Patrick Aims To “Reform” CORI

Just over halfway into his term, Governor Deval Patrick has filed legislation that will lead to “reforming” the CORI (Criminal Offender Record Information).

Gov. Deval Patrick is filing legislation to tighten access to criminal records, a step he says will help ex-offenders make a new start.

The bill would eliminate access to what Patrick describes as “stale records” of those released from prison who have shown that they aren’t likely to commit new crimes.

Patrick said the bill would make it easier for ex-offenders to apply for a job and find a place to live. They would also be alerted when someone is reviewing their records and have the right to contest the records’ accuracy.

Prisoner advocates say the steps will reform the state’s Criminal Offender Record Information system, known as CORI.

Business groups say it will make it harder for them to learn about prospective employees.

It makes you wonder whose side the Governor is on.

Public Enemies

Michele McPhee vs. Gov. Patrick.

So, Deval Patrick wants lawmakers on Beacon Hill to “speak the truth” about the Bay State’s grim financial outlook.

Okay, Governor, let’s speak the truth. The truth is that within days of taking office, Patrick attempted to appoint a campaign fundraiser to the $75,000-a-year job of working as a personal secretary for his wife Diane.

That ill thought out plan was barely scuttled when he picked out a fancy Cadillac, and told the press that he was forced to upgrade the governor’s ride because Ford no longer made the Crown Vic — which of course was not even close to the truth.

Then there was the $55,000 upgrade to his office, courtesy of the taxpayer, and the unrelenting junkets, including one to China that cost us $250,000. While he was in the Orient, Patrick picked out an office in Beijing. That’s right. Beijing.

Right now, we are paying rent on office space in China, and you will be happy to hear that, “in addition to the state’s Beijing office, Massachusetts will maintain a satellite contact office in Shanghai,’’ according to the state’s own press release. What a relief.

We also pay for an office for Patrick in Washington D.C. — just in case he decides to go on an interview for a shot at a seat on the Supreme Court.

Then, of course, there are the patronage appointments that do not end. First his neighbor landed a $120,000-a-year job that never existed before. Then there was the Marian Walsh debacle. Between those two incidents — which I would argue are bordering Mafia-like corruption — there were other campaign contributors and Patrick supporters rewarded with contracts and jobs.

UPDATE: More from Holly Robichaud, the Globe, Herald and USA Today.

SECOND UPDATE: From Jon Keller, the Globe and the Herald.

THIRD UPDATE: More from the Globe, WBZ and the Herald.

FOURTH UPDATE: From the Herald and Holly Robichaud.

Lester’s Night

All eyes were on Jon Lester last night as he pitched his first game since being diagnosed with lymphoma. Lester kept the Indians at bay helping to lead the Red Sox to a 6-2 victory.

Turning in a performance that won’t soon be forgotten, Lester allowed only two runs on five hits and three walks, while striking out six batters and holding the Indians hitless in three at-bats with runners in scoring position.

The effort led the Sox to their fourth straight win and ended a six-game road losing streak, while maintaining a 7 1/2-game lead over the New York Yankees in the AL East.

“I’m trying to put it behind me and move on and just go back to pitching,” Lester said. “But right now, every three months I’ve got to get that reality check (blood tests), so hopefully, we can put it behind us and keep going and, hopefully, win some games.”

In the eyes of many, Lester needed only to throw one pitch to have the night deemed a success. Eleven months after making his last major league start and being diagnosed with anaplastic large cell lymphoma, the fact he beat the disease during the offseason and made it back to the big leagues represented a win that couldn’t be quantified by statistical analysis.

Congratulations to Jon Lester on a triumphant return. Welcome back.

Sending Out An SMS…

This story just goes to show that stupidity can get you in trouble, and get you caught.

The award-winning head coach of Boston College’s outstanding women’s hockey team resigned yesterday under the specter of sexual misconduct between him and his teenage goal-scoring machine.

Hockey East Coach of the Year Tom Mutch, 39, who’s married and whose wife just had a baby, abruptly stepped down hours after the Herald began making inquiries to authorities at the Heights.

Sexually graphic text messages that BC hockey star Kelli Stack, 19, allegedly wrote to Mutch were discovered on a cell phone the Hockey East’s Player and Rookie of the Year gave to a teammate, neglecting to delete them first, sources said.

One source familiar with the messages described them as “filthy. They were very sexual in nature.”

Sources stressed that BC’s probe had yet to find an actual sexual relationship between Mutch and Stack. But in a statement released to the Herald last night, Gene DeFilippo, director of athletics, said, “We take this matter very seriously.

The question we all want to know is, was this star hockey player scoring outside the rink as well as inside the rink?

Discussing In-State Tuition For Illegals!?!?!

Apparently, the Board of Higher Education does not understand the meaning of the word “illegal,” so, for their benefit, I will define it for them right now:

il · le · gal
adj.
1. Prohibited by law.
2. Prohibited by official rules: an illegal pass in football.
3. Unacceptable to or not performable by a computer: an illegal operation.

n. An illegal immigrant.

The definition seems clear to me, yet the state’s Board of Higher Education wants to disregard the law under the guise of bringing in revenue?

The board has a motion before it to receive a two-page “questions-and-answers” document that states the cost to accept these students “would likely result in extra revenue to the schools and the commonwealth.”

The document, crafted by a subcommittee, states that the debate around the issue is likely to continue in the Statehouse because of pending legislation, and intends to answer frequently asked questions.

The document states that “there appears to be some misunderstanding about the issues and potential impact” of legislation allowing undocumented immigrant students to get in-state tuition.

Indeed, there is a misunderstanding. Some people know the definition of “illegal” while other people obviously do not. The biggest insult of all is this attempt to sugar-coat the issue by suggesting that allowing illegal immigrants to get in-state tuition will bring money into the state.

…a Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation report from January 2006 that says between 400 and 600 students might enter Massachusetts schools as a result of such a bill, and that it likely would result in $2.5 million of extra revenue.

Out-of-state students pay on average $30,000 more than in-state peers over the course of four years at a Massachusetts school, the document states.

Well whoop-diddy-do. Is there a line item in this report that tries to put a number on how many illegal immigrants cost the taxpayers every year? I would guess not; not that our governor would give a hoot.

Gov. Deval Patrick on Wednesday reiterated his support for allowing undocumented immigrants to get in-state tuition.

“My view is the same as it‚Äôs always been,” he said. “I understand there are strong views on both sides of the question. I think it‚Äôs a question of fundamental fairness and we ought to do it.”

But so what if they bring in revenue to the amount of $2.5 million. Does that make it right? Legalizing gambling in this state will bring in tons of new revenue, but no one–not even Governor Deval Patrick–is rushing to legalize gambling. During his campaign, Patrick was worried about the negative impact of gambling on the communities. We all know Patrick is a strong advocate of dispensing with the law with regards to illegal immigrants, and he has never expressed any worries about the negative impacts of illegal immigration in our communities.

House Minority Leader Brad Jones said it best.

“It‚Äôs illegal. Why are we enhancing the level of benefits?” He said it wouldn‚Äôt be fair to legal students, adding that the University of Massachusetts rejected 40 percent of applicants last year.

“Every legislator gets calls from parents about their child getting wait-listed,” he said.

No citizen of this state, or any other state, should be pushed further down the list from an illegal immigrant. Why not just give Benjamin LaGuer a free ride to any state school of his choice, plus some a housing stipend and spending money, you know, so he doesn’t need to work while getting a degree in something. Oh wait, he needn’t worry, Deval Patrick will castrate the CORI laws so his buddy Ben won’t have to worry about that.

Discussing in-state tuition for illegal immigrants? There is no need for discussion.

UPDATE 4/20/07: It’s beginning… lawmakers are trying to “resurrect” this shameful bill to give in-state tuition to illegal immigrants.