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(from AnnMartin: Narrative Art On Paper)
WATERGATE
The Senate Select Committee on
Presidential Campaign Activities whose every move was recorded by television cameras in 1973.
This is a look at a drawing of The Committee Table, Watergate
Washington, D.C.
1973
Today, on WSAR, ex-City Councilor Ray Hague stated that he knew of the deficit in the Sewer Enterprise Fund as early as June last year.There are also rumors abounding that he may be in line for the Director of Public Utilities position if, and when, the current incumbent is forced out by the Flanagan Administration for his role in what is quicly becoming "Sewer-Gate". It is widely known that Mr. Hague originally asked Ms. Cathy Anne Viverios for a job in exchange for his support during the mayoral election and that she refused to go along with that arrangement. Mr. Hague then threw his support in the direction of Mayor Flanagan.
What is troubling about this information is that the circle of misbehavior, the lack of any Profiles In Courage concerning bringing the information directly to light for the public and ratepayers, has probably grown to include most, if not all, of the City Councilors.
These cats and kittys do not keep secrets very well. In fact, they trade in well placed rumor. That is how the business of political horsetrading is done, the swapping of inside information during informal discussion to determine votes, say, while waiting for the Council Meetings to start, or in one on one discussions with individuals in City Hall, or the most direct way, via phonecalls, and now, emails. City and Town Halls, especially during election time, are veritable seives. It's the nature of the business, part of the process of concensus building, the art of policy decision making. The only Councilor that I know of who spoke openly about the prospect of Sewer Enterprise Fund deficit was CAV. I mean, God forbid you actually take the time to look at the budgets and analyze the numbers put before you for approval. AMAZING!!! And I don't mean that in a good way!
Where was City Councilor Brian "I'm the Accountant for the County Jail- Sport Coat the Lesser" Bigelow.? Now I think we all know why the Jail has a $9.5 million budget deficit! Well Bri, what's your lame excuse?! How In God's name is anyone stupid enough to vote for you? You can't have THAT many family members in the City!
I blame them all for this mess. It's not just that the Mr. Patten wasn't asked the right question, it's pretty much now looking like the City Council REFUSED TO ASK that question. Nice.....really nice.... the circle has now been closed.
Looks like we have Councilors that refisue to ask questions in public because they might be running for office and don't want to be proven wrong, and Councilors who back the powers that be with everything they have because they are allied with the incumbent and don't wish to make him own his mistakes in public . Add City financial and utility managers who act like the three wise monkeys , and there you have the perfect description of why Fall River is where it is right now, why it's just so much a MINOR LEAGUE CITY.
Bush League, Bush League, Bush League. Gutless and guileless is some kind of sad truth about the politicians we elect, and the unprepared and unqualified managers we hire to run things.
One probable good thing to come out of this is Ray Hague will most likely have no shot at becoming the Director of Public Utilities after his discussion on WSAR today. I mean, not only would the new mayor look like the type of common wheeler, dealer he promised not to be during his election campaign, it might also place extreme focus on just what he knew about the truth related to likely Sewer Enterprise Fund deficts and his ability to live up to the promise to repeal the CSO fee. Just something to consider.
What did they know, and when did they know it?
Laz, Bernie sez that BOB (the proud Marine) demanded accountability and came to office with no budget surplus. Are they talking about the same Mayor. He paid a price for his honesty, you know.
ReplyDeleteOMG yes-- that editorial is priceless-- I downloaded it to my desktop to save for all etermity--- LOL---- My favorite part is where Bernie the scholar says "severest" instead of "most severe." That marine bit really got me going! And where he said he never lied! OMG-- are these Karams for real? I noticed the Hurricane was all over Flanagan for lack of "transparency" in his hiring process for the attorneys. Cracks me up how he can defend that fat slob, girlfriend or no girlfriend. He's interviewing Flanagan tomorrow at 3 pm. Should be interesting.
ReplyDelete1) Listening to the WSAR interview with Ray Hague, what he says is that he knew that the anticipated revenue was too high. So what he is saying is not that he knew of the deficit in June, but that he knew it was likely that a deficit would occur.
ReplyDeleteHague later states that he and the remainder of the Council were told that this was a sound budget.
2) I don't think it is widely known that Hague approached CAV looking for a job in exchange for his support.
3) The rumor during the election was that Hague was supporting Flanagan to become the Veterans Agent, and now the rumor shifted to Sewer Dept. Head.
well he's a plumber and a sea-bee so i guess that qualifies him for either one or both!
ReplyDeleteWhere do I begin...
ReplyDelete* The rumors about Hague and CAV were well known during the last week of the campaign, at least...it was openly discussed after he was refused by CAV because he almost immediately approached Flanagan....and I agree, I also heard the Veteran's Office rumor..rumors, rumors, rumors, when one comes true you look like a genus I guess....that sho ain't me!......I listened to the 'SAR editorial and thought to myself I must have entered some alternate dimension, or had given myself an overdose of IGOBAINE (Thank You Hunter S Thompson!- NO, I've never taken Igobaine, didn't know it was a real substance until this year...lol). Listening to that station is like watching Fox News...Unfair and Mentally Imbalanced...poor Ray ...I'm sure, with appropriate training he'd make a good Veteran's Agent...the Utilities Gig, not so much, unless he's got an MS in Engineering!...the cuity has to start paying professionals enough to recruit qualified folks, not just good ol' whateverhisnameis because they are from Fall River for the last umpty ump generations...That's how State Receiverships are born!.....Uncle Sea Ray Hauge has been on the City Council for a long time...if he's admitting to knowing the revenues were too high,he had to know that meant , barring a cut in expenses, which they did not consider, a deficit would result....now we know Pres. Camara is saying HE knew about it way back when...it's a real problem for all concerned....but I also recall the Council being assurred by patten AND Chappy that the budget was real and was balanced...non of these "Budget Proviso's" about heroic assumptions were ever mentioned! And in terms of "ucantbeserious", opps, I meant MacAldrich, opps, I meant Luke Urban, OPPS, I meant Hurricane, he's demented, so in his mind, he's a professional broadcast journalist capable of turning on a dime and acting as if Will would never remember his old remarks because of his overwhelming charm!... :)