Breaking: SEIU caught using state resources to help Coakley, Brown says $7.5M-$75M fine appropriate

Great post (0.00 / 0)

Great reporting

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by: yankeepundit @ Wed Dec 16, 2009 at 22:21:30 PM UTC

Double Up on the Fine Request (0.00 / 0)

Could the Brown campaign take it a step farther and argue that the retraction email is in fact another email request subject to the same rules and regulations applying to the first email.  One part of the argument could be that recipients may not have looked at the initial email without the "reminder" provided by the second email.

This would bring the fine request to $15 to $150 million.  A neighborhood of fines that is historic.  Now that would add to Martha's "history" claim - Union supporting historic run for first female senator from MA fined $15 million for campaign violations, an unprecedented fine for mis-use of state property. MA AG had no comment.

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by: ConsEph @ Fri Dec 18, 2009 at 03:00:40 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

$$ (5.00 / 1)

If I were Scott Brown I would fundraise the hell out of this nationally.  

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by: RFlynn @ Wed Dec 16, 2009 at 22:47:44 PM UTC

Campaign 101 (0.00 / 0)

Excellent post and the Brown Campaign and the State and Federal Committees should be sending donation requests now to build momentum.

This is campaign 101.  Something that Michael Sullivan in OCPF is very clear on when he speaks to new candidates.  I find it hard to believe that SEIU would not have known this rule (and definitely should have known it).

I hope that the violation is aggressively pursued to not only level the playing field, but to take a bite out of SEIU's wallet so they can return to focusing on their members and not their own self-interest.  Unions have a place, this is now it.

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by: ConsEph @ Thu Dec 17, 2009 at 01:10:30 AM UTC

Interesting (0.00 / 0)

Development...and good campaign fuel.
But are we really surprised that a large labor union has overtly supported a DEM candidate?  This time they were foolish enough to do it by breaking established rules and getting caught.

Martha appoint a special prosecutor?  Nice idea, but I don't see it happening...huge conflict of interest that only would hurt her if it blew up.  I bet she's hoping this all just goes away.  I can hear her statement in the next few days if this story has legs "My office has been advised of alleged improper political activities on the part of SEIU.  SEUI quickly recognized this problem and made a good faith effort to correct their mistake quickly...and I am satisfied with their response and will not pursue this matter further".

Who else has the power to force the issue and request a prosecutor (I believe they can only request the AG do it)?  Deval? Bill Galvin?  Tough sell when those who are supposed to pursue this are all in the same club.

Follow me on twitter @garyrlake

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by: garyrlake @ Thu Dec 17, 2009 at 05:05:55 AM UTC

How would Martha Coakley know that sending those emails was illegal? (0.00 / 0)

It's not like she is a Lawyer or anything.  And all those pesky laws, who pays attention to them anyway?  

If you disagree with me you are a racist homophobe.

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by: Vote3rdpartynow @ Thu Dec 17, 2009 at 11:57:40 AM UTC

Feet will be dragged on this issue... (5.00 / 1)

...and the election will come and go before anything is done.

There is a reason the election cycle is so short here...  So the Dems can stay in power at all costs.

The are investigating themselves.  There is no way this is going to grow legs before April.

"Don't let me get away with it. Check me out. Don't be the sucker generation." -Ronald Reagan

www.inBrockton.com

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by: BrocktonDave @ Thu Dec 17, 2009 at 13:21:08 PM UTC

Step by step (5.00 / 3)

Step 1:  Democrats demand more government control for "fairness."
Step 2:  Democrats get to write all the rules.
Step 3:  Rules only apply to Republicans.
Step 4:  Democrats violate their own rules.
Step 5:  Democrats get away with it.
Step 6:  Democrats in power laugh at the rest of us.

Bob Hedlund for Minority Leader.

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by: Mike "DD4RP" Rossettie @ Thu Dec 17, 2009 at 13:46:00 PM UTC

Anyone care (0.00 / 0)

to explain how it is against any rule or law for a private entity to send e-mails to State workers?  

I have a State e-mail account and recieve all kinds of e-mails from private entities to that account.....some soliciting my $$$ for product.  Should Jos.ABank get fined for each e-mail I receive?

"I acknowledge having racist and classist and sexist feelings of white male superiority." -John Howard

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by: ElectricStrawberry @ Thu Dec 17, 2009 at 14:02:43 PM UTC

Used State Resources (0.00 / 0)

http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp...

BOSTON - Republican Senate hopeful Scott Brown has filed a complaint with the State Ethics Commission after a report that a union backing rival Martha Coakley used state resources to urge workers to volunteer for Coakley's campaign.

The report by FOX25 said the Service Employees International Union used state computers and e-mail addresses to direct state employees to volunteer for Coakley, the Democratic state attorney general.

They way I read it is that state resources were used to send the emails.  Receiving them was not the issue.

Bob Hedlund for Minority Leader.

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by: Mike "DD4RP" Rossettie @ Thu Dec 17, 2009 at 14:19:57 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Actually.... (0.00 / 0)

...sending them an email to a state email address is treated the same as if they send a letter using state stationary, or to a state address.

It's ANY Communication to a state-owned medium.  So, for example, if they did a GOTV call to state workers state-issues cell phone, that would also be a violation.


Follow me on Twitter?  Sure, why not.  www.twitter.com/paulferro

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by: Paul R. Ferro @ Thu Dec 17, 2009 at 15:46:16 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

So... (0.00 / 0)

if I use my UMASS e-mail to sign into Brown-for-Senate....and I get automated e-mails from the Brown Brigade to my UMASS account....that's a violation of exactly which Section of which Chapter of MGL?

"I acknowledge having racist and classist and sexist feelings of white male superiority." -John Howard

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by: ElectricStrawberry @ Thu Dec 17, 2009 at 15:55:10 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yes. (0.00 / 0)

You don't own the @umass email.  It belongs to the university, and they let you use it.  It's a state resource.

Literally, sending an election communication into a public building, be it snail mail, email, or a phone call, are all prohibited because the receiving end is government owned, be it the mail address, email address (or COMPUTER) of the phone the call is received at.

 

Follow me on Twitter?  Sure, why not.  www.twitter.com/paulferro

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by: Paul R. Ferro @ Thu Dec 17, 2009 at 17:01:47 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

So answer (0.00 / 0)

the question.

I asked for the specific section of the MGL that applies becaus someone's say-so doesn't mean much to me.

Which section says that if the Brown Brigade sends an email to my UMASS address...that the BB is facing a fine for violation?

"I acknowledge having racist and classist and sexist feelings of white male superiority." -John Howard

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by: ElectricStrawberry @ Fri Dec 18, 2009 at 04:20:11 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Well.... (0.00 / 0)

This is what I see...

Local 509 accidentally sent an e-mail to its state employee members...

Does a Union have access to State resources?  Is Local 509 a "public" entity?

This could just as easily be poor choice in wording by FoxNews......unless a State employee actually sent the e-mails using a State computer....representing Local 509.

Nothing reported thus far has told me that State resources were used to send any e-mails....seems they're inferring that a State employee, using a State computer with a State e-mail address.....receiving a political e-mail....is "technically" "using State resources"

"I acknowledge having racist and classist and sexist feelings of white male superiority." -John Howard

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by: ElectricStrawberry @ Thu Dec 17, 2009 at 15:50:15 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Its where the email goes (0.00 / 0)

The sending of emails to a state email address is against the rules and regulations of campaigns.  It is something that is explained to any candidate who attends a candidate educational seminar with the state.  It is also something that the SEIU would know very well as they are well versed in campaign finance and campaign regulations.

Same goes for mail, a candidate cannot mail a request to a person at a state, city or local government address which is also a violation.

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by: ConsEph @ Fri Dec 18, 2009 at 02:55:09 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Is the SEIU a candidate? (0.00 / 0)

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"That it ceased to exist, I'll grant you, but whether or not it failed cannot be definitively said." - Metropolitan (1990)

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by: Patrick @ Fri Dec 18, 2009 at 03:08:21 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

... (0.00 / 0)

EXACTLY which section of which chapter of the MGL applies????????

"I acknowledge having racist and classist and sexist feelings of white male superiority." -John Howard

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by: ElectricStrawberry @ Fri Dec 18, 2009 at 04:23:15 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

How was Mailing List Obtained ? (0.00 / 0)

Wouldnt it be just as unethical to utilize a list of state employee names obtained through oficial government means, for the purpose of forwarding political materials to those on the list? Arent taxpayer funded functions required to remain officialy nuetral?

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by: nomad943 @ Fri Dec 18, 2009 at 14:02:45 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Been wading (0.00 / 0)

through this stuff for the first time and it seems there's different rules for different groups of employee types and positions.

"I acknowledge having racist and classist and sexist feelings of white male superiority." -John Howard

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by: ElectricStrawberry @ Fri Dec 18, 2009 at 16:18:19 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I briefly skimmed the section of the law. (0.00 / 0)

It's all about state employees.  If the SIEU isn't a state employee I don't see how it applies.

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"That it ceased to exist, I'll grant you, but whether or not it failed cannot be definitively said." - Metropolitan (1990)

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by: Patrick @ Fri Dec 18, 2009 at 03:09:17 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

It is actually Chapter 55 (0.00 / 0)

They conflated Ethics and Election law.  here is the guide.

http://www.ocpf.net/guides/gui...

Full Disclosure


http://www.redmassgroup.com/pr...

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by: Rob "EaBo Clipper" Eno @ Fri Dec 18, 2009 at 11:53:33 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I read through (0.00 / 0)

most of that and scanned through what I deemed as not applicable.....seems this is about public employees using resources, not private entities having comms with public employees.

Care to point out the section in Chapter 55 that says a private entity cannot contact a public employee?

.....because I can't seem to find it.

"I acknowledge having racist and classist and sexist feelings of white male superiority." -John Howard

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by: ElectricStrawberry @ Fri Dec 18, 2009 at 12:45:20 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Actually... (0.00 / 0)

which statute applies to this?  The letter claimed 268A....care to tell me which section of 268A applies?

"I acknowledge having racist and classist and sexist feelings of white male superiority." -John Howard

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by: ElectricStrawberry @ Thu Dec 17, 2009 at 14:09:30 PM UTC

Fox 25 Coakley Video (0.00 / 0)

Bob Hedlund for Minority Leader.

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by: Mike "DD4RP" Rossettie @ Thu Dec 17, 2009 at 14:30:11 PM UTC