I received an interesting call today (and timely too, I might add). On August 8, 2011, I forwarded a lengthy and detailed complaint to the Attorney General’s Office of Campaign and Political Finance. That complaint (AG and OCPF letter) prompted a six-month investigation by an attorney in the Attorney General’s Office and she called me today to inform me of the outcome of her investigation.
I was told that she has spoken to the players involved with the groups named in the complaint, as well as to the Superintendent and other named district employees, candidates and others regarding their violations of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts campaign and political finance laws and regulations. She felt that although there were clearly violations, much of the evidence I was able to gather and provide was just short of being sufficient to take action against those involved. She did however state that they have all been put on notice that such actions would not be tolerated and any further evidence would be acted upon.
During the last election, it was very disturbing to see the lengths to which the Superintendent would go to push through the override and her preferred school committee candidates. It became ever more clear to me that she believes herself to be untouchable and above the law. She shrouds herself behind a couple of misguided groups of people who do her bidding, utilizing public resources to feed and support their position and impact what is intended to be an impartial and fair election. Shame on you, Carol Woodbury. I know you know better. I just don’t think you care.
Suffice it to say that I am one taxpayer who does care and who is well-versed enough in these matters to take you and your sad, ignorant group of followers to task. You may cry “sour grapes” at me. It will not change the facts. And the Attorney General’s Office of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts agrees.
Another election is coming and, no doubt, another budget override will be sought (how else can this district afford to pay the over $4 million in school sending tuition to our neighboring districts AND maintain staffing at status quo?) and, this year, I can at least hope that those groups who protect the Superintendent and do her bidding understand the consequences of not registering as PACs, Ballot Committees or Charitable Organizations and consequently, not filing any of the requisite tax forms with the IRS and with the state.
It’s probably far too much for me to hope that our devious and [nothing if not] resourceful Superintendent now understands that in towns as small as Dennis and Yarmouth, she cannot get away with the misappropriation of public resources to further her own personal political interests.
And maybe, just maybe, some of the parents who blindly followed these groups under the false pretense that they were “supporting their schools” but wound up being manipulated into acting as the groups’ political mechanism (which is the definition of a Political Action Committee or a Ballot Committee, by the way) will think twice about getting involved in some of the illegal functions and activities which took place last year.
Because Big Brother is watching.
DY Voice of Reason 