The Boston Herald has gained a partial victory in its battle in opposition to the governor’s workplace and Massachusetts State Police over the discharge of data associated to the hiring of embattled former Healey deputy LaMar Cook dinner.
The Secretary of State’s Workplace is pushing again in opposition to the governor’s workplace and State Police, and their blanket denial of the Herald’s request to launch data associated to Cook dinner’s background verify. In a brand new letter, the Workplace’s Supervisor of Data, Manza Arthur, ordered the Healey Administration and the Data Division to offer a written response figuring out particularly what data it’s withholding from the general public, and why, inside 10 enterprise days.
“Based on the Department’s response, it is unclear what record(s) the Department possesses that it is withholding from disclosure. To deny access to a record under the Public Records Law, a records access officer must identify the record, categories of records, or portions of the record it intends to withhold,” Arthur wrote. “Therefore, the Department must identify the record(s) it has in its possession that the Department withheld under Exemptions (a) and (c).”
The State Police Data Division, which falls underneath the Healey Administration, of their November 7 rejection, refused to make clear particularly what parts of Cook dinner’s background verify wanted to be withheld, citing two statutory exemptions to withhold Cook dinner’s data of their entirety. The administration says state legislation “exempts from public disclosure ‘personnel and medical files or information; also any other materials or data relating to a specifically named individual, the disclosure of which may constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.’”
“Case law establishes that exempting personnel information from disclosure is necessary to protect the ability of government as a whole to function effectively as an employer,” State MSP Data Supervisor Allison Mondello defined within the rejection. “As such, the background report requested is exempt from disclosure under subsection (c) of § 7, cl. 26.”
However, the Secretary of State’s Workplace says that based mostly on the seriousness of the fees Cook dinner faces, paired together with his prior place within the Healey Administration, that sure elements of his background verify could also be thought of public document. Arthur cited Gov. Maura Healey’s personal phrases throughout an interview on GBH’s Boston Public Radio, the place she known as her workplace’s background verify “iron clad” and “pivotal” to the hiring course of.
The Herald’s partial victory in opposition to the Healey Administration comes as LaMar Cook dinner is out on bail as he awaits trial.
Cook dinner was arrested late final month after State Police intercepted 21 kilograms of cocaine being shipped to the Springfield State Workplace the place he labored. Troopers additionally seized an unregistered gun and ammunition from Cook dinner, who’s charged with trafficking 200 grams or extra of cocaine, in addition to illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. Cook dinner additionally had a prison historical past even earlier than he was employed by the Healey Administration. In 2001, Cook dinner was arrested in connection to a capturing in Springfield the place he and one other man bought out of a automotive and started firing at individuals on a close-by porch.
He had labored within the Healey administration since 2023, and there have been rising calls for from the general public for the governor to offer data on the hiring practices that led to Cook dinner’s employment.
All three Republican gubernatorial candidates have known as on Gov. Healey to launch all paperwork and communications associated to Cook dinner’s hiring course of. Main Republican state lawmakers are additionally calling for Healey to offer “full transparency” on the hiring of Cook dinner. As well as, gubernatorial candidate Mike Kennealy has just lately vowed to launch all paperwork associated to Cook dinner, if he’s elected.
State payroll data point out Cook dinner had been paid $96,564 to date this 12 months. His annual wage was $115,968.
The Healey Administration fired Cook dinner instantly, following his arrest, calling it “a major breach of public trust” and “unacceptable.”
Per the Secretary of State’s November twenty sixth order, the Healey Administration and State Police have till Dec. tenth to determine what data it needs to withhold from the general public.
