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The world's most crowded place to live must be on Tremont Street in Roxbury
By adamg on Mon, 08/27/2018 - 10:01am
The Globe reports Suffolk County DA candidate Greg Henning is pulling in tons of contributions from police officers.
What's kind of interesting about those donations is that they all list the officers' address as 1 Schroeder Place, which is BPD headquarters - even if the officers work in the Revere, Winthrop or Brockton PDs - or are, in fact, Massachusetts state troopers.
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Not a bad idea
Not a bad idea when "community activists", and now apparently the mainstream media are actively seeking to publish the home addresses of police officers because they make campaign contributions to a candidate they don't like
What part of "public record" don't you understand?
These things have been public records for decades now; there's not anything new about requiring addresses for campaign contributions.
I understand
I understand public record. I also understand common sense, and that publishing a police officers' families home address, and then writing articles calling attention to it, could lead to problems. But the media doesn't ever influence people, so no worries, publish away and encourage the crazies
Let's give some privacy protection to officers and everyone else
One of the ways that some of the stalk-your-date/crush/enemy services get away with selling all the private information that they do to anyone who pays, is that they exclude law enforcement and government officials, and their family, from the listings.
So, the people who are in the best position to do something about abuses of information, are the ones who have the personal threat taken away. Clever move by the creepy businesses.
Lets enforce the laws
And change them if there is actual evidence of harm.
He hasn't forgotten.
Right in AG's own back yard. Haven't seen any mention of this yet.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/09/25/paul-mclaughlin-gang-prosec...
They caught him at the train station. Here's the kicker...he was followed by gang members. They didn't hit him at home. They caught him in the parking lot.
What you don't understand at all
Laws apply to everyone, not just the little non-cop people.
Common sense? Got any statistics detailing the existence/scope of actual abuses? or are you just making things up?
An ADA gets killed by gangsters.
I remember this killing.
Statistically, only one.
As an anecdote...only one.
But, I would not want to have been a gangster in Boston after it happened. I do recall that the shit hit the fan.
Evidence of harm?
Common Sense is often a cover story for "unfounded/irrational fear".
Perhaps you could share some data on this? Then maybe the law could be changed to provide exceptions based on actual events, not conjecture.
In the meantime, the law is the law and if anyone should understand that the law applies to all equally, it should be the police, no?
How dare they
How dare "community activists" want transparency in an otherwise unaccountable position overseeing our criminal justice system!?!
No one made the officers donate, but when you donate it's the law to be truthful in your filing.
Yeah, I was on the
OCPF web page and was quite struck by all the 1 Schroeder Place addresses. Don't people generally need to list their home addresses when making campaign contributions?
What's also kind of
What's also kind of interesting is that donations that do not list a residential address violate OCPF regulations, and are required to be refunded by the candidate and/or disqualified by OCPF. So both the Henning campaign and the director of OCPF are in violation of several sections of 970 CMR which governs campaign finance law in MA:
The relevant sections of OCPF code state, in pertinent part:
"...qualifying contributions shall include...the first and last name and RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS...of each individual" (970 CMR 4.05 (2)(a)).
...non-qualifying contributions "SHALL BE RETURNED to the contributor..." (970 CMR 1.04 (8)).
...and "no contribution shall be certified by the director [of OCPF] unless the name and RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS of the contributor appears" (970 CMR 4.05 (4)(4)).
Time to send the illegal contributions back
To 1 Schroder . If the individuals don’t cash the checks within 90 days, the campaign is required to donate the money to charity.
Follow up
I just checked my own contribution to Henning, which previously listed my home address. It seems that either the OCPF website administrators, or someone else with common sense, decided to list all police contributions as 1 Schroder Plaza. As I said, my address was previously listed, which I wasn't happy about.
Makes sense to not put officers families at risk of a criminal or other person seeking retaliation or retribution for a perceived slight. Or at least not make it so easy for them with "Police Officer" and "Home address" next to each other.
Maybe you Adam, or the Globe should reach out to the OCPF prior to writing inflamatory stories and making assumptions.
My father alway
Made them using my mothers maiden name for the same reason.
Okay
So now we know what to put under "mother's maiden name" as a security question.
Mother's maiden name:
..'.Anon'.
OCPF
Contributions regularly use office addresses. If it is a rule it is often being broken.
It isn't "a rule"
It is THE LAW
Well go look at Boston City
Well go look at Boston City Campaigns contributions!! I love this!!
If you have nothing to hide then you should be fine right?
You can find the name and home address of every cop in the country who donated to a federal campaign.
https://classic.fec.gov/finance/disclosure/advindsea.shtml
Also, if you don't want to be in the public eye then you should quit being a cop and stop donating to political campaigns.
Hey gang, the anon wants to know their addresses.
Irony alert.
Why Should Police Officers Be Exempt?
Respectfully, the argument that police officers should be able to fund political campaigns in the shadows due to concerns for their own safety is weak. When have you ever heard of some street punk criminal searching campaign finance records looking for a way to exact some kind of revenge against an officers family? Is there one example in the history of the City of this?
Active military aren't even allowed to vote in political campaigns. Police officers should feel grateful that the same standard doesn't apply to them too. So being able to pump campaign money into a chosen candidates account should be considered an additional perk. Asking that officers also should be able to skirt campaign finance laws that apply to everyone else to do that, just because they're police officers, is an overreach.
Wait, what?
This is simply false.
Yeah, no.
Military are definitely allowed to vote - absentee ballots (which also go to military) are one of the reasons our state primary is so early this year.
"If you are a Massachusetts citizen, you have the right to vote in all elections, even if you are deployed, stationed outside the Commonwealth, or residing overseas."
https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elemil/milidx.htm
masslandrecords.com
Assuming your home was purchased under your own name, your address is public record anyways. What's the big deal?
Need to know
My right to know who is contributing trumps your right to hide your address.
Erm, no.
No it doesn't. It's trivial to put together a database of police officers' home addresses now. You pull town census data and voting records. You just look for folks who list something like LEO or Police Officer as occupation.
Or, you do it the new fashioned way. You check facebook, where tons of Massachusetts' finest like to post pictures of their fishing trips and their view of home plate at Fenway.
No.
If you have a stalker, your address is still revealed.
If you work in a state, local,or federal agency that is a frequent target of harassment or threats (ie the IRS or parole board) your address is still revealed.
And, of course, the very point of releasing this info is for ID purposes-- so John Smith on Comm Ave who donates to Sen. Jones is not confused with John Smith on Boylston Street who does not.
But if what you're saying is correct, anon-cop, then how delightful that the BPD gets special treatment afforded no one else. Nothing wrong with that at all.
Peculiar, isn't it
That a candidate running for District Attorney is encouraging policemen to engage in illegal behavior.
I guess Greg Henning is trying to send the message that if you want a law and order candidate, don't vote for him.
OCPF Works both ways
You might also wonder why Greg Henning -- who is running in the Democratic primary -- has donated $1500 to Charlie Baker.
Also, I'd argue that ADAs are just as vulnerable to angry reprisals from people, and he seems to have no problem putting a home address on his contributions.
Baker
To be fair it seems the Baker is more popular with Democrats than at least some sections of the Mass Republican party.
I don’t wonder at all, but
I don’t wonder at all, but then I’m not fiercely on either “team” and realize it’s okay to reach across the aisle.
OCPF Works both ways
You might also wonder why Greg Henning -- who is running in the Democratic primary -- has donated $1500 to Charlie Baker.
Also, I'd argue that ADAs are just as vulnerable to angry reprisals from people, and he seems dot have no problem putting a home address on his contributions.
Revere and Winthrop are
Revere and Winthrop are Suffolk County.
Yes, they are
But neither is part of Boston, so their police officers wouldn't have 1 Schroeder Plaza as their "office" address (ditto for State Police troopers, who have their own buildings).
State Police Headquarters is the Bunker, no?
My wife couldn't believe it when I told her, then showed her, that in fact there is an emergency bunker on Route 9 in Framingham.
No, that's MEMA
Emergency management gets the bunker. MSP HQ is in a big brick building next door, above ground.
MEMA is in the Bunker
The bunker isn't big enough for MEMA and the State Police Headquarters. They would have to put the troopers in the kitchen or the bunk rooms!
MEMA is in the bunker at 400 Worcester Road in Framham. The State Police are next door to the Bunker, but they get their own above ground jazzed up brutalist/brick "bunker" at 470 Worcester Road.
Of course, they do have sleepovers in the bunker when Winter Storm Uranus or Hurricane Rufus or similar hits.
I've been in the bunker for meetings several times. Crazy place! Completely quiet and more screens than we usually need. I was down there when we had a pretty serious thunderstorm and we only knew because a doppler radar screen popped itself up. They love to give people tours - even has a morgue! I always leave with a certain Donald Fagan song on my mind.
Well, it’s bunker adjacent
But now I want a Bunker tour.
Keep your eyes open!
I got my tour because I went to a meeting there and they grabbed folks who got their early and toured us around!
MEMA announces tours for the general public on Facebook - usually as part of a group, sometimes as a general event. Adam may know more - this used to be his beat.
Feeble attempt
to drag the only white male in the race through the mud. I get the “tired of the same old routine” mindset in Boston, but trying to smear someone just for that reason is pretty awful.
I’m sure each candidate offers a unique skill set and would excel given the opportunity. As someone who got to experience Henning’s passion and work ethic first hand during a four month stint on the special grand jury for Suffolk county, I am confident he is the most deserving and qualified for this particular role.
Please
First, he's not the only white in the race. For that matter, he's not even the only white male, if you include the guy who will be running as an independent in November.
If I were really aiming for him, there are other issues that I could point to to differentiate him from the other candidates (except, in some cases, Linda Champion) that would perhaps make more sense to bring up, because they involve policy questions, rather than the fact that a) he has the overwhelming support of police officers giving contributions (which the Globe got first, anyway) and b) that his campaign-financial records show this odd thing where a certain class of donors all share the same address (even if you buy the argument it's OK to list an office address, it's still odd because not all of those officers are part of BPD).
Hmmm ... same address?
Do they have consecutive social security numbers, too?
The Globe? Ha!!
Tell the truth..they did not uncover not Break the news about the address problem with #BPD....The Activist's/Radio Host's of Boston's WEMF Radio Station VIOLENCE IN BOSTON...Broke that news! Give credit where it is due.
No, the Globe did not break the address issue
And if you look, you'll notice I didn't say they did. I would have gladly given WEMF credit if I had listened to them, but I found the name things all by myself, and my main regret is I didn't report on it a couple of weeks ago when I noticed it (the perils of being a one-person Mobile Action News Unit; I let it slide).
No, the Globe did not break the address issue
And if you look, you'll notice I didn't say they did. I would have gladly given WEMF credit if I had listened to them, but I found the name things all by myself, and my main regret is I didn't report on it a couple of weeks ago when I noticed it (the perils of being a one-person Mobile Action News Unit; I let it slide).