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January 8, 2013

A State Full of Smart Non-Criminals and GoLocalProv Had to Import a Felonious, Bad Government "Mindsetter"?

Monique Chartier

Look, GoLocalProv does and has done some excellent work. Just this morning, for example, we taxpayers appreciate the reminder to our elected officials that 30+ cities and towns have busted the tax cap since 2009. (Why? Property taxes in Rhode Island were quite high enough in 2009. Was there, for example, a corresponding increase in population?)

The quality of GoLocalProv's work is also clear also from the fact that, a couple of weeks ago, another news outlet just poached one of their best reporters.

They have, however, had a couple of semi-serious missteps in the past couple of weeks. (No GoLo links will be provided from this point forward.)

David Cicilline as Man of the Year??? Prevaricator of the Decade, perhaps!

And now, a cultural commentary piece this morning from the former Speaker of the Massachusetts House, Thomas Finneran. In 2007, Mr. Finneran pleaded to a federal obstruction of justice charge involving redistricting.

C'mon, GoLocalProv. People are judged by the company they keep. News/media outlets are judged by the commentators that they publish. Mr. Finneran's criminal record for bad government practices is quite incongruent with your notable efforts to promote good government in Rhode Island.

[Monique is Deputy Editor of the RISC-Y Business Newsletter.]

Comments

Don't be too hard on Mr. Finneran. The last three house speakers in MA have been convicted of Federal crimes (tell me again, progressives, how paying legislators more improves quality and reduces corruption). We all know Rhode Island isn't in that running because the Attorney General's office is a politicized joke and the Feds can't be bothered with small-time Lil' Rhody.

Following in the footsteps of Buddy Cianci, Finneran was given a talk radio show on WRKO in Boston. I used to listen to it on my way to work. Every once in a while, a caller would bring up his disgraceful past - as happens to Buddy - and they would immediately disconnect him with all of the support hosts booing and yelling "shaaame" at the caller in unison - also like Buddy.

Posted by: Dan at January 8, 2013 4:46 PM