The Massachusetts State Police has denied a Herald request for data on the background verify performed earlier than the hiring of an aide to Gov. Maura Healey who was arrested and charged with cocaine trafficking.
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,’” a authorized consultant for the State Police cited as justification for not fulfilling the request.
“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,” Siobhan Kelly, the MSP’s deputy chief authorized counsel, continued. “… As such, the background report requested is exempt from disclosure.”
Lamar Prepare dinner, 45, of Springfield, served since 2023 because the deputy director of Healey’s western Massachusetts workplace till late final month when he was arrested and charged with trafficking cocaine — roughly 18 kilos of it, price greater than $110,000 — in addition to firearms violations.
He has pleaded not responsible and is being held with out bail.
The police have been suspicious of him after an earlier bundle containing suspected cocaine was seized by authorities in Kentucky earlier than being delivered to the Lodge UMass in Amherst, the place Prepare dinner as soon as served as hospitality director, however the cops by no means noticed it picked up.
Police determined to ship an undercover trooper to ship the subsequent bundle containing suspected cocaine, this one destined on to Healey’s workplace on the State Workplace Constructing in Springfield. Prepare dinner himself acquired the parcel and the police moved in to arrest him, based on the police report.
For the reason that arrest, political strain has been constructing for Healey’s administration to be clear about how Prepare dinner, who was beforehand arrested in reference to a 2001 capturing in Springfield, probably landed the job.
That strain comes from sitting Republican state lawmakers, led by Home Minority Chief Bradley Jones and Senate Minority Chief Bruce Tarr, in addition to GOP challengers for Healey’s job.
Jones and Tarr say Prepare dinner’s drug and firearms expenses are “troubling” and that they elevate “serious questions” across the effectiveness of the Healey administration’s vetting practices.
“These steps are essential to restoring the public’s trust and to help ensure that all future hires are held to the highest ethical standards,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Healey on Wednesday.
Joe Dwinell contributed
