Five things you should know today, September 10, 2012

by: Rob "EaBo Clipper" Eno

Mon Sep 10, 2012 at 07:36:08 AM EDT

Update: While the business listing for The Snyder Company, lists it as a law firm, as linked below.  Senate President Therese Murray's spokesman David Falcone, has informed Red Mass Group that the "professional fees" were for fundraising, not legal services.

The Snyder Company is not paid for legal services. The $21,000 is not for legal fees and has nothing to do with probation. The Snyder Company is paid for fundraising consultation.

According to OCPF reports released last week, Senate President Therese Murray has spent another $21,000 on legal fees.  This time to the Snyder Company, a law firm located at 185 Devonshire Street in Downtown Boston.

Murray was mentioned prominently in the Federal Indictment of Joseph O'Brien, the chief of the probation department.  You may remember that Murray spent $5000 with Collora LLP last year.  That law firm specialized in white collar crime.

2. Senate President Murray unsure if her name will be mentioned again in probation scandal

Two weeks ago during a WATD debate, Senate President Therese Murray was asked if her name would be mentioned in the probation scandal again.  Her answer? "I really don't know".  

She then goes on to explain how "everybody does this".  That defense did not work well for Sal Dimasi.  Hopefully for her a $2500 per month legal retainer fee will help.

In an unprecedented move by a newspaper, the Eagle Tribune of Lawrence has taken the extraordianry step of endorsing two months before an election.

Rarely has it been so clear that change is needed in the White House to get the country moving again. President Obama has not been up to the challenge of leading the nation out of recession. America needs Mitt Romney and we are pleased to offer him our endorsement.

Why endorse so early? After the conventions and months of campaigning, the choice is clear. The country cannot endure four more years of stagnation and runaway government spending. We need to make a change in Washington.

To be sure, President Obama was dealt a difficult hand in 2008. But he has not played that hand well. After nearly four years of his presidency, the country is still struggling with an anemic recovery to the deepest recession since the Great Depression. Friday's jobless report underscored the problem. Employers added 96,000 jobs in August but 368,000 people left the labor force. The unemployment rate fell to 8.1 percent from 8.3 percent in July, but only because so many people gave up looking for work.

While this seemingly may mean nothing, as Romney is going to lose Massachusetts.  The Tribune is the paper of record for a large portion of Southern New Hampshire, where such an endorsement is helpful.

4. RIP Richard Fielding

Past Raytheon IBEW President, and conservative activist Richard Fielding passed away over the weekend.  The Eagle Tribune has the story.

I first met Fielding during the 2002 5th District Congressional race, where he helped fellow Union Member Chuck McCarthy (R-Dunstable) make inroads into the IBEW.  Recently Fielding was a trusted confidant to Jon Golnik in his race for Congress.

5. Treasurer Tim seeks to dismiss corruption charges

Tim Cahill , who's campaign is alleged to have directed teh spending of public money on Lottery advertisements is seeking to have the charges against him dropped.  This according to the Associated Press.

Lawyers for former Massachusetts Treasurer Timothy Cahill are planning to ask a court to dismiss public corruption charges against him.

A hearing on motions to dismiss the charges is scheduled for Tuesday in Suffolk Superior Court in Boston.