Dems stand behind the Teamsters

[unhappycamper]

http://www.bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_politics/2015/10/dems_stand_behind_the_teamsters



KING A STAND: In a press release this week announcing the indictments of five members of the Teamsters Local 25 on extortion charges, U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz, shown, said ‘this kind of conduct reflects poorly on our city.’

Dems stand behind the Teamsters
Saturday, October 3, 2015
Matt Stout

U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz’s extortion case against five Teamsters has pitted her against Democratic leaders, who are rallying to the union’s defense and taking issue with her contention that the alleged strong-arming “reflects poorly” on the Hub.

“I couldn’t disagree with that more,” U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano said yesterday. “Every city, every group has bad actors in it — including the U.S. Attorney’s Office, I might add. Anybody who paints that kind of broad brush is making a humongous mistake.

“You may have seen a recent movie lately that involves some people in the U.S. Attorney’s Office that didn’t do the right thing in Boston,” he added, referring to “Black Mass,” which tells of mobster James “Whitey” Bulger’s unholy alliance with the FBI.

Ortiz’s office declined to address Capuano’s comments.

[merrily]

1. Lynch is my rep, but I would learn to walk on hot coals for Capuano.

Sounds like something out of a film about Jimmy Hoffa. However, based on Capuano's great comment--that every group has bad actors--I can stand with labor in general, even if these individuals are ultimately proven guilty. Solidarity.

Ortiz needs to focus on her case and not make broadbrush comments against organized labor, or even "narrow brush" comments against these defendants. Sounds as though she is already giving defense grounds to request a change in venue and/or grounds for an appeal.

[unhappycamper]

2. Lnych was my rep and he never saw a war or war funding bill he didn't like. n/t

[merrily]

3. He did try to go left on some cultural issues while running against Markey. Until then, his

biggest selling points (for me) were (1) he's not a registered Republican; and (2) his is strongly pro-labor/union.

When he ran against Markey, he at least professed to be pro-choice and pro-equal marriage. In theory, both of those are constitutional rights now, anyway, but, as we know, issues nonetheless seem to me to come up every five minutes anyway (emphasis on "seem to me&quot . I hope he holds fast to his newer stance.