Running into trouble?

Running into trouble?

By Adrian Walker
Globe Columnist / April 23, 2011

You might remember the glossy campaign brochure, the one that proclaimed the current mayor good, but his challenger better.

Or the quirky 11th-hour alliance between the second- and third-place primary finishers, who believed that united they could topple the longest-serving mayor in city history.

Quirky might be good, but it didn’t turn out to be better, at least not in the minds of Boston voters. They sent Michael F. Flaherty to a hard-fought but sound defeat in the 2009 mayor’s race. True, Flaherty came closer than any Menino challenger ever had, but that isn’t really saying much. Menino garnered 57 percent of the vote, cruising to a 15-point win.

It was Flaherty’s classic, coulda-been-a-contender moment. And since then, his challenge has been to craft an encore. For months now, he has been semipublicly mulling a run for the City Council and is said to be close to announcing a decision, maybe as soon as next week.

FULL STORY HERE
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/04/23/running_into_trouble/

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Lantigua is focus of federal, state probe Corruption allegations for Lawrence mayor

Lantigua is focus of federal, state probe
Corruption allegations for Lawrence mayor

"I do want to stress that I remain committed to the job that I was elected to do," Lantigua said in a statement April 4.
By Sean P. Murphy and Maria Sacchetti
Globe Staff / April 23, 2011

Federal and state authorities are investigating Mayor William Lantigua of Lawrence on possible corruption and other wrongdoing, intensifying controversy surrounding the leader of one of the state’s most financially troubled cities, according to law enforcement officials and one person who was interviewed by the FBI.

The FBI, the Essex district attorney, and other agencies are looking into Lantigua’s dealings with companies that work for the city and into his ongoing public battle with the Lawrence Police Department, according to the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. Law enforcement officials are particularly interested in the mayor’s control over which companies get towing business with the city and who is permitted to operate taxicabs.

One person who has been repeatedly interviewed by state and federal investigators said the agents were very interested in Lantigua’s financial connections, if any, to half a dozen bars and nightclubs, some of which opened since he took office in 2010.

Lantigua’s wife has served on the Licensing Commission that controls which establishments can sell alcohol; police say that Lantigua regularly frequents downtown clubs such as Centro.

FULL STORY HERE
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/04/23/lawrence_mayor_is_focus_of_federal_state_probe/

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Voter ID billboard irks Latino advocates

Voter ID billboard irks Latino advocates

image from FoxNews Latino
Associated Press / April 13, 2011

SOUTHBRIDGE — A billboard near a largely Latino district in Southbridge asking voters to show ID for Tuesday’s special election primary for a State House seat — not a requirement in Massachusetts — is drawing fire from Latino advocates who say it is part of a larger campaign of voter intimidation.

The billboard, sponsored by the groups Empower Massachusetts and Show ID to Vote, both with connections to the conservative Tea Party movement, tells voters to “protect the integrity of the vote’’ and “show ID’’ next to a picture of a white woman holding an identification card.

FULL STORY HERE
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/04/13/voter_id_billboard_irks_latino_advocates/

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Campaign eyes Mass. redistricting, minority voting

Campaign eyes Mass. redistricting, minority voting

By Associated Press  |   Monday, March 28, 2011  |  http://www.bostonherald.com  |  Local Politics

BOSTON — A coalition of advocates has launched a campaign to strengthen the voting power of Massachusetts’ Latinos, blacks and Asian Americans during redistricting efforts.

The "Drawing Democracy Project" will urge residents to attend statewide hearing dates on redistricting and put pressure on state officials as they redraw voting district lines.

Common Cause, MassVote and Oiste (oh-EE’-steh) — a group that trains Latinos to run for office — are part of the campaign.

Minority advocates have complained that previous redistricting plans packed minority groups together and weakened their voting potential.

The project comes after census data showed significant population increases among blacks, Latinos and Asian-Americans in Massachusetts.

A 24-member panel is redrawing the state’s congressional districts to reflect the loss of one seat in the U.S. House due to population shifts.

Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view.bg?articleid=1326623

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FACING LOVE IV - Sat. April 2nd - A Discussion on Black/Latino Male/Female Relationships

Saturday, April 2nd

1pm - 7pm

Hibernian Hall 184 Dudley St. Roxbury (Dudley Sq.)

For More Info:

JOIN OUR GROUP ON FACEBOOK

RSVP TO OUR EVENT ON FACEBOOK

WWW.FACINGLOVE.COM

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Former ‘top cop’ guilty of fraud Detective admits to disability scam

Former ‘top cop’ guilty of fraud
Detective admits to disability scam

By David Abel
Globe Staff / March 1, 2011

A Boston detective who was once named a “top cop’’ for good police work acknowledged in federal court yesterday that he faked injuries and defrauded the city and a private insurer in a disability scam, prosecutors said.

Eliezer Gonzalez, 49, a divorced father of two and a former Marine who lives in East Boston, acknowledged committing 34 counts of mail fraud, a crime for which he faces up to 20 years in prison and millions of dollars in fines.

FULL ARTICLE HERE:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/03/01/former_top_cop_guilty_of_fraud/?p1=News_links

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