That would be the cash reward former State House of Representatives Sal DiMasi allegedly extracted from the now infamous Cognos deal.
$57,000.00....
Hardly a down payment on a house in Menotomy really...chump change to be sure.
And yet this pissant jobbery threatens the state democrats prospects come 2010 up and down the ticket with the tarbrush of corruption. Yeah the state GOP is a wan and wasted thing but issues this good come along once in a generation and they can bulk up quickly on the basis of the opportunities that Sal DiMasi and his posse have offered them.
A lot of state reps from once invulnerable seats will be answering some uncomfortable questions come next summer on nothing more than having voted to re-elect DiMasi in caucus.
Right now, the only hope we have is to pass the Governor's ethics package and add some new draconian measures on top as a concession to public sentiment....even that may not be enough, but it is a damn good start.
Meanwhile at the risk of sounding like a broken record, let Humble Elias reiterate, 57K is chicken feed in the grand scheme of things. Nonetheless DiMasi will have to answer for it in a Federal Court...now imagine the ginormous possibilities for political corruption with the present system of public ethics left intact and casino gambling in the picture???
If you think Cognos alleged bribery is intolerable wait til the state starts auctioning off gaming licenses mah frenz!
Cha-ching My Ass!
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