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Brian Wallace didn't get much of a chance to enjoy retirement
By adamg on Thu, 07/21/2011 - 3:13pm
The South Boston state rep, who didn't seek re-election last fall, was indicted today on campaign-finance violations, along with his 2008 campaign treasurer, for allegedly failing to report $6,300 worth of donations that year.
- More details, including comments from his lawyer, by the Dorchester Reporter
- Statement from AG Martha Coakley.
Innocent, etc.
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Comments
Indicted . . .
. . . over failing to report 6300 bucks? Guess you need an accountant and lawyer on 100,000 grand retainer before you even tip your toe in the waters of politics these days.
Exaggerate much?
You gotta keep the receipts for what you spend money on, and keep logs for what come in. The guy couldn't account for 17% of all the money he took in, and a large portion of what the outgoing money went to. Hardly too much to ask of our politicians.
Yeah-
Throw him in jail. What a scumbag.
Maybe we'll just try him first. That OK?
Guy got indicted for not doing something we require of every elected politician. Or, to put it another way, one of the men who used to make our laws is being held accountable to those same laws. Just because he's a good guy from Southie doesn't mean he gets to slide on stuff like this, and there's very little chance of jail if this is the extent of the charges.
What, if anything, do you find so unreasonable about this, Chris? Keep in mind, he has been found guilty of absolutely nothing, and has merely been indicted.
Real brave. . .
. . . retired pol. Notch on the old belt. You gotta wonder who decides who gets fried and who doesn't and why. That's my problem. And let's not hear any blather about "The law"- cause anyone could be indicted these days if you root around enough. Petty.
And keep your "we" to yourself.
This is the crucial question
Is Coakley going hard after everyone for stuff like this now? If so, fine. If not, then why not? Is it a question of amounts?
It's a Question of Evidence
They go after the cases they can prove. Of course some people have done worse. Of course some of them won't get charged. It's like the old analogy: Even the best fisherman never catches all of the fish.
He wasn't always retired...
This investigation started in '08, and was hanging over his head when he retired. The Campaign and Political Finance Office has been trying to investigate this for years, but Wallace and his treasurer decided not to play ball with them, at all, for 3 years. These cases don't just get handed over to the Atty Gen. They usually go the way the Mike Rush case did, which is you apologize, admit you made a mistake, pay your fine and move along. Mike Rush never even had a sniff of a courthouse, and neither would Wallace if he played his cards right. But he decided not to play at all, and now he gets the added inconvenience of being indicted because of it.
There's one guy to blame here for this getting this far. That guy is Brian Wallace.
And yes, it is too bad that the law only seems to go after the retired pols, but oftentimes that is why they are retired in the first place.
Thank you, Sen. Wilkerson & Councilor Turner
Without Sen. Wilkerson or Councilor Turner going to jail, this would be settled with a fine.
Read any of his writings.
Brian could tell you who was wearing what color socks on the 4th of July in the summer of '68, but he doesn't remember what happened to $6300.
COAKLEY WILL NEVER
Convince me that the investigation into Menino's erased emails came up with nothing. If you believe that, you must also believe that Whitey was really dimed by a woman in Iceland. Brian might have done wrong but there is a bigger fish to fry in the Eagle Room the 5th floor of Boston City Hall. I am truly sorry about Brian Wallace. He had a lot to offer and he blew it.
NOT ABOUT MENINO
But about a two-bit West Broadway sneak thief posing as a state rep and playing with tax dollars like he was asking Sully on the corner to "hold on to this for me for a few days, will ya?" This is one rotten fish I don't mind seeing fried. Bum.