Something that’s stuck in my craw for the past two months has been the letter that I and literally thousands of other people in Newton received from Marilyn Devaney’s campaign just a few days before the September Democratic Primary. The letter was purportedly signed by 6 of the 8 members of the Governor’s Council and it accused Devaney’s opponent Charlie Shapiro of making “slanderous,” “bizarre” and “untrue” attacks on Devaney. Shapiro came back and in my opinion effectively countered most of what was in that letter. But that’s almost beside the point. Political campaigns can turn negative and nasty as we all well know.
But that’s when truly “bizarre” and disturbing things started to happen. A lot of us thought there was something fishy about the letter itself. It seemed too personal and focused an attack on a single opponent to have been signed by so many of the Councillors. Jim Morrison at the Tab apparently felt the same way. He started calling or emailing the 6 Councillors who the Devaney campaign claims signed this letter. One stated that she had not signed the letter. Others weren’t sure and still others never returned Jim’s inquiry. Only one “thought” it might have been what he signed. A few days, back I emailed Jim at his Tab office to see if he had any updated information on the letter and the signatures. He assured me he was still working on it and with very colorful language stated there would be something more on this whole affair before the election.
Jim Morrison and the Tab’s editorial staff were the only news sources that reported on this sordid affair and the only ones that have tried to follow up on it. The Globe, radio and TV news media never touched it. Jim and the Tab deserve a lot of thanks for trying to keep this issue alive. I’ve never encountered anything like this where so many public officials can’t remember whether or not they signed and endorsed an attack on a political candidate. This is a horrible testament to those members of the Governor’s Council who can’t seem to remember and to so much of the media which seems indifferent to this disturbing incident. The final straw has been Deveney’s failure to debate Tom Sheff who has been running a spirited and informative campaign as an independent. She claims she doesn’t have time to air this and other issues, but every Democratic candidate worth their salt from Barney Frank and Joe Kennedy to Setti Warren and Elizabeth Warren have always been ready and eager to duke it out verbally with any opponent. We will be going to the polls without fully understanding what happened, or who said what to who.
I have been a loyal Democrat since I stood in front of the Hyde School with a sign for FDR in the 1944 Presidential race. In 1960, John F. Kennedy brilliantly summed up my current feeling when he said that “sometimes party loyalty just demands too much.” I just cannot support or vote for Marilyn Devaney. I know I take a pledge not to support or endorse a non Democratic candidate each time I’m elected to the Newton Democratic City Committee so I won’t go that route. But there are times when party loyalty does indeed demand too much and this is one such time.
Didn’t realize you have to check your brain at the door when you join a Democratic City Committee. Yuck. Guess that’s why I’m registered Unenrolled.
Bob is that rare kind of gentleman that welcomes a gentle correction in the name of accuracy, so I know he’ll appreciate me adding that my language was not “very” colorful, but only “gently” so (for the son of a poor, Irish home inspector, anyway).
Like a fart in a space-suit (as I told Bob), I will never, ever be ignored and go away.
It was indeed very odd and poorly written as well. She will not be getting my vote for the reasons stated above.
You take a plege to mindlessly support a letter? Another shining example as of how we got where we are as a country politically.
And, for anyone who missed it, here’s the letter. Read it before election day and decide if anyone capable of writing this letter should hold public office.
Maybe she didn’t write the letter. Someone else may have. I have seen these D. Tricks in former campaigns.
I have to admit, when I first saw the letter, it was so unprofessional, I too figured it must be some sort of forgery to make her look totally incompetent. But that’s theory is pretty far-fetched now, almost two months later. Quite the contrary, Jim Morrison’s reporting supports the authenticity of the letter as Devaney’s work (while allegedly signed by her colleagues, not herself) You’d think if someone forges a letter from your campaign, sends it to the local media and thousands of households, you’d say something? And if not, that too would be a good reason not to vote for somebody.
@Colleen, except that she didn’t disavow the letter. Rather the opposite. Go back and read Jim Morrison’s Sept. 8 story:
“Yellow Dog Democrat” means knee-jerk Democrat. Because so often a party or a movement or a local hero represents points of view with which I disagree, I can’t join or follow a leader mindlessly. One should always exercise critical thinking.
The Democratic party has changed immensely since the time of FDR. I used to vote straight Democratic, many years ago, but the weirdo’s they often put up for election and the positions they now take are too much. Most of my voting is now Republican, if not all, and not because I am a Republican, but because my critical thinking says they’ll do a better job. Unfortunately, in Newton, most of the Democrats run unopposed and I have to write in Mickey Mouse or something.
It’s good that after all the years since FDR, Bob Burke has finally exercised critical thinking, although it took an extreme misdemeanor to get him to come around. I will vote for Tom.
I will write-in Francis X Stanton, III for Governor’s Council. Stanton pulled papers to run earlier in the year, but withdrew.
http://www.ocpf.us/Filers?q=15487
Tom Sheff is an earnest and thoughtful Newtonian. Unfortunately, his left-wing views on the issues are why I can’t vote for him for Governor’s Council.
Devaney is a psycho, there is no way I’m voting for her even though she voted against confirming Joe Berman and has been a thorn in the side of Deval Patrick.
Right on Bob.
Concerns about Devaney go back much further than the Charlie Shapiro letter incident. It’s a shame that GateHouse’s archive for the Watertown TAB & Press has largely vanished, she’s, um, special. And it’s a shame that Devaney does not have a credible opponent next week.
For Pete’s sake, Greg, Tom Sheff would be a credible candidate if he got decent coverage by newspapers and blogs. You can’t say he’s a second tier candidate in this race because he’s one of only two candidates.
Oh for heaven’s sake Brian, a candidate who says he owns a small business but who has a hissy when asked if that business is still, well, in business, isn’t particularly credible.
Hi All,
Bob, thanks for posting.
Thanks for everyone else for their comments.
Greg, I honestly don’t know why anyone would listen to you by now. I didn’t take a “hissy” (who says that any more) when you asked about Second Life Computers. You got riled up because I think the Globe called me a small business owner and you didn’t like that. You then emailed me some questions, which I answered and told you that I was VP of Second Life computers and you didn’t li,e that answer and kept asking the same question over and over again thinking I would say something different and eventually I got tired and stopped answering your questions (after 3 or 4 times). I don’t know where the “hissy” comes in, but if thats you’re take, feel free to keep telling people that, if that gets you through the day.
I will surprise you in saying I agree with you in that I am second rate politician, a first rate po,itician would have had this campaign rapped up in May. Given that, with 5 days to go, I’d appreciate it if people would try to spread the word and educate people on the Governor’s Council and the two opponents. My website is at: http://www.votetomsheff.com and since she refused to debate I don’t have anything where we are head to head, but here’s a link of me on an Arlington local cable show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1AZqXXF8cw. Thanks.
Hey Tom. Welcome back to Village 14. I really did not want to go back down this road but Brian brought it up and I responded. My bad, no doubt for going there.
However, now that it’s out there, I really truly only have one question that I’ve been waiting since you ran for mayor to have answered. And that is:
Answer my question directly and I will never bring it up again. Heck, I will even vote for you on Tuesday!
Given Ms. Devaney’s past and present suspect behavior and the inability of her fellow council members to either own up to signing the letter or returning phone calls, I repeat my statements made verbally countless times before and now for first time in “print”: Abolish it!
Greg,
Unfortunately, Second Life is on life support.
@Tom: Dodged like a first tier politician. Good luck on Tuesday.
@Barry. I’m touched that you feel I’m finally “exercising critical thinking.” I guess an old dog really can learn new tricks.
Thanks Greg