Merry Christmas!

From all of us here at The Capitol View, we'd like to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas.

We'd also like to extend our thoughts and prayers to all of our service men and women serving at home and abroad who will not have the opportunity to celebrate with their loved ones.

House Minority Leader’s Statement on President Obama’s Nomination of Senator John Kerry as Secretary of State

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) issued the following statement today in response to news that President Obama will nominate Senator John Kerry to serve as Secretary of State:

“Senator John Kerry has a long record of public service on behalf of Massachusetts and its residents. Furthermore, he is a distinguished United States veteran and is an honorable individual. I thank him for his service to the Commonwealth and I wish him the best of luck as he embarks on this new chapter in his life.

With the senior-Senator from Massachusetts being tapped to serve as Secretary of State, it is my sincere hope that no further public or private consideration is given to changing the law in Massachusetts as it pertains to appointing an interim United States Senator. Senator Kerry’s nomination, and all but certain confirmation, sets in motion a law that was last changed in 2009. Regardless of the merits of the way the law was crafted, it is the law and to change it to benefit any one party or individual would be wrong.”

Tragedy in Connecticut

We are deeply saddened by today’s horrific news about the loss of life in Newtown, CT. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the all those impacted by today’s tragedy. In this time of grief for the friends of families of those who lost loved ones, we extend our sympathies and condolences.

House Republicans Weigh In On Shake-up Within the Patrick Administration

In case you missed it, Governor Patrick announced a major reconfiguration of high-ranking personnel within his administration. One of those changes included Dr. JudyAnn Bigby, Secretary of Health and Human Services. The departure of Dr. Bigby comes after House Republican Leadership called on Governor Patrick to request her resignation.

The complete breakdowns of the changes in the Administration are as follows:

Executive Office of Health and Human Services

OUT: Dr. JudyAnn Bigby
IN: John Polanowicz – President of St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center

Executive Office of Public Safety and Security

OUT: Marybeth Heffernan
IN: Sherrif Andrea Cabral – Suffolk County Sherrif

Executive Office of Education

OUT: Paul Reville
IN: Matt Malone – Superintendent of Brockton School System

Executive Office of Administration and Finance

OUT: Jay Gonzalez
IN: Glen Shor – Executive Director of Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority

Yesterday, Representatives Betty Poirier (R-North Attleboro) and Brad Hill (R-Ipswich) weighed in on the reconfiguration within the Administration as well as Secretary Bigby’s departure.

Click on the links below to see the interviews in their entirety.

FOX-25 News - Governor Patrick Announces Cabinet Shake-Ups



WHDH-TV -

Gov. Patrick Cabinet shakeup

House Minority Leader’s Statement on Reconfiguration Within the Patrick Administration

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) issued the following statement today in response to Governor Patrick’s announcement of the departure of four high-ranking officials within his administration:

“The changes announced by Governor Patrick are in part a normal by-product of an administration entering its seventh year in office. Longevity, coupled with the fatigue that can impact high-level and high-profile appointments, often leads to the natural desire to pursue other career opportunities.

I am extremely pleased that the Governor heeded the call of House Republican’s and is starting anew at the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. New leadership at this Secretariat is critical in assessing the totality of the situation at both the Dr. William A. Hinton State Laboratory Institute and the New England Compounding Center. However, coming to terms with the tremendous financial costs and human toll of these two scandals remains paramount. Today we are taking the first step in a very long and expensive process to restoring the trust and confidence that Massachusetts residents have in this administration.”

House Republican Leadership Renews Call for Secretary Bigby to Resign

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) issued the following statement today in response to the Boston Herald’s report that Dr. JudyAnn Bigby, Secretary of Health and Human Services, waited 7 months before launching an investigation into drug sample tampering at the Dr. William A. Hinton State Laboratory Institute:

“After reading the revelations in today’s Boston Herald, it is clear that Secretary Bigby does not possess the ability, nor inspire the confidence of the public, necessary to lead the Executive Office of Health and Human Services going forward. As a result, we are renewing our call for Governor Patrick to ask for Dr. JudyAnn Bigby’s resignation, immediately.

The fact that it took Secretary Bigby seven months to launch a full review investigation is both reckless and irresponsible. Poor management has allowed these problems to escalate, and it will take a strong and effective manager to solve them. While we recognize that Dr. Bigby holds a deep knowledge in the health care field, her delayed response time demonstrates a lack of management skills required for this daunting task.

The Patrick Administration has made it clear over the past couple of weeks that they are capable, albeit reluctantly, to ask for the resignation of individuals within their administration that have breached the public’s trust. This situation is no different.”

Representative Donald Wong Appears on FOX-25 News

In case you missed it, Representative Donald Wong (R-Saugus) made an appearance on the FOX-25 Evening News.

Representative Wong was featured in a story on whether or not Massachusetts’ laws against sex offenders are tough enough. The question comes in response to the recent news of a level one sex offender in Wakefield allegedly committing horrific crimes against children as young as eight days old.

To view the entire segment, play the video posted below.


Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston

Happy Hanukkah

From all of us here at The Capitol View, we wish you and your family a very Happy Hanukkah!

During this time of joy and celebration we'd also like to extend our thoughts and prayers to all of our service men and women serving at home and abroad who will not have the opportunity to celebrate with their loved ones.

“A Date Which Will Live in Infamy”

Seventy-one years ago today, the American Army and Navy base in Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Imperial Japanese Navy. More than 2,000 Americans were killed and another 1,000 were injured. Today, on December 7th, we remember and honor those military men and women who lost their lives on that Sunday morning many years ago.

On this Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, all of us here at The Capitol View want to offer our sincere gratitude and appreciation to the service men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice. We thank you and we continue to honor you.

House Minority Leader Brad Jones: Supposed $9 Million Cut to Local Aid is Incorrect and Misleading

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) issued the following statement today in response to the incorrect and misleading claim by the Patrick Administration that they are only seeking to cut $9 million from local aid:

“Governor Patrick and his Administration are not being honest and upfront with the taxpayers of Massachusetts when announcing their reduction to unrestricted local aid, for a supposed total savings of $9 million. The fact of the matter is that Governor Patrick’s 9C plan removes nearly $38.5 million from municipal budgets.

In addition to the widely reported $9 million cut to Unrestricted General Government Aid, the Governor has gone ahead and reduced allotments for several other local aid accounts. These cuts are to vital programs such as Regional and Homeless Student Transportation and Special Education. Couple these reductions with an across the board cut to local aid, and the Governor’s actions could have a potentially disastrous effect on cities and towns statewide.

The Patrick Administration has accumulated an impressive record of cherry-picking numbers to suit their political purpose. At the very least, the Governor should be more forthright when making decisions that impact our local governments.”