MA Has History of Elected Officials Leaving Early
As Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Tim Murray conducts his final full week in state government, he finds himself close to joining familiar ranks of several top elected Bay State officials in the not too distant past. Murray, like with recent governors William Weld and Paul Cellucci, will not finish his last elected term in office. After this coming Sunday, Murray, a Democrat, will become the new president and CEO of his hometown Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, a decision he announced last week. The decision once again raised questions about whether Gov. Deval Patrick will complete his term own term set to expire in early 2015. Weld, a Republican, left the corner office in the mid-’90s after he was tabbed by President Bill Clinton to be ambassador to Mexico, however he later withdrew his nomination and was never confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Cellucci, also a Republican, didn’t finish his term either after he was confirmed to be President George W. Bush’s ambassador to Canada in 2001. The history of this kind of occurrence in Massachusetts even dates back to the late Republican Gov. John Volpe, who was chosen by President Richard Nixon to be his transportation secretary in 1969 and left two years on his term unfinished. Patrick Griffin, a former GOP consultant and CEO of Manchester, N.H.-based Griffin York & Krause, said these moves could be due to the historical national spotlight being elected in the Bay State can provide. “Politicians in Massachusetts tend to have a great sense of upward political mobility,” Griffin said. He cited the history of politicians who have run for president from the Bay State, including John F. Kennedy and recent examples of John Kerry and Mitt Romney. Griffin also mentioned the influence of former U.S. House Speaker Thomas “Tip” O’Neill. “These were all strong figures,” Griffin said. However, in Murray’s case, getting out before his term ended clearly wasn’t about going places politically with his move to the private sector. Murray may have been a successor for Patrick in 2014, he was involved in an early-morning car accident in a state vehicle in 2011 and has ties to disgraced former Chelsea Housing Authority chief Michael J. McLaughlin, ties that are still under investigation. “Tim Murray is a not viable choice for governor,” Griffin said, adding that he was “damaged goods” in a political sense. Murray said last week he would not rule out a run for higher office in the future. Speaking to reporters last Friday, Patrick said Murray’s departure was not like that of Weld or Cellucci. “This a unique opportunity at a time when it fits in […]
South End History: Fox Brothers, South End Grocers
South End Patch
Where to Celebrate Black History Month in Boston
It’s February, and that means it’s time to celebrate Black History Month. In Boston, you’ve got several options that range between programs, films, art shows and activities for adults, kids and teens. You can see the city’s full list here, but here are some of the highlights happening in Boston: BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARYBoston Public Library will observe Black History Month in February with a series of programs, films, and activities for all age groups. Highlights from the month’s programming include: African Mask Making. For children ages 6-12, a program on African mask making is offered at sixteen different Boston Public Library locations. Young people will create a paper mache mask with Behind the Mask Studio Artists who will display samples, discuss techniques, and guide creativity. The South End branch will host this event on Wednesday, Feb. 4 Feb. 6 at 3:30 p.m. Harriet Tubman: I Can’t Die But Once.For families with children ages 11 and older, storyteller Gwendolyn Quezaire-Presutti (pictured right) performs Harriet Tubman: I Can’t Die But Once at seven Boston Public Library locations including the East Boston, Faneuil, Dudley, Lower Mills, West Roxbury, Orient Heights, and Grove Hall branches on various days. Told in the oral tradition, Quezaire-Presutti will present the life and times of Harriet Tubman in a 45-minute presentation including how Harriet Tubman operated as a scout and spy of the Union Army, and was possibly the first American woman to work on the battlefields of the Civil War. Author Calvin Alexander Ramsey will share readings from his book, Ruth and the Green Book, on Saturday, February 9, at 2 p.m. at the Central Library in Copley Square. Although the event is free, RSVPs are required as seating is limited. Central Library Film Series. The Central Library in Copley Square hosts a trio of Monday evening films celebrating African American Actors in February with screenings of To Wong Fu, The Preacher’s Wife, andHotel Rwanda. The films are shown at 6 p.m. in Rabb Lecture Hall on February 4, 11, and 25. Dudley Branch Film Series. The Dudley Branch of the Boston Public Library hosts a Wednesday afternoon film series during the month of February. All films relate to the theme “at the crossroads of freedom and equality” and will be shown at 3 p.m. on February 6, 13, 20, and 27. The movie titles are Glory, The Long Walk Home, Do the Right Thing, and Pariah. Black History Booklist – Boston Public Library is publishing its annual “Black Is” booklist, a compilation of recent works by and about African Americans for adult readers. The 2013 booklist contains dozens of fiction and nonfiction works, including autobiographies by Vanessa Williams; Rodney King; and Zakes Mda, the noted South African contemporary writer. The complete schedule of upcoming events at Boston Public Library locations, for Black History month and beyond, is available at www.bpl.org/calendar. FREEDOM TRAIL African American […]