2019, Harrington told McKeever, who was then the reporter covering Harrington for iBerkshires, that Kempthorne's roles were part of her new administration's freshening of the District Attorney's Office.

"Jeanne Kempthorne was brought on as chief of appeals, to serve as legal counsel, and to head the ethics office — the latter two roles are new to the Berkshire County," McKeever wrote in the iBerkshires story headlined "100 Days: An Interview With District Attorney Andrea Harrington."

McKeever quoted Harrington: "We changed the leadership in the office. It was important to have leaders who believed in the values and the mission that voters voted for."

Kempthorne, a graduate of Harvard/Radcliffe College and Berkeley Law School, had spent 11 years in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Boston as part of the major crimes unit, economic crimes unit, and chief of the public corruption and special prosecution unit. She spent her other 25 years in law in private practice, where her specialty was appeals and post-conviction work.

On Wednesday, Kempthorne was lauded in a letter to the editor of The Eagle. That letter, headlined "Kempthorne put ethics before career," was signed by eight public defenders in the Amherst law firm of Molly Ryan Strehorn, all of whom have been assigned cases from Berkshire County.

"We need more people who adhere with faithfulness and bravery to a strict moral compass," they wrote. "As public defenders, we hope to come across people like Jeanne Kempthorne who do simple things like: promptly reply to requests, openly state reasons for opposition, and adhere to legal guidelines. We need people like Jeanne Kempthorne in order to make this judicial system function. The fact that she had to choose between her values and her career is a sad testament to the failures of this system."

Kempthorne said it was a walk in the woods with a friend the weekend after the tussle over the Simon's Rock emails that made her realize she had to resign and blow the whistle.

"I think [Harrington] should have come to me and said,Jeanne, you’ve raised some serious issues,’ but she did not,” Kempthorne said. “I went for a walk at Canoe Meadow. There’s nothing like the woods to let the light in.”

Heather Bellow can be reached at hbellow@berkshireeagle.com or on Twitter @BE_hbellow and 413-329-6871.

Maggie May
Maggie May
Reply to  Debra
4 years ago

The story was by the editor it says Heather Bellow for the shine. The Berkshire Eagle is getting major flack for this non story. It was picked up by no one Nada not even the Penny saver. Did you read to the end? I know it was excruciating at best. Kempthorne saying I was walking in the woods and a butterfly landed on my shoulder Blah Blah Blah that’s when I had had a vision of going to the Eagle. PA Please! that was the biggest piece of garbage I have ever read. It sounded like the teacher instructing the kids on how to write a story 1. The Beginning 2. The Middle 3. The end and kids make sure ya have a little spice at the end. Raise your hand if you could get to the end.

Markus Aureluis
Markus Aureluis
Reply to  Maggie May
4 years ago

No, Maggie, it sounds like Squeaky got caught w/her hands in the “Progressive Cookie Jar.”

We all know, if this truly had been a hate crime, we would have read multiple statements from the DA herself, about “hate has no place,” “sincere regret to the victim’s family,” etc, etc. Would Squeaky have charged the suspects-if they weren’t a fairly tale? You bet your a$$ she would have. We would have seen their faces day in and day out of weeks, with a statement everyday from the DA.

But, it didn’t fit her agenda. A couple of black females created a “Jussie Smollett,” situation. I guess they were to stupid to watch what happened to him…….wait, nothing happened to him. Just like this case. Nobody was punished. As a tax-payer, what a waste of resources.

If I were a parent, I want some kind of tuition reimbursement for the week my son/daughter lost, because of reverse discrimination.

TellitLikeitIs
TellitLikeitIs
Reply to  Auto Phil
4 years ago

I can but not sure it is legal.

TellitLikeitIs
TellitLikeitIs
Reply to  JohnnyTwoCents
4 years ago

So did the Eagle actually request the police reports from Great Barrington and State Police, and is the Eagle going to run the inside story on the actual investigation, or just all this tit for tat?

Johnny Absurdo
Johnny Absurdo
4 years ago

Ironically nepotism and favoritism has contributed to the decline of the quality of life in Pittsfield. The roads would never have been allowed to deteriorate to the state they are in now with the DPW bosses of the 90s. And this is true of other departments that have friends or family of connected people running the show instead of truly qualified people. Bumping these councilors is one more example of playing politics as the expense of the taxpaying citizenry. If only we could get city leaders that really gave a shit about the city and not their own personal betterment. Linda and Pete are in it for themselves.

Johnny99
Johnny99
Reply to  Johnny Absurdo
4 years ago

Remember Bill Forrestall, Tony Arielle and Superintendent Davis?

Barry Clairmont
Barry Clairmont
4 years ago

This is very interesting reading.

I’d like to thank Councilor Connell for his response and his honesty.

Councilor Connell admits that in 2014 the Council assignments were political. He says that the only reason I survived on Finance was because of him, for that, thank you! He also admits that there was pressure (assumed from Bianchi) to take me off. There is the politics. Councilor Connell doesn’t address Krol and my removal from O & R, Lothrop’s removal from Finance and Krol’s removal from Community and Economic Development.

In 2014, you didn’t see Lothrop, Krol or myself make any public statements complaining about our assignments, not a peep out of us. We knew it was political and we know how it works. For Connell and Morandi to complain about what happened to them shows they don’t understand how things work.

I agree with Chris that the City needs experienced people on all the committees. Both he and Morandi are still on the committees where they have experience, especially Chris; they just aren’t the chair. I think it is insulting for either of them to imply that their fellow councilors aren’t capable of doing the job. It implies that either one of them are indispensable to the city. We all are expendable. The city ran before each of us and it will run fine after we are all gone.

Barry

JohnnyTwoCents
JohnnyTwoCents
Reply to  Barry Clairmont
4 years ago

Thank you sir for your two cents worth. Makes sense to me.

Donut Doit
Donut Doit
Reply to  Barry Clairmont
4 years ago

This just in Barry “Ballots“ Clairmont declares politics political, and water wet. News at 11.
In other breaking news he Ballots completely flubs that Team Mazzeo gave home his chance and his bride did not do the same.

Acute Angina
Acute Angina
Reply to  Barry Clairmont
4 years ago

I guess that Barry is saying that what is currently happening is political. Didn’t linda claim to be above petty politics? I guess she was full of it.

juicylucy
juicylucy
Reply to  Acute Angina
4 years ago

She is so entrenched in the old boy regime that is how she became the mayor. She is completely unqualified to be in the corner office. As the city clerk she was in charge of elections. I find it curious that she won all seven wards and fourteen precincts and became mayor. Jim Ruberto appointed her city clerk costing the taxpayers of Pittsfield to hold a special election but money is of no concern to the elite of Pittsfield.

Barry Clairmont
Barry Clairmont
Reply to  Acute Angina
4 years ago

I’m not saying it is or isn’t. Linda had no part in the committee assignments.

Gobsig
Gobsig
Reply to  Barry Clairmont
4 years ago

Marchetti never talks with her.

Johnny Absurdo
Johnny Absurdo
Reply to  Barry Clairmont
4 years ago

Did she tell you that? Are you saying she would not lie to you? I personally do not consider her a reliable source of information. Doubted her before the Stanley handout but now I am sure I do not trust her on anything. But that is just me. Plus I do not think Marchetti would dare make any moves without consulting his handlers.

Gobsig
Gobsig
Reply to  Barry Clairmont
4 years ago

Hey Barry, the city will run better off when you retire and move away.

juicylucy
juicylucy
Reply to  Gobsig
4 years ago

Barry can’t retire until his wifey gets her city pension.

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
Reply to  Barry Clairmont
4 years ago

Barry you say the “city ran before each of us and it will run fine after we are gone. You wisely do not speak to how it is running “now”. I do hope it will run fine after this administration is gone but right now it is in a downward spiral. You just can’t grasp that from the ivory tower view.

Needle Nuuscance
Needle Nuuscance
Reply to  Johnny Absurd
4 years ago

I think he means life support by sucking us dry.

Village Knight
Village Knight
Reply to  Barry Clairmont
4 years ago

Barry Clairmont!–You were one of the most corrupted Councilors in Pittsfield. So, according to your village “logic” if Mayor Bianchi retaliated and removed You, John Krol and your buddy, Jonathan Lothrop–then your wife and Peter Marchetti can do the same–Political retaliation! Sooner or later Linda Tyer will be removed!

Mr. Fritz
Mr. Fritz
4 years ago

So Eliminator is a false witness.
On to real issues;
NOW McCandless wants to hire yet another consultant to study the district’s school buildings and come up with a plan to reorganize physical plants. What happened to the consultants’ report from several years ago? Why has it taken so long for the administration to realize that with only roughly 5,000 students versus 12,000 in its heyday, schools need to be closed? A little slow on the draw, I’d say. Wake up school administrators!

Johnny Absurdo
Johnny Absurdo
Reply to  Mr. Fritz
4 years ago

Isn’t that the superintendents job? He gets paid a kings ransom for what? Why should we pay a consultant for what the superintendent should already know? Skimming and scamming.

Mr. Fritz
Mr. Fritz
Reply to  Johnny Absurdo
4 years ago

You are right, Absurdo. As my better half has said, hiring a consultant gives the Super someone to blame when parents start screaming about their neighborhood school being closed, or their kids being bussed across town for reasons of “diversity.”

TellitLikeitIs
TellitLikeitIs
Reply to  Mr. Fritz
4 years ago

Quick draw McDraw he ain’t, when it comes to closing schools, but when it comes to leaving Pittsfield, he was for it before he was against it.

Jumpin Joe Curtis
Jumpin Joe Curtis
4 years ago

My favorite quote from Professor Wynn. Good to know we have an army policing the streets.

“Wynn said, as a paramilitary organization, employees are restricted in what they can say in relation to their duties. He said this is clear in the department’s rules and regulations and is backed up by state law. “

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
Reply to  Jumpin Joe Curtis
4 years ago

Paramilitary? Wynn been watching too many cop shows on TV………

Does not the Constitution have something to say about this kind of, government force, used on American Citizens?

Yankeyyawwho
Yankeyyawwho
Reply to  Mad Trapper
4 years ago

You have a Plice Oversight City mitten.

TellitLikeitIs
TellitLikeitIs
Reply to  Yankeyyawwho
4 years ago

A whaat?

Jumpin Joe Curtis
Jumpin Joe Curtis
Reply to  Mad Trapper
4 years ago

All it takes is some yahoo to call and say you are a menace and the county SWAT shows up to shoot you

Johnny Absurdo
Johnny Absurdo
Reply to  Jumpin Joe Curtis
4 years ago

Haaa. What a cop-out. That is Trump talk dancing around and spinning. What a crew we got.

Jumpin Joe Curtis
Jumpin Joe Curtis
4 years ago

Such good reading in the berkshires this morning. On one hand:

“I send my heartfelt condolences to those who loved Christa dearly and the entire transgender community who looked up to her as a leader,” said District Attorney Andrea Harrington. “This is yet another horrific domestic violence homicide in the Berkshires. My office focuses on holding perpetrators of these crimes accountable and this sentence will keep a very dangerous person away from the community for years to come.”

On the other:

PITTSFIELD — A North Adams woman arrested in 2018 as part of an investigation into heroin dealing had her case continued without a finding Wednesday, after pleading guilty in Berkshire Superior Court to a distribution charge.

Seton Janulis, 33, and her co-defendant, Chad Lutz, 41, also of North Adams, were identified by confidential informants as using a Hall Street apartment as a base of operations for heroin dealing.

Neither the state nor Janulis’ attorney were seeking jail time. The attorneys differed only on whether Janulis would serve two years of probation and have the felony conviction on her record or whether she would have her charge continued without a finding and ultimately dismissed.

Both recommendations called for Janulis to abide by the same conditions for two years, including remaining drug free, undergoing a substance abuse evaluation and following whatever recommendations are made as a result.

The two were under surveillance, and investigators received word that Lutz had run out of heroin and was planning to resupply, according to Assistant Berkshire District Attorney Megan Tesoniero.

Police obtained a warrant to attach a GPS device to Lutz’s vehicle. The vehicle was tracked to Holyoke, and police pulled it over in Savoy on its return trip. Janulis had about 1,400 bags of heroin strapped to her body when police stopped the vehicle.

What a time we live in!

TellitLikeitIs
TellitLikeitIs
Reply to  Jumpin Joe Curtis
4 years ago

Ah come on man. What’s 1,400 bags of dope among friends???? Personal use, that’s all.

Jumpin Joe Curtis
Jumpin Joe Curtis
Reply to  TellitLikeitIs
4 years ago

It’s OK Dealing is just a symptom of “the disease” Right Andrea?

Johnny Absurdo
Johnny Absurdo
Reply to  TellitLikeitIs
4 years ago

It is just a matter of time before heroin will be for sale in an addition put onto some politicians pot store. Alcohol used to be illegal but then the state realized they could make millions taxing it. Cigarettes used to be a health hazard and the state warns against smoking, even putting a warning on the packages. But they allow its sale and collect billions on taxes. Pot used to be the demon entry drug but now is a health food and the state is making billions on it. Just a matter of time before some politician decides that heroin makes the world go around and makes it legal. And then makes billions taxing it.

Acute Angina
Acute Angina
Reply to  TellitLikeitIs
4 years ago

Opioids are now responsible for more deaths than cars or guns, and are about equal to suicides in the US and nit wit Harrington wants to give dealers a slap on the wrist and a blueberry muffin.

Revursedakerse
Revursedakerse
Reply to  TellitLikeitIs
4 years ago

Hey,she created more jobs at the rehab joint. Quid pro blow.

Jerry Packard
Jerry Packard
4 years ago

Adam Schiff is my hero. He hit the nail on the head. It’s all about TRUTH and what is RIGHT. Rush Limbaugh, Shaun Hannity and Donald Trump ignore Truth and what is Right for one reason and one reason only: because it keeps the cash rolling in.

Acute Angina
Acute Angina
Reply to  Jerry Packard
4 years ago

Schiff is a serial lier

Mr. Fritz
Mr. Fritz
Reply to  Jerry Packard
4 years ago

Schiff also thinks that the electorate is too dumb to be given the right to vote for president. That’s a paraphrase from his remarks yesterday. Do you also agree with him, Jerry?

Jerry Packard
Jerry Packard
Reply to  Mr. Fritz
4 years ago

Of course not. But I’m not sure what you say is true.

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
Reply to  Jerry Packard
4 years ago

Don’t be a Schiff-head, pull your head out!

https://www.wnd.com/2020/01/adam-schiff-americans-stupid-decide-elections/

In his opening statement Wednesday in the impeachment trial of President Trump, Schiff charged that the results of elections cannot be trusted and Americans who vote are too stupid to make such decisions.

Jerry Packard
Jerry Packard
Reply to  danvalenti
4 years ago

Yes, Dan, I agree it was an unnecessary remark in an otherwise good performance.

Pat
Pat
Reply to  Jerry Packard
4 years ago

That’s all it was…a performance. NOTHING Schiff has said is true. Did you not watch the Republican side today? They caught Schiff in one lie after another. His reading of President’s Trumps call was a total lie and then he lied about having absolute proof of Trump and Russian collusion. Schiff cannot stop lying.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  danvalenti
4 years ago

Schiff is a great citizen of our country.I respect him as a leader in America.Calling this impeachment a hoax is delusional. Its very real.Wanting to keep Trump in office politically is acceptable but not without push back.I believe Trump wont see it as most see this.Trump will feel empowered and unleashed.He will be a monster.The right wants a monster.Hes yours but all of us have to pay for your party making a huge mistake.You lose by winning.

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
Reply to  danvalenti
4 years ago

Dan, Trumps team destroyed the D-Rats case Saturday.

Made them look like lying loonies! Hiding exculpatory evidence, no due process, third hand wittnesses (those they called), secretive backdoor proceedings….

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Mad Trapper
4 years ago

There are no witnesses. What are you watching?Hello

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

The 3rd party, I heard, she said, he said the D-Rats presented

TSC

I can’t wait until the Bidens, Schiff-head, and “the wistleblower” are subpoenaed.

Joe can tell us how he extorted Ukraine, Hunter can tell us about Brumisa, Schiff about his lies and fabrications…….

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Mad Trapper
4 years ago

I love the idea of all witnesses.If the are crooked put all of them in jail.Lets do witnesses. Biden Schiff dont care.

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
Reply to  danvalenti
4 years ago

https://www.wnd.com/2020/01/multiple-dem-senators-already-considering-voting-acquit-trump/

At least two Senate Democrats are already signaling they could vote for President Donald Trump’s acquittal just hours into the president’s legal team began their defense, The Hill reported.

After Saturday’s trial session — which ended early to allow Democratic senators to hit the campaign trail — Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said Trump’s legal team did such a “good job” that their arguments are “making me think about things.”

“One thing that stuck in my mind is they said there isn’t a witness they have had so far that had direct contact with the president. I’d love to hear from Mulvaney and Bolton,” Manchin told a CNN reporter. “I’ll be very impartial til the end.”

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Mad Trapper
4 years ago

This trial will go down in history as a coverup. I hope there are no witnesses allowed.The damage will be so far reaching and damaging to the Right I encourage it.

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
Reply to  danvalenti
4 years ago

The best is yet to come…Shiff-head, Old dementia Joe and his baby daddy Son on the stand

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/01/gop-senator-hawley-drafts-motions-to-subpoena-adam-schiff-the-whistleblower-and-the-bidens-to-testify/

Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) drafted motions to subpoena impeachment manager Rep. Adam Schiff, ICIG Michael Atkinson, Eric Ciaramella, Hunter Biden and Joe Biden to testify.

“If the Senate calls witnesses, I will ask for votes on all these next week,” Hawley said.

I have drafted motions to subpoena Adam Schiff, the “whistleblower,” Hunter Biden, and Joe Biden to testify. If the Senate calls witnesses, I will ask for votes on all these next week https://t.co/NW1fuyYVF4

— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) January 25, 2020

Politico reported that Hawley will also seek communications between the whistleblower (Eric Ciaramella) and Schiff’s staffers as well as ICIG Michael Atkinson’s testimony which is still under seal.

The Missouri Republican is preparing to file subpoena requests for witnesses and documents that Democrats and Republicans alike won’t want to vote on. Hawley’s strategy harmonizes with plans from GOP Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Rand Paul of Kentucky to force votes to hear from Hunter Biden, the former vice president’s son who was on the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma.

Hawley would also seek communications among the whistleblower, Schiff and his staff, transcripts of Atkinson’s congressional testimony, communications between the House impeachment managers and Democratic presidential candidates as well as documents related to Biden’s drive to oust former Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin. Shokin was deeply unpopular with Western officials, who viewed him as corrupt.

President Trump’s lead impeachment lawyer Pat Cipollone on Saturday hinted that Schiff may be subpoenaed because he never appeared before the House Judiciary Committee’s impeachment hearing.

Lead investigator Adam Schiff still has not testified or answered any questions.

In contrast, Ken Starr was cross-examined by the Clinton White House during Slick Willie’s impeachment in 1998.

Schiff is still keeping Michael Atkinson’s testimony under seal because it will reveal Schiff’s staffers colluded with the whistleblower Eric Ciaramella before he filled out a whistleblower form.

Atkinson’s testimony will also reveal that Eric Ciaramella lied about his contact with Schiff’s office.

Former NatSec CoS and CIA analyst Fred Fleitz said the whistleblower did not fill out the form on his own, rather it looks like Schiff’s staffers and lawyers helped draft the complaint.

“From my experience, such an extremely polished whistleblowing complaint is unheard of,” Fleitz said. “He appears to have collaborated in drafting his complaint with partisan House Intelligence Committee members and staff.”

Merry & Bright
Merry & Bright
4 years ago

Lets all pretend for a few minutes. You are from out of the state, have a great new company and are looking for a home for it. You hear about a city called Pittsfield which more or less borders New York and Vermont – sounds good let’s take a look. Once in Pittsfield you start to drive around, you notice that the streets are dirty and litter is all around, you notice that there are traffic signage and street light poles lying in the medians, there are potholes every where, along with pan handlers on every corner. You are obeying the speed limit but people are laying on their horn, passing you on the right and left and blowing through red lights. You decide to go to the main street called North Street. Drive around finally find a parking spot, yet once you park you can’t figure out how to use the meter kiosk and notice other folks having the same problem, so you get in your car and start driving. You notice a huge empty parking lot by the fire station. Pull in, there is that meter kiosk. Oh well, most of the stores are empty anyway.

You need some gas for your car so you stop at Cumberland Farms on First Street just in time to see fire and EMS trying to revive someone with Narcan while ladies of the night watch. You then drive around and take a look at the local lakes and scenery, you take a look at the schools, wonder why is there always a police car out in front. You head back to your motel in Lenox with newspapers in hand. Once you start reading you see that there is a major issue with the DA’s office, there is a front page article about the problems with the damn meter kiosk, the Police Department is under staffed and just needed to have the Rules and Regulations rolled out to them again because of a breach of private information, the Mayor and Head of City Councilor are punishing two of the long standing hard working City Councilors by removing them from committees they have previously served on. There is a school that is in need of a Resource Officer but there is not one available. One of the beautiful lakes you looked at earlier in the day can’t be used for legitimate fund raising functions because of drinking and drug use. Time to stop pretending. Don’t know about the rest of you but I would get in my vehicle and get away from Pittsfield as fast as I could. Items listed above were only a couple days of news. It is time for Lovely Dynamic Vibrant Linda to stop pretending every thing is great and stop hiding, earn her high paid salary and straighten out the total mess of Pittsfield.

SallySays
SallySays
Reply to  Merry & Bright
4 years ago

Hey Mr. Merry and Bright, you forgot about the PCB infestation, but overall a great summation of Jimmy ruberto’s best small city in New England that he left to buy a condo in neighboring Lenox. And personally, I think it’s about time the city got serious about these bums mooching on street corners and intersections. Passed one just the other day, First and East I think. Resisted the urge to run em over. Get a job. And the city ought to do something about em- and don’t give me the first amendment line of bs. Plenty of cities have narrowly tailored city ordances that deal with this. A 10 minute Doctor Google consulation is all it takes, and same for police staffing.

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
Reply to  SallySays
4 years ago

Hello “SallySays”, I agree with you that Jimmy Ruberto is disingenuous to buy a $490,000 condo in Lenox last Fall of 2019 instead of buying a similar condo in Pittsfield. When Jimmy Ruberto was Mayor of Pittsfield for 8 years (2004 – 2011), he repeatedly told Pittsfield taxpayers that they had to make “sacrifices” by paying yearly high tax rates to “revitalize” Pittsfield’s distressed economy. During that 8 year period of time, Pittsfield’s tax rate shrank with large numbers of population and job loss. Jimmy Ruberto called his multi-million dollar taxpayer-funded investments in downtown Pittsfield a “renaissance”. He spent over $2 million from GE’s settlement fund on the downtown culture and arts venues. He borrowed tens of millions of taxpayer dollars on North Street’s makeover. He even blamed the local people when Spice restaurant and bar went bankrupt. Mayor Jim Ruberto said he had a “rolodex” full of business contacts, but I think he lost it in one of +21-year-old empty and polluted PEDA so-called business park. After Jimmy Ruberto retired from elected office as Mayor of Pittsfield, he and Gerry Doyle led the campaign supporting the Berkshire Museum’s controversial sales of historic and valuable pieces of art for tens of millions of dollars. In closing, Jimmy Ruberto’s sad legacy left Pittsfield with high municipal taxes, huge public debts, a shrinking tax base due to large numbers of losses in population and jobs, a dangerous downtown full of dozens of empty storefronts that is called “Social Services Alley” by day and a place most people avoid after hours, and a Berkshire Museum that is an outcast in the world of art. Sadly, Pittsfield (Mass.) is one of the most economically unequal community in the state and nation because there are no living wage jobs for the average working family. In a way, I don’t blame James M. Ruberto for living in Lenox instead of Pittsfield. Even con man James Ruberto didn’t believe in his own slick sales pitch to shakedown Pittsfield’s taxpayers and voters!

TellitLikeitIs
TellitLikeitIs
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

Very, very well said Mr. Melle

Fran
Fran
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

Ruberto was the biggest liar and dirty politician and then Doyle. Now it’s Tyer and her creepy husband destroying this city

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

Business is not coming to Pittsfield unless the state incentivizes them. Wayfair was because of that. Metro Boston is choking to death and our local reps are stuck and continue to tell us GE is not returning.Most people 40 and under do not even know that GEwas here .

Johnny Absurdo
Johnny Absurdo
Reply to  Merry & Bright
4 years ago

Or if you are lucky you stumble upon this blog before you waste your gas coming here. 99 percent of the negative stuff your read here about Pittsfield is true and every time I see new people move into my neighborhood I feel sad. I feel sad for them that they apparently have no idea what they have just gotten themselves into. For instance do they know that if they want to discard an old mattress it will cost them $45? Oh yah and it goes downhill from there.

Auto Phil
Auto Phil
Reply to  Merry & Bright
4 years ago

Nail. Hit. On the head.

Good synopsis.

Mr. Fritz
Mr. Fritz
Reply to  Merry & Bright
4 years ago

Bravo, Merry!

Hendrix
Hendrix
Reply to  Merry & Bright
4 years ago

” You notice a huge empty parking lot by the fire station. Pull in, there is that meter kiosk. Oh well, most of the stores are empty anyway.”

You forgot the part where the meter lady immediately puts a ticket on your vehicle while your trying to figure out how to operate the kiosk.

I don’t even bother trying to park and go in to any business on North anymore. It is way to much of a hassle to have to enter all of my information into an app or fight with the kiosk to simply run in and grab a quick coffee or lunch. So much easier to go through a drive through or go to a restaurant that has parking available. It kills me because North St has some great lunch/breakfast/coffee places.

TellitLikeitIs
TellitLikeitIs
Reply to  Merry & Bright
4 years ago

Here’s a riddle for ya. How many bullet holes would have riddled your car by the time you rolled outta dodge?

Johnny Absurdo
Johnny Absurdo
Reply to  TellitLikeitIs
4 years ago

It depends on the size of your car. Some cars are bigger and have more target space. But if the driver gets hit he might not make it out of dodge at all.

Notabumm
Notabumm
Reply to  Johnny Absurdo
4 years ago

And if the yahoos are there firing away and drinking who knows what stray bullets will do.

TellitLikeitIs
TellitLikeitIs
Reply to  Notabumm
4 years ago

Yea and gun possession is a non violent crime so DA won’t jail you right?

Johnny99
Johnny99
Reply to  TellitLikeitIs
4 years ago

How many shootings would a shotspotter spot, if a shotspotter could spot shots????

Fran
Fran
Reply to  Merry & Bright
4 years ago

Tyer isn’t capable of fixing anything.

Gobsig
Gobsig
Reply to  Fran
4 years ago

Except the election.

Auto Phil
Auto Phil
4 years ago

Andrea Harrington trying battle Jeanne Kempthorne is like that Pittsfield boxer with the face tattoo going up against Floyd Mayweather.

(No offense, Pittsfield boxer. I’m sure you have more experience in your craft than AH has in hers).

What another embarrassment for Berkshire County. It’s so sad.

Johnny Absurdo
Johnny Absurdo
Reply to  Auto Phil
4 years ago

One is playing grandmaster chess and the other is still trying to open her little box of Hasbro checkers

Donut Doit
Donut Doit
4 years ago

What did Andrea Harrington mean about cultivating “relationships” with news organizations?
What kind of relationships?

Andy McKeever
comment image

WAMC BERKSHIRE BUREAU CHIEF
Josh Landes
comment image

Zoop
Zoop
Reply to  Donut Doit
4 years ago

The lady DA does seem to have a type. Maybe the reason she doesn’t respond to Dan’s requests is Dan doesn’t look like either of these guys.

TellitLikeitIs
TellitLikeitIs
Reply to  Donut Doit
4 years ago

Perhaps now that he’s in the limelight he will get a haircut and trim his cat whiskers. Just sayin!

Aerin
Aerin
Reply to  Donut Doit
4 years ago

Journo children who can’t think critically and can be manipulated into believing her BS.

UAlbany
UAlbany
4 years ago

Like I’ve said before, Clairmont and Sucksausage have created an army of trolls that they control to spread lies and misinformation…even if Mayor Tyer has plausible deniability (I didn’t know) she is complicit and it’s disgusting.

Notabumm
Notabumm
Reply to  UAlbany
4 years ago

I agree with Sally,these vagrants asking for money in public is becoming a real nuisance. And by the way,the signs they have are not ledgible.

Tailor Ohpiateperin
Tailor Ohpiateperin
Reply to  Notabumm
4 years ago

The dream team made a cardboard cutout into a mayoral career worth millions. What was the guy who lived on the hill waiting for?

agreetodisagee
agreetodisagee
Reply to  Notabumm
4 years ago

Those aren’t vagrants,those are taxpayers who have been throttled out of their homes financially because of the cost of living.

TellitLikeitIs
TellitLikeitIs
Reply to  Notabumm
4 years ago

Yea, well I wonder why, on the cusp,of The Renaissance, at West Hous and South, And First and East, city tolerates such nonsense. City should pay a cop to stand next to the bum till he moves along if need be, and city should beg its finer citizens not to give these bums a nickel but rather give to legitimate charities if they want to help these bums, who are not actually looking for a hand up, but rather just a hand out. It’s called leadership and neither mayoral candidate said jack about it in campaign.

Johnny Absurdo
Johnny Absurdo
Reply to  TellitLikeitIs
4 years ago

I am sure some of these people are running a scam. But at least they are giving you an option to part with your money or not. On the other hand our mayor is DEMANDING you turn over a large sum of money or she will take your goddamn house.
So in the grand scheme of things the beggars are just a nuisance.

Revursedakerse
Revursedakerse
Reply to  UAlbany
4 years ago

Clairmont and Saksaug are headed to the infamous Palookaville Political Hall of Fame.The Catagory you ask? Best political instruction without appearing on the Ridiculous PCT Stooge Show. Smart move Barry! To Linda,stay away from that Show,people won’t associate you with low intelligence and nonsense.

bnmpsczes
bnmpsczes
4 years ago

jared kushner loans personal loans navient student loansfederal student loans student loans personal loans https://paydailoanz.com – loans

CC The Maze Sun
CC The Maze Sun
4 years ago

“We’ll get higher and higher straight up we’ll climb
Higher and higher leave it all behind
Oh, we’ll get higher and higher who knows what we’ll find

So baby dry your eyes, save all the tears you’ve cried
Ohh, that’s what dreams are made of
Ohh, baby we belong in a world that must be strong
Ohh, that’s what dreams are made of

And in the end on dreams we will depend
Cause thats what Love is made of“

– Van Hagar

Mr. X
Mr. X
4 years ago

I hear ya BC. To the victors go the spoils

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

I dont know where Harringtons political future is headed but do not,I repeat do not get in her way. Tyer,Bouvier and now Harrington. Experience matters and if we learn anything here it would be that almost always in Pittsfield the best person for the job never gets elected.

Johnny Absurdo
Johnny Absurdo
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

and some of the worse…. go to Boston.

EWendt
EWendt
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

I don’t think voters have given up on truth and honesty completely. To the best campaigner go the spoils. Take note for next time. Hire experts.

Acute Angina
Acute Angina
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Harrington’s political future is in the toilet. One good flush should do it. At her next job she’ll be welcoming folks to Wal-Mart.

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

The community schools are extremely well designed buildings by architect Terry Hallock.The open design can be closed.Do not ever get rid of these buildings as they are two great buildings.Crosby must close.I would remodel Conte and Morningside with additional classrooms to close Crosby and Allendale.These are great neighborhood buildings.Allendale and Crosby are sick buildings and should be erased from use.
The Conte and Morningside buildings are the heart and soul of these neighborhoods. Poor citizens can walk to their school.Dont let the elitist Pittsfield school department and School committee along with Tyer and Marchetti remove your schools.If they take Morningside school out of that neighborhood we remove a symbol of hope.Crosby is 60years old and Allendale is built on top of a toxic dump of horrible chemical waste.Where are our Healthcare people on this issue.Where does Mccandless stand on the toxic dump.Yon?Elias?Cameron? Tyer?Marchetti? our Green people like Moon?Caccamo? Our Health department? Connel?Morandi?….GE gave us a chemical dump and what did we do with that chemical dump.The question is what does a smart intelligent Superintendent think about this chemical dump being part of his school system.Will he recommend its removal forever or will he double down on embracing it for his students.
The correct decision is to remove education of 5 to 12 year olds forever from this site.The Pittsfield decision is to double down.If given these facts about a chemical dump who would break ground in 2020 for a elementary school there?We will find out soon who would do it.If you consolidate schools this is number 1 to go.

Johnny Absurdo
Johnny Absurdo
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

What is your opinion of Stearns? Is that for rich entitled kids? Used to be for neighborhood kids but when they fixed it all up they started shipping some of the neighborhood kids across town and bussing in the privileged folks kids.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Johnny Absurdo
4 years ago

Nice gem of a neighborhood school.It has limitations because of land .Conte and Morningside should be made larger.Add 10 classrooms to each building and you can close Allendale and Crosby .Do not allow busing .Williams school can expand on the north end very easily.

Chuck Garivaltis
Chuck Garivaltis
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Not bad, not bad at all from The School Committee.

My statement is now from a guy who told them in 1982 Crosby’s asbestos ceilings were dangerous children and adults. Other schools, too. The recently demolished Taconic High School was another school full of asbestos.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Chuck Garivaltis
4 years ago

Crosby and Allendale are to close for reason related to student health.Conte and Morningside should expand for reason relating to the health of Allendale and Crosby.These schools will be great investments in the downtown urban neighborhoods. The are very walkable.More educationsl professional talent under one roof. Consolidation is good.Dont spread the talent out just bring it closer to the downtown. Dont let these schools leave the center of the city.

Acute Angina
Acute Angina
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

The open classroom approach doesn’t work at these schools. Students at these schools get an inferior education. As for walking to school a kid living on Turner Ave. has to walk all the way to Conte.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Acute Angina
4 years ago

Put up walls to devide the classrooms.

Acute Angina
Acute Angina
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

doesn’t meet current fire code

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Acute Angina
4 years ago

Make the wall meet the fire code.These are excuses to close down these great Terry Hallock designs.We keep pushing education away from the downtown. The white flight racist school choice law wont keep students here.We need to get rid of racist school choice laws.Urban schools suffer under school choice.Taxpayers suffer under school choice.Teachers suffer for school choice.School choice only helps well to do small communities. Bouvier and the rest must fight for small urban students.

Acute Angina
Acute Angina
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

With exits and all it goes beyond walls. The entire building would need to be redone.

Acute Angina
Acute Angina
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Perhaps Dan could contact the superintendent and the fire chief and they could explain why the Conte and Moringside can’t be converted to a school with traditional classrooms even though the open classroom concept isn’t working.

Gobsig
Gobsig
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

If the schools didn’t suck people wouldn’t choice out. What business would want to come here if they knew the residents have no respect for the schools.

Ron Kitterman
Ron Kitterman
4 years ago

This ( committee assignments) is a good example of the 80/20 rule. 80% don’t care and 20% are happy you got it stuck to you, Don’t complain and don’t explain.

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
Reply to  Gigi
4 years ago

Foul mouth Joe and Shiff-head should be up for treason charges, with Pelousey and their minions.

Then the disease will spread to the other D-rats and Barry/Holder.

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
4 years ago

And Shiff-face is no longer the circus ringmaster….

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/01/gop-senator-john-barrasso-says-he-saw-blood-drain-from-schiffs-face-when-trumps-defense-team-played-video-of-fake-call-and-transcript/

GOP Senator John Barrasso Says He Saw ‘Blood Drain From Schiff’s Face’ When Trump’s Defense Team Played Video of Fake Call and Transcript (VIDEO)

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/01/president-trumps-defense-team-hit-dems-so-hard-that-even-cnn-admits-the-president-is-winning-video/

President Trump’s Defense Team Hit Dems So Hard That Even CNN Admits, ‘The President is Winning’

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/01/boom-watch-deputy-white-house-counsel-philbin-obliterate-pelosis-invalid-impeachment-partisan-secret-defective-unprecedented-process-video/

BOOM! Watch Deputy White House Counsel Philbin OBLITERATE PELOSI’S INVALID IMPEACHMENT — Partisan, Secret, Defective, Unprecedented Process

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/01/brutal-white-house-counsel-opens-defense-arguments-with-adam-schiffs-fake-call-and-transcript-he-read-during-impeachment-hearing-video/

BRUTAL! White House Counsel Opens Defense Arguments with Adam Schiff’s Fake Call and Transcript He Read During Impeachment Hearing!

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
4 years ago

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/01/bull-schiff-adam-schiff-tells-reporters-i-dont-even-know-who-the-whistleblower-is-video/

Serial liar Adam Schiff laughably claimed on Saturday that he doesn’t even know who the whistleblower is.

President Trump’s defense team completely destroyed 3 days’ of Adam Schiff’s lies in just two hours.

GOP Senator John Barrasso said Schiff was so freaked out when Trump’s lawyers confronted him about his fake call and transcript that “the blood drained from Schiff’s face.“

The lashing was so bad that even CNN admitted President Trump is winning in the impeachment trial.

Schiff, Nadler and other House impeachment managers looked defeated as they gathered around the lectern to respond to Trump’s lawyers and take questions from reporters.

One reporter asked Schiff about Trump’s lead impeachment lawyer Pat Cipollone alleging Schiff coordinated with the whistleblower before the impeachment process began.

“It’s nonsense. I don’t even know who the whistleblower is,” Schiff said.

Interestingly, Schiff referred to the whistleblower as a “he” then quickly corrected himself and said “he or she.”

WATCH:

Recall, Adam Schiff hired his top aide Sean Misko (pictured below) just one day after Trump’s July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Eric Ciaramella filed a whistleblower complaint against President Trump in August over his call to Zelensky alleging Trump threatened to withhold military aid from Ukraine unless they agreed to investigate the Biden crime family.

Mr. Ciaramella, however, ran to a Schiff staffer, who we now know to be Sean Misko, before he filled out the whistleblower complaint, a violation of House rules.

The only reason why Schiff is allowed to blatantly lie about not knowing the identity of the whistleblower is because the corrupt media allows him to lie with impunity.

Pat
Pat
Reply to  Mad Trapper
4 years ago

The defense of President Trump was so good and so logical. More to come next week.

Johnny Absurdo
Johnny Absurdo
Reply to  Pat
4 years ago

More to come next week for sure. I think they are bringing Jimmy Jones back from the dead to pour more Kool aid. In the mean time make sure Hannity and Fox keep your cup full to the brim.

Pat
Pat
4 years ago

Adam Schiff can’t stop lying. Today the Republicans ran the tape of Schiff reading the President’s now famous July telephone call and it was all lies because it was Schiff’s version that he was trying to sell to the American public and not what was actually said in the conversation. President Trump said none of that. I had never heard Schiff’s version before and when I did I couldn’t believe how devious he made that phone call sound. The Republicans compared Schiff’s version of the letter to the actual letter released by President Trump. Then the Republicans showed the clip of Schiff promising he had absolute proof of Trump and Russia collusion. That turned out to be a lie. They kept pointing out one lie after another by Schiff and they had the evidence to back it up.

Plead the Fifth
Plead the Fifth
Reply to  Pat
4 years ago

So if Trump wants to continue to be a small handed dictator with Putin pulling the strings, that’s okay with you, right? Do a legal search for all the cases of Trump defrauding people from contractors to employees to consumers. FYI, all those people are from our class not the Trumpian 1%. If he croaks on the toilet, choking on a Big Mac while Tweeting, few will shed a tear.

Pat
Pat
Reply to  Plead the Fifth
4 years ago

President Trump is helping my class. The income of lower and middle class people has increased A LOT since President Trump has been in office. There are more jobs than ever before which helps the low and middle income class.

Luigi Staberdzoch
Luigi Staberdzoch
Reply to  Pat
4 years ago

Schiff was on so much when I turned the t v off his outline was on the screen.

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
Reply to  Pat
4 years ago

Trump is running one trillion dollar and growing huge yearly budget deficits because of his large tax cuts for billionaires. The “have nots” get a few more “crumbs” in the short-term.

Centuries ago, Napoleon ran the printing press, while Trump is now borrowing trillions of dollars! I wonder how it all will work out 10 years from now when our fiat money economy produces hyperinflation because of trillions of dollars of toxic, unpayable, and worthless debts!

We the People are nothing more than an insurance policy to be cashed in by billionaires when the economy eventually tanks and the 99% “have not” population gets even poorer than today’s large and growing underclass. The billionaires will live on the Moon, Mars, and/or in space stations by then, so they won’t have to deal with all of the hungry and homeless people demanding social justice in big business and big government.

https://www.usdebtclock.org/

Pat
Pat
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

The answer to homelessness isn’t larger and more government interference in our lives. Homelessness is out of control in far left cities and states because they do not concentrate on job creation and they don’t worry about drug addiction and this creates the perfect storm for lots of homelessness. Far left District Attorneys are becoming too easy on drug selling which is leading to more drug addiction which leads to people becoming unable to care for themselves and ending up on the streets.
Pittsfield is a perfect example of lack of concern about jobs by far left politicians which sends people who used to be middle class into the lower class and leaves them unable to support themselves without government assistance. This leads to lower self esteem which often leads to a downward spiral of alcohol and drug addiction and ending up homeless because even government assistance doesn’t pay for drugs.
The wealthy should be taxed, but not to the ridiculous level proposed by AOC and Bernie and Liz. Taking too much money from the rich and giving it to big government is NOT a solution and leads to more corruption in government.

Pat
Pat
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

When government goes “belly-up” under socialism, which happens to all socialist countries eventually, where do the people turn then? They can’t fall back on food stamps or other types of government assistance because it’s government itself that is destroyed. Then we see what has happened in Venezuela where people are eating dog food. The wealthy in Venezuela are okay though just like the wealthy in this country will be fine when socialism goes “belly-up”. The far left wealthy socialists in this country want to do a social experiment and we are the test subjects of this experiment. They will be fine no matter how it turns out. The low and middle class voting for socialism are the ones who are rolling the dice that it will all turn out well despite the fact that history says otherwise.

TellitLikeitIs
TellitLikeitIs
Reply to  Pat
4 years ago

Fifth and Pat ,

Trump may be a charlatan, he may be a dictator, he may be in love with Puttie, he may be a fraud and phoney, but the bottom line is, he is the duly elected POTUS, and the remedy is the ballot box, not impeachment. MAGA and re-elected Trumpie, or go with a Granny Effie Warren or Crooked Joe, or whoever steals the no,Insteon from one of them, but Trump will not be removed by this impeachment scam. Now can we please talk about the panhandlers or something important around here? Maybe we need The Generalismo to do a little community type policing to get these bums to move along.

Pat
Pat
Reply to  TellitLikeitIs
4 years ago

Drug addiction leads to homelessness and hopelessness. A lack of jobs leads to despair and addictions and eventually homelessness. The reasons for these social problems are clear. The far left politicians here in Berkshire County are encouraging these social problems with their policies. “Getting these bums to move along” isn’t getting to the root cause of why we have so many homeless in the first place. A district attorney too soft on drug related crime and politicians who don’t do enough job creation are the cause of our problems in this area.

President Trump has done more to go up against Russia than Obama ever did. Supplying weaponry to Ukraine when Obama never would is just one example of many.

I do agree that impeachment is not the answer. The people need to decide, but they need to decide wisely. Too much is at stake in the next election. Destroying America by turning it socialist is NOT the answer.

Johnny99
Johnny99
Reply to  Pat
4 years ago

Damn straight Pat. Free lunch, free cash, free heat, free phones, free cars, free or subsidized housing, free heat should all be eliminated. And same with free movie theater subsidizes, etcettra. They tell you not to feed the bears at Yellowstone because you’ll make em dependent on the handouts, and yet the libs do the same thing with humans. Abe Lincoln had it right – a hand up, not a hand out. Trump wants to eliminate food stamps for able bodied adults of working age with no dependents and the liberals are apoplectic. MAGA

SallySays
SallySays
Reply to  SallySays
4 years ago

This is a joke right? Us Kapanskis have been paying for groceries for Able-bodied adults with no children, and now they are upset because the governement expects them to work 20 hours per week, for three months in a three-year period???

There should be no exemption, no exception, no nothing. It’s time the government quit buying peoples groceries. And now Amazon accepts EBT cards.

juicylucy
juicylucy
Reply to  danvalenti
4 years ago

For once “DAN THE MAN” I JUICY LUCY agree.

TellitLikeitIs
TellitLikeitIs
Reply to  danvalenti
4 years ago

Next thing ya know they’ll want us to buy their stoves and cook the food too.

Merry & Bright
Merry & Bright
4 years ago

Off Topic – Want to give Lamar & Laurie Smith of Shear Magic Family Salon on Elm Street a thumbs up for coming to the rescue of the barbers formerly employed at Cim’s Barbershop that was recently closed by the Federal Government. They immediately found space and equipment and made sure these barbers did not lose clients and revenue. Way to go. Congrats for their hard work and wish all of them the best of luck in their ventures.

Then I read on the BB Facebook that Warren Dews had planned to invite these barbers to his new Country Club Cigar and Barbershop operation. First of all if Mr. Dews had to advertise to get monies to start this dream of his, where was he going to get the money to get more barber chairs and equipment as fast as Lamar & Laurie did? His operation is for 21 and older, does he not realize these barbers cut small children and teenager’s hair? Would barbershop clients have to buy a membership to be able to get inside the door for a haircut? Who would want to get a haircut surrounded by cigar smoke. People are drinking in there, is that a safe environment since no security is observing the actions of members? But then again to make his dream happen would Lovely Linda give him some money? She has already ignored several laws and rules to allow this dream of his to happen. Just does not make sense, but not much in Pittsfield does anymore.

juicylucy
juicylucy
Reply to  Merry & Bright
4 years ago

Take a peek inside the front door. The COUNTRY CLUB CIGAR BAR looks like a front for “greener pastures”.

Johnny99
Johnny99
Reply to  Merry & Bright
4 years ago

What happened to Sims?

Notadick
Notadick
Reply to  Johnny99
4 years ago

A fire gutted the complex it was in.

Merry & Bright
Merry & Bright
Reply to  Notadick
4 years ago

The Feds closed the CIMS on Dalton Avenue, across from Angelina’s.

juicylucy
juicylucy
Reply to  Johnny99
4 years ago

Sims is a legend in Morningside. A Shakespearean Tragedy.

Robem
Robem
Reply to  Johnny99
4 years ago

The tax man cometh.

Auto Phil
Auto Phil
Reply to  Merry & Bright
4 years ago

Sims was taken by the City of Pittsfield for non payment of taxes dating back to 2007.

Auto Phil
Auto Phil
Reply to  Auto Phil
4 years ago

A recent video on Mr. Dews Facebook page shows him and his homies (including State Senator Adam
Hinds) smoking cigars inside the empty, rented space.

They are sitting on what appear to be plastic lawn chairs and “watching the game” via a projected stream on an empty wall.

In the video Dews pleas with the audience to donate to his business so that they can convince banks that their idea is worth funding. It’s a very strange video, shot in an empty space that has no indication it’s on its way to becoming a luxurious, premium cigar lounge. I wonder how that March 2020 opening is looking.

One of the barbers featured on the Cigar Lounge’s website is Kendrick Reese, a recently displaced Sims-ee. Reese is listed as one of the barbers now set up at Shear Magic.

It is obvious that the Cigar Lounge is the biggest scam/front the City of Pittsfield has approved in a long time. A business “with no employees” that has been given permission for alcoholic drinking and storage on the premises, permitting illegal tobacco smoking, with no managers, no security, no regulations and no apparent enforcement of a 21+ legal responsibility. Al Capone sends his big hand claps down from the heavens above.

Gobsig
Gobsig
Reply to  Auto Phil
4 years ago

If Dews is involved they probably simonize chrome domes.

Dick Flimsy
Dick Flimsy
Reply to  Auto Phil
4 years ago

Will it be open at 3:00 am? Barry might be out on a mission.

Hell Toupee
Hell Toupee
Reply to  Auto Phil
4 years ago

Did Hinds get his head buffed?

Jonathan Melle
Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

January 26, 2020

Re: Poverty politics

On Dan Valenti’s awesome blog, there are several negative comments about welfare assistance programs, including Trump’s new proposed work requirement for some poor people who receive food stamps. Ideally, society would not have people living in poverty. Ideally, everyone would spend their working years in living wage jobs where they can save their hard-earned money for their retirements in their golden years. But that is not the reality! In fact, the underclass is bigger than ever as millions of jobs have been lost to technology and overseas markets.

I believe shaming people who live in poverty is really a diversion tactic by the billionaires who run big business and big government. If billionaires wanted to end poverty and shrink the underclass, then they would have done so by now.

It is not that difficult to bring people who live in poverty into the middle class. When people have living wage jobs, housing, safe streets, educational opportunities, healthcare insurance, and savings/retirement plans, then they are no longer dependent and poor, but rather, they are enjoying life in the middle class.

So why not give people the means to have a roof over their heads, affordable healthcare insurance, good public schools, safe streets, living wage jobs, and savings/retirement plans? I believe the billionaires know why this isn’t a reality! It is because we need working people willing to work for low wages and “swim or sink” so the billionaires will make more money on their investments. If people are poor, billionaires have more control and power over big business and big government.

A strong middle class means a healthy democracy. Billionaires want power over the people instead of people have a voice in their government. The ratio of lobbyists to Members of U.S. Congress is huge! Billionaires pay lucrative salaries to K Street lobbyists in Washington, D.C. to get huge tax cuts for corporate America, bailouts when the economy tanks, and a political system that runs on money over grassroots democracy.

Capitol Hill and The White House calls an end to people living in poverty and our nation’s huge underclass “Socialism”. Yet, the ruling elite is running the federal government by producing trillion dollar plus annual national deficits that our grandchildren will someday have to pay for. The ruling elite is lecturing us on the dangers of grassroots democracy, while they are proverbially “stealing candy from babies”.

– Jonathan Melle

Jusbeinconserveatiff
Jusbeinconserveatiff
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

A strong middle class means more taxes. Do you want a Tyer and Bouvier spending your hard earned middle class cash? I don’t.

Willets Chambellain
Willets Chambellain
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

Dan, basketball fans. Kobe Bryant killed in helicopter crash.

Johnny99
Johnny99
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

You sir are sadly mistaken. Most, if not all, able bodied adults of a working age with no dependents are dead beats, plain and simple. If they had to get a job to eat, or die, they would, at least most of them. When government gives them a free ride, the government takes away their incentive, their pride, self esteem, etc. It is not the taxpayers job to support them. And you yourself would have a job yourself if you had to. If you can wipe your ass, you can work. It is the lack of work ethic that’s the issue here, coupled with the government handouts. I for one am sick and tired of supporting everybody else that wants a free ride. For God sakes man, the new rule only requires them to be in work or school for like 20 hours per month for a 3 month period over 3 years. And any women who gets knocked up and gets on the dole should be on government implanted birth control, or they don’t get the freebees.

TellitLikeitIs
TellitLikeitIs
Reply to  Jonathan Melle
4 years ago

There’s millions of freeloaders in America and they don’t want a job, and are not responsible enough to shit, shower, shave and report somewhere 5 days per week for a meager 40 hours per week, not even for 100,000 per year. And it’s not the governments fault and it’s not the governments responsibility to feed them or their kids.

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
4 years ago

crow bar Hotel for Joe and Hunter , or gallows for treason?

https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2020/01/25/rudy-giuliani-joe-biden-is-a-crook-if-we-cant-prosecute-him-we-do-not-have-justice-in-america/

Partial transcript as follows:

PIRRO: OK, Rudy, you heard Nadler. He is a long-time New York Congressman.

GIULIANI: Yes, yes.

PIRRO: You know him well from your New York days.

GIULIANI: Yes, a long-time hack.

PIRRO: He claims you wanted Ukraine to announce the investigation.

GIULIANI: Yes, basic long-time New York hack.

PIRRO: Talk to me, and he says it personally benefited you.

GIULIANI: Yes, I wanted them to investigate. Yes, I wanted them to investigate it because it would help to exculpate my client. It had nothing to do with dig up dirt on Biden.

It was handed to me in November of 2018. The Biden family pulled somewhere between $8 million and $20 million out of Ukraine, totally corruptly. Biden was involved in two massive bribes. Zlochevsky bribed him. He bribed Poroshenko. He disgraced the United States of America. And Nadler should be ashamed for covering up for him.

He also did the same thing, by the way, Biden did in Iraq where he was point man and his brother got a piece of it, $1.5 billion housing project. And he did the same thing in China when he was point man. And the kid got a $1.5 billion investment from China in a hedge fund for himself, Kerry’s kid and Whitey Bulger’s nephew.

Biden is so dirty that you and I would have had him indicted six months ago. And Nadler is doing what a hack Democrat usually does. He’s covering up for a crook.

I don’t care if he was Vice President. I don’t care if he’s running for President of the United States. I’ll say it straight out, Joe Biden is a crook. And he sold out the United States of America in Iraq, in Ukraine, in China, and if we can’t prosecute him, we do not have justice in America.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Mad Trapper
4 years ago

Im guessing you listen to Beck Limbaugh Hannity and Fox

Seth Truvruboaric
Seth Truvruboaric
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Rip
Kobe

Luxurious Limuzeen
Luxurious Limuzeen
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Does anyone need an able assist. I have an extra one I’ll give for free.

TellitLikeitIs
TellitLikeitIs
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

And I bet you watch that Maddow wench and whacky Matthews.

Gobsig
Gobsig
Reply to  TellitLikeitIs
4 years ago

MSLSD

Mad Trapper
Mad Trapper
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

TSC, would you believe witness testimony presented by the Shiff-head? It seems Barry Sotero was in on this too…….

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/01/26/joe-biden-ducks-questions-about-conflict-of-interest-in-ukraine/

“Biden’s claim contradicts the testimony of several of the witnesses Democrats themselves called in the House impeachment inquiry.

George Kent, Deputy Assistant Secretary in the European and Eurasian Bureau at the State Department, told the House Intelligence Committee that Biden had an apparent conflict of interest because his son, Hunter Biden, had been appointed to a well-compensated position on the board of a Ukrainian gas company, Burisma, that was widely perceived to be corrupt.

Kent said that he brought the issue up in 2015: “I raised my concerns [with the vice president’s staff] that I had heard that Hunter Biden was on the board of a company owned by somebody that the U.S. Government had spent money trying to get tens of milljons of dollars back and that could create the perception of a conflict of interest.”

He added that the vice president’s office had said that Biden was too busy dealing with the tragic death of his other son, Beau. But nothing was done afterwards, either.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch told the committee that she had been specifically briefed by the Obama administration before her confirmation hearing not to answer questions about Biden’s conflict of interest, but to direct all questions to the vice president’s office, instead.”

Hell Toupee
Hell Toupee
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

I’m guessing that you watch the cartoon network.