This week's crimes of Mass State Trooper report

From MassLive:

Massachusetts State Police Trooper Matthew Sheehan who posted racist rants online arraigned on charges he shot at ATV driver

By Tanner Stening | tstening@masslive.com

Matthew Sheehan, a Massachusetts State Police trooper on indefinite suspension after making racist comments online, was arraigned Thursday on assault and weapons charges after he shot an ATV driver during a police confrontation in February.

Sheehan pleaded not guilty to two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon in Suffolk Superior Court. He was released on his own recognizance and was ordered to surrender any state-issued and personal weapons by Friday.

Sheehan was one of 13 officers who confronted a group of 25 ATV and dirt bike riders who were riding down Interstate 93 South on Feb. 24, 2018 in a “reckless manner,” according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office.

Sheehan allegedly walked to his police cruiser and grabbed a service rifle despite having a handgun on his holster. He then shot Aderito Monteiro, a 28-year-old from Randolph, in the foot. Sheehan was the only officer to fire a weapon, the district attorney’s office said.

Initial reports indicated that Monteiro allegedly rode his ATV toward Sheehan, and presented “imminent danger” that justified the use of his weapon.

But the district attorney’s office said that investigators found one of the bullets struck the side of the ATV’s tire, not the front. Sheehan originally said he had aimed for the ATV’s engine block in order to stop the vehicle.

The angle at which the bullet struck the tire suggests that the ATV was parallel to Sheehan, negating the theory that the ATV was heading directly toward him and presenting as a threat, according to the DA’s office.

Sheehan was suspended without pay following the incident, and remains so during the course of the legal proceedings.

“The Department recognizes the seriousness of the alleged offenses contained in this indictment and will take appropriate action following, and based upon, the outcome of the upcoming judicial proceedings,” state police spokesman Dave Procopio said in a statement. “Colonel Gilpin and her Command Staff expect and demand that all MSP members uphold the highest standards of integrity, on- and off-duty, an expectation that is shared and embraced by the vast majority of men and women who serve as state troopers.”

Sheehan is also one of dozens of state troopers implicated in the overtime scandal. In 2016, Sheehan made $233,351 with $100,401 coming from overtime. The following year, in 2017, Sheehan earned $237,467 with $87,804 in overtime pay.

In the aftermath of the investigation into the February incident, Sheehan also came under fire after t was reported he had a history of making racists posts online under the username, “Big Irish.” The “MassCops” profile included posts calling people in particular neighborhoods, including Dorchester, “scumbags.”

On a forum about an officer-involved shooting in Worcester in July 2012, “Big Irish” wrote, “Note to [expletive] scumbags!!!! 'You try and run us over and you will die!!!! Good shoot ALL DAY LONG!!!!!!!”

The user posted several messages of respect for fallen officers. He also shared identifying information, including his hometown, age and information on his 12 years in the department.

DeLeo.. it's his way or the highway for some in the House

This is just an example of what goes on at the State House.Last night on Greater Boston, 3 Reps who have stood up to DeLeo are questioned. One is Maria Robinson. https://www.wgbh.org/news/local-news/2019/10/29/speaker-robert-deleos-statement-to-greater-boston-on-its-segment-with-three-representatives Ex-rep: DeLeo told me, vote for transportation bill or lose chairmanship

Monday, October 28, 2019 Jay Kaufman, the former state rep from Lexington, remembers a conversation he had with House Speaker Robert DeLeo the last time the Legislature considered raising taxes to pay for transportation. It was 2013, the morning before the House vote on a bill that would raise the gas tax 3 cents, index that tax to inflation (later rescinded by voters), jack up tobacco taxes, and impose a tax (later jettisoned by lawmakers) on some computer software services. Kaufman, who was the chair of the Revenue Committee, said he didn’t think that tax package would provide enough new revenue to meet the transportation system’s needs. But he said DeLeo told him that if he voted against the bill he would lose his chairmanship of the Revenue Committee. “He made it very clear to me that my options were to vote for it or not be part of any conversation going forward,” Kaufman said. “He said, ‘If you can’t vote for this, I can’t have you as part of my team.’” Kaufman wanted to remain in control of the Revenue Committee to ultimately usher in a progressive system of income taxation in the state, so he says he went along with the speaker’s request. But now, after not seeking reelection last year and with another transportation revenue bill poised to come up for consideration, Kaufman decided to speak out on the Codcast.

The podcast interview was posted Sunday evening, and DeLeo’s office responded Monday morning with a comment taking strong exception to Kaufman’s account. “Representative Kaufman’s statement is flat-out false. He is a liar,” DeLeo said in a statement. “The events described never happened, and it is disappointing that he would make unfounded accusations, six years later, in an attempt to disparage the House. It is no coincidence that this interview comes at a time when this former representative seeks to advance his private business interests.” Kaufman, who served in the House from 1995 to 2018, is the founding president of Beacon Leadership Collaborative. In 2013, Kaufman said, DeLeo and Senate President Therese Murray presented the broad outlines of the tax bill the chambers would consider instead of letting those outlines form on their own through the committee process and floor debate. “I don’t think that’s the way democracy is designed,” Kaufman said. “I’m much more of a bottoms-up than tops-down kind of person when it comes to thinking how we deal with matters in our family and in our democracy.” DeLeo didn’t invent the House’s top-down leadership style, according to Kaufman. The prior two speakers, Sal DiMasi and Tom Finneran, also presided in that manner over the past two-plus decades.

The Codcast | Ex-rep: DeLeo told me, vote for transpo bill or lose chairmanship

Candidate forums... our new noise by-law

If you haven't seen any of the candidate forums we did over the past month, you can view them all on the League's FB page. If you watch closely, you may find some answers from some candidates disturbing and ill informed. Some answers may solidify your choice's and some may change your mind. Either way, a well informed voter is our best shot at a better council, as the one we've had may not have lived up to your expectations. 

We now have a noise by-law with a slew of restrictions and exemptions. It's only 13 pages and easy to read. It's worthy of your review as the by-law comes with fines for those who are to loud.

https://framinghamsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Attachment-2995-1.pdf

https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=league%20of%20women%20voters%20of%20framingham&epa=SEARCH_BOX

Voters may want to look at the campaign donations made to each candidate.  Enter a candidates name, you'll find out who is contributing to whom. Note the amount of unions and developers who contribute.

https://www.ocpf.us/

https://www.ocpf.us/Filers/Index