BSO: Howie on Petro

Howie Carr has a devastating column in the Boston Herald this morning about Tommy Petrolati of Ludlow (above with Mike Albano) and his ties to crime figures. As usual Carr wields his pen like a switchblade:

Who put the rocket in Petro’s pocket? That’s the question at the State House: Who dropped - not a dime, but a bomb - on the “Speaker pro tempore” of the House of Representatives?

It seems that Tommy Petrolati’s contributors’ list is larded with gangsters, bookies, extortionists, bank fraudsters, tax cheaters, cash-skimmers, witness-tamperers and embezzlers.

To which there are two responses at the State House: No. 1, “That’s Petro.” And No. 2, “That’s Springfield.”

Carr also can't resist bringing up Petrolati's close ties to Springfield's first family of crime, the infamous Asselins:

Things are starting to look up for his closest political allies and contributors, the Asselin family. His great friend, ex-Rep. Chris Asselin of Springfield, is getting out of prison on June 15. And Chris Asselin’s wife, Merylina, who was also indicted in the corruption case, just scored a massive Bulger-like hit on the public mammary.

She is grabbing $210,000 in back wages from her job at Chicopee High School as a “guidance counselor,” now that the federal charges against her have been dropped.

Before his incarceration, Rep. Asselin was working as, what else, a lobbyist. Convicted of bribery, theft and mail fraud, he’s at least as big a crook as his fellow lobbyists Felon Finneran or Good Time Charlie Flaherty - plus he actually did time. I think once he gets sprung from Club Fed, ex-Rep. Asselin should reopen his lobbying “office,” just like his fellow felon Finneran is doing.

Today those famous April showers that bring May flowers fell quite heavily, but yesterday by contrast was absolutely gorgeous. After my psych appointment I hung out in downtown Northampton. Here's a picture my friend took of me.