Maiocco Snubbed by Medford Mayor Michael J. McGlynn

   (Author's note: State Rep Paul Donato called political speech "the most protected right.  You won't find an observation like this in other mainstream Medford media, because usually there's an avalanche of offensive commenting designed to kill the messenger.  It is my hope that the Patch editors allow this essay and, if anyone has an opposing point of view, rather than throw mud at me, why don't you try writing something nice about Bob Maiocco as a counterpoint. And explain why you weren't there last night while I was.  Thank you.)

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Maiocco snubbed by Mayor / Small Goodbye for Council President, and other Medford notes

Why was Mayor McGlynn not in attendance? Why were very few in the public in Alden Chambers? Mr. Maiocco's family showed up, but the fact that 57,000 people did not show up to wish Mr. Maiocco goodbye was quite telling. John Waller was there I was there. If we could get to City Hall in the snow, the storm should not be used as an excuse.

 

 

     Robert A., Maiocco served 30 years which is a fact worth observing, but not congratulating.  Term limits are an essential component of good government so when a candidate says "Are you better off today than you were four years ago" the public can't really respond.  Are we better off now than we were 32 years ago?  As someone who worked in Medford in the 1970s I can tell you, from my perspective, that things are improving in other cities and towns at a more rapid rate than they are in Medford.

     It was very decent and honorable of Police Chief Leo A. Sacco, Jr. and State Rep Paul J. Donato to give their respectful goodbyes to Mr. Maiocco. They both wield more power than Maiocco ever did as president, and they paid their respects in a gentlemanly way.

   However conspicuous in his absence - very conspicuous in his absence - was Michael J. McGlynn.  Last year when McGlynn had his "State of the City Address" (an event rarity that McGlynn pulled out of the mothballs for God-knows-what reason) he had Mark Rumley sitting to his left and Bob Maiocco sitting to his right.  Maiocco's wife Cheryl works for the Medford School system, with McGlynn as the Chairman.  If McGlynn can show up to chair the school committee, if Maiocco's family could travel far in the snow to be part of the final council meeting, why couldn't the Mayor of Medford make an effort to shake hands with a loyal lieutenant in public?

     For all of the interference Bob Maiocco ran for McGlynn to look up and see my smiling face instead of Michael J. McGlynn's was a real slap in the face. Look, I wasn't there to speak, I was there to gloat.  Like Michael Douglas said in the film Disclosure, "Gloating is underrated."    Discretion being the better part of valor, I chose not to go up to the podium and give the "ex-council president' (boy does THAT ever sound good) a piece of my mind.  His family was there, I respectfully sat in the back and watched the frivolity, the ceremony, the absolutely ludicrous display.  It was a sick joke played on the residents of Medford and the elephant in the room was that none of the 57,000 residents cared to show up to say goodbye.

   That had to sting as much as McGlynn avoiding the fiasco.  Think about it - the Mayor disrespected the long-time councilor, the citizens could have cared less.   The legend in his own mind, the combative city councilor who argued with his fellow councilors about the 2013 presidency, the argumentative "Council President' who used his gavel to stifle free speech, was actually telling the television camera (for the last time, thank God!) that he let everyone speak and that blah blah blah. 

     * * * * *

     Change.  Adam Knight can't wait to join the council.  You can see the look in his eye. And for those of you who like good Vegas odds, bet on Knight becoming his own man at some point in time and going for the corner office.  It is inevitable.  You can see the jockeying going on if you study the body language and the votes.

   For all his loyalty to Michael J. McGlynn the former Council President rode off into the sunset without acknowledgment at the council from the Mayor of Medford.  How insulting.  How disrespectful.  How impolite, boorish and ill-mannered.  That's your Mayor of over a quarter of a century.  If he can't get out of bed to shake the hand of a lieutenant, what do you really think McGlynn is going to do for you, oh lowly citizen?  Shovel your sidewalk? Hardly.
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UPDATE ON STORY PATCH BROKE FIRST

   Patch noted that a Medford resident was arrested on September 4, 2013.
The case was moved out of Somerville District Court after a grand jury indicted that individual.  The case is now set for a pre-trial conference in Woburn Superior Court on January 7, 2013.

   This information was obtained at Woburn Superior Court today.  As the individual charged was in control of pivotal elements of a local non-profit, it begs the question - was any Medford equipment, equipment co-owned by the city of Medford, utilized in the situation which led to the arrest and the indictment?

COMMONWEALTH VS. ZAPPELLI, GARY
CASE #MICR2013-01473

ENTRY: 11/21/13

Indictment by a Grand Jury: ADVANCED 

Charge: Bomb/Hijack threat with SERIOUS PUBLIC ALARM

12/05/13 Arraignment Woburn Superior Court

1/07/14  Pretrial Conference   

Mass. General Law C269 S14(c)

https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIV/TitleI/Chapter269/Section14 

General Laws

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PART IV CRIMES, PUNISHMENTS AND PROCEEDINGSIN CRIMINAL CASES
(Chapters 263 through 280)

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TITLE I CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS

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CHAPTER 269 CRIMES AGAINST PUBLIC PEACE

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Section 14 Deadly weapons, explosives, chemical or biological agents, or other deadly device or substance; threatened use or presence; threat to hijack; disruption of school, public building or transport; punishment; restitution

(c) Whoever willfully communicates or causes to be communicated such a threat thereby causing either the evacuation or serious disruption of a school, school related event, school transportation, or a dwelling, building, place of assembly, facility or public transport, or an aircraft, ship or common carrier, or willfully communicates or causes serious public inconvenience or alarm, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than 3 years nor more than 20 years or imprisonment in the house of correction for not less than 6 months nor more than 21/2 years, or by fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $50,000, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

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Why hasn't the press gone on this story yet?

Especially in light of the Harvard University false bomb threat:

http://pix11.com/2013/12/18/harvard-student-charged-after-allegedly-making-false-bomb-threats-to-avo...

From the above story:
The FBI affidavit said Harvard determined Kim used the university’s wireless network under a temporary anonymous protocol address to send the hoax emails. Kim also told an agent that he acted by himself.

Read more: http://pix11.com/2013/12/18/harvard-student-charged-after-allegedly-making-false-bomb-threats-to-avoid-finals/#ixzz2nsHkWpNY

Maiocco snubbed by Mayor / Small Goodbye for Council President, and other Medford notes

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