Deval & Friends

Cronyism.

Gov. Deval Patrick has parked several campaign drivers and volunteers in top-dollar plum state jobs despite his vow to slam the brakes on patronage – and aides asked to explain hung up the phone.

Patrick recently tapped former campaign driver Mark Conrad to become permanent chairman of the state Parole Board two weeks ago at more than $100,000 a year. Conrad, a former Milton police officer, had served as acting chairman since he was appointed to the board in 2007.

“This is a governor who wanted people hired not by their political connections but by their qualifications,” said Senate Republican leader Richard R. Tisei (R-Wakefield). “The fact is, this administration has been one of the best at patronage and cronyism.”

Other former campaign volunteers hired by the Patrick administration:

• Jack Kowalski, who served as a driver/advance man for Patrick’s campaign, was hired in 2008 as a director of strategic marketing in the Department of Agricultural Resources at an $85,000-a-year salary.

• Jack Murray, another advance man for Patrick, landed a $115,000 job as deputy commissioner of park operations at the Department of Conservation and Recreation. Murray, who worked for the Clinton administration, was placed in the post shortly after Patrick took office.

• Aaron Gross, a Boston police officer who served for three decades, provided security for Patrick’s campaign. He was hired in August, after three interviews, to become the Environmental Police chief at $112,000 a year.

Patrick’s director of communications, Joe Landolfi, and press secretary Kyle Sullivan abruptly hung up during a conference call when asked why the administration was hiring political workers.

What else is there to say? Is Deval Patrick anything he said he was going to be?