There are many to blame for the Probation Scandal who will never be indicted.
The lesson to be learned is that democracy is not a spectator sport. Don't point fingers if you refuse to get involved.
Heroes stepped forward, spoke out and lost at the ballot box. Did anyone notice?
This is from 2010 -- No surprise! ----
Hard questions loom for patronage ‘king’
Investigations are swirling around Representative Thomas Petrolati, a legislative leader with huge sway over Probation Department hiring and a history of acting as if ordinary rules do not apply to him.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/10/24/hard_questions_loom_for_patronage_king/FBI agents: Massachusetts state Rep. Thomas Petrolati was target of federal investigation into probation department
Rep. Thomas M. Petrolati speaks at an event in Ludlow in 2011. (The Republican [file])
WORCESTER — A former and current FBI agent on Tuesday each testified that state Rep. Thomas M. Petrolati of Ludlow was a target of their investigation into rigged hiring in the state probation department.
The testimony by the two FBI special agents, which later came under fire from Petrolati's lawyer, came during the second day of the trial of Christopher J. Hoffman of Hatfield, the acting chief probation officer in Hampshire Superior Court. Hoffman is charged with intimidating and harassing a witness in the federal investigation into the probation department in 2011. Hoffman, who is on administrative leave without pay, is on trial in U.S. District Court in Worcester.
Kevin Constantine, special agent for the FBI, testified that Hoffman and William H. Burke III of Hatfield, a retired state deputy probation commissioner, would sell tickets for $100 a piece to Petrolati's annual fundraiser in Ludlow and that Petrolati, a Ludlow Democrat, was among several state legislators who recommended people for jobs at probation.
Constantine and Dominic Barbara, a former FBI special agent, testified that Petrolati was a target of the federal investigation. No state legislators have been charged in the statewide probation scandal.
"Our theory ... is the system was rigged and it was pay to play," said Barbara.
In an interview after the FBI testimony on Tuesday, John P. Pucci of Springfield, lawyer for Petrolati, criticized the long-running investigation into probation by the office U.S, Attorney Carmen Ortiz.
Pucci said "no" when asked if Petrolati will be charged in the case. Pucci said the federal government spent millions and millions of dollars investigating Petrolati and others and have little to show for it.
Pucci said it was "pretty shameful" to associate Petrolati with a so-called pay to play scheme when there is no evidence to support it.
"Carmen Ortiz's office continues to play this song," Pucci said. "It's an abuse of that office."
Pucci cited statistics that Petrolati recommended 19 people for jobs in probation over 20 years and that only seven obtained the jobs.
Petrolati has long been reported to be a focus of investigators, but Tuesday's testimony was the first time that the FBI confirmed it and discussed it in open court.
Constantine said that the FBI was targeting Petrolati when an investigator arranged an interview with Maureen Adams, a probation officer under the supervision of Hoffman. Hoffman is charged with harassing and intimidating Adams before she met with the FBI.
Hoffman's lawyer, Vincent A. Bongiorni of Springfield, scored points when he asked Constantine about the message on a text from Adams to another probation officer in Northampton District Court. Adams had texted Laurie Clark about the threats allegedly made by Hoffman, saying the acting chief was "joking, but serious" when he said people would call her "a rat" after she met with investigators.
"That's correct," Constantine said. "Joking, but serious."
The testimony by the FBI agents portrayed Hoffman as rising through the ranks of probation with the help of his friend, Burke, the retired state deputy probation commissioner.
Under questioning by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karin M. Bell, Constantine said Hoffman was a part-time bartender at Joe's Cafe in Northampton when he met Burke.
In a separate indictment of Burke, who is charged with being part of a fraudulent hiring system in probation, prosecutors allege that Burke sponsored Hoffman to be hired as a probation officer and he was hired even though he was not the most qualified candidate.
http://www.masslive.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/05/fbi_agents_testify_that_rep_th.html#incart_m-rpt-2
The testimony by the two FBI special agents, which later came under fire from Petrolati's lawyer, came during the second day of the trial of Christopher J. Hoffman of Hatfield, the acting chief probation officer in Hampshire Superior Court. Hoffman is charged with intimidating and harassing a witness in the federal investigation into the probation department in 2011. Hoffman, who is on administrative leave without pay, is on trial in U.S. District Court in Worcester.
Kevin Constantine, special agent for the FBI, testified that Hoffman and William H. Burke III of Hatfield, a retired state deputy probation commissioner, would sell tickets for $100 a piece to Petrolati's annual fundraiser in Ludlow and that Petrolati, a Ludlow Democrat, was among several state legislators who recommended people for jobs at probation.
Constantine and Dominic Barbara, a former FBI special agent, testified that Petrolati was a target of the federal investigation. No state legislators have been charged in the statewide probation scandal.
"Our theory ... is the system was rigged and it was pay to play," said Barbara.
In an interview after the FBI testimony on Tuesday, John P. Pucci of Springfield, lawyer for Petrolati, criticized the long-running investigation into probation by the office U.S, Attorney Carmen Ortiz.
Pucci said "no" when asked if Petrolati will be charged in the case. Pucci said the federal government spent millions and millions of dollars investigating Petrolati and others and have little to show for it.
Pucci said it was "pretty shameful" to associate Petrolati with a so-called pay to play scheme when there is no evidence to support it.
"Carmen Ortiz's office continues to play this song," Pucci said. "It's an abuse of that office."
Pucci cited statistics that Petrolati recommended 19 people for jobs in probation over 20 years and that only seven obtained the jobs.
Petrolati has long been reported to be a focus of investigators, but Tuesday's testimony was the first time that the FBI confirmed it and discussed it in open court.
Constantine said that the FBI was targeting Petrolati when an investigator arranged an interview with Maureen Adams, a probation officer under the supervision of Hoffman. Hoffman is charged with harassing and intimidating Adams before she met with the FBI.
Hoffman's lawyer, Vincent A. Bongiorni of Springfield, scored points when he asked Constantine about the message on a text from Adams to another probation officer in Northampton District Court. Adams had texted Laurie Clark about the threats allegedly made by Hoffman, saying the acting chief was "joking, but serious" when he said people would call her "a rat" after she met with investigators.
"That's correct," Constantine said. "Joking, but serious."
The testimony by the FBI agents portrayed Hoffman as rising through the ranks of probation with the help of his friend, Burke, the retired state deputy probation commissioner.
Under questioning by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karin M. Bell, Constantine said Hoffman was a part-time bartender at Joe's Cafe in Northampton when he met Burke.
In a separate indictment of Burke, who is charged with being part of a fraudulent hiring system in probation, prosecutors allege that Burke sponsored Hoffman to be hired as a probation officer and he was hired even though he was not the most qualified candidate.
http://www.masslive.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/05/fbi_agents_testify_that_rep_th.html#incart_m-rpt-2
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