Former Governor and His Appointees Move On to Promoting Olympics For Cash

Former Massachusetts Governor shows where his heart lies -- in the money bag.

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. Abraham Lincoln

[From article]
Patrick, who has been tapped to serve as “global ambassador,” will join former members of his administration at the nonprofit group leading the Olympics charge, Boston 2024, including William “Mo” Cowan and Doug Rubin, both former chiefs of staff; Juliette Kayyem, his former secretary of homeland security; John Walsh, his former campaign manager; and Kyle Sullivan, a former spokesman. They join Patrick’s former transportation secretary Richard A. Davey, who is Boston 2024’s CEO.
The low-profile, end-of-week announcement that Patrick was the group’s latest in a series of high-profile political hires was made late Friday, possibly in an attempt to minimize backlash.
[. . .]
Evan Falchuk, head of the United Independent Party who is leading a push for a statewide Olympics ballot question, said he was disappointed Patrick is now involved in the bid.
“I think this puts Charlie Baker in a tight spot,” said Falchuk. “ There’s this very strange overlap between what is government and what is Boston 2024 and it is disturbing that there don’t seem to be clear lines between what’s what.”
Patrick will be paid based on where he travels and what services he performs, a Boston 2024 spokesman said. Some say he should follow the lead of former Bay State Gov. Mitt Romney, who is helping push the Boston bid for free and didn’t take a salary when he led Salt Lake City’s bid for the 2002 Winter Games.
“Having a governor just a few months out of office as a paid lobbyist for a project seeking public money certainly raises eyebrows,” Gray said. “My question is: if he believes in it, why not do it for free like Mitt Romney did?”

http://www.bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_politics/2015/03/boston_olympic_bid_may_pit_patrick_vs_baker

Boston Olympic bid may pit Patrick vs. Baker
Politics enter five-ring circus
Sunday, March 8, 2015
By: Owen Boss
Boston Herald

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[From article]
Olympics opponents say Patrick’s new role as “global ambassador” and consultant creates the not-so-subtle impression that the state itself is backing the bid — while the average Joe doesn’t have a say, and the sitting governor, Charlie Baker, only learned about Patrick’s appointment from the media.
“It’s a brilliant hire for Boston 2024, as they can now trade on the power of a man who held the Corner Office. The problem is that the promises they’ll be making to the International Olympics Committee are ones for which Massachusetts taxpayers will ultimately be responsible,” said Kelley Gossett, co-chair of No Boston Olympics. “Boston 2024 needs more transparency and accountability, not more hired guns.”
Baker’s spokesman also reiterated the governor’s demand for transparency, suggesting the Corner Office is beginning to lose patience with Boston 2024’s high-handed approach.

http://www.bostonherald.com/news_opinion/columnists/hillary_chabot/2015/03/chabot_hiring_deval_for_olympics_bid_could_cost_big

Chabot: Hiring Deval for Olympics bid could cost big for taxpayers
Monday, March 9, 2015
By: Hillary Chabot
Boston Herald

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[From article]
As if the evidence wasn’t already overwhelming that this proposed Olympic boondoggle is nothing more than a shadow hackerama for unemployable layabouts, now the most incompetent governor in state history is burying his snout in the “nonprofit” trough.
Deval Patrick — the gift that keeps on taking, as somebody said on the Internet yesterday.
[. . .]
If you’re indicted, you’re invited.

http://www.bostonherald.com/news_opinion/columnists/howie_carr/2015/03/carr_deval_s_gang_in_place_for_2024_hackerama

Carr: Deval’s gang in place for 2024 hackerama
Sunday, March 8, 2015
By: Howie Carr
Boston Herald

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[From article]
Former Gov. Deval Patrick, who scored a $7,500-a-day consulting gig with Boston 2024, will walk a fine ethical line as he and members of his former inner circle lobby for the Summer Games — a bid that will require public money for infrastructure upgrades.
“The governor and Secretary (Richard) Davey and all the top ex-officials have to be very careful about not crossing the ethical line of lobbying their (former) agencies and using their position to influence them,” said Greg Sullivan, former state inspector general, now at the Pioneer Institute. “There’s a prospective problem with the top brass of state government lobbying the very agencies they led for funding.”

http://www.bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_politics/2015/03/deval_patrick_pals_facing_an_ethical_challenge

Deval Patrick, pals facing an ethical challenge
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
By: Chris Cassidy, Richard Weir
Boston Herald