Jan. 4, 2010: State Sen. Anthony Galluccio sentenced to jail

>> TONIGHT ON "GREATER BOSTON",
ANOTHER POLITICIAN IN HOT
WATER.
WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR
STATE SENATOR ANTHONY
GALLUCCIO.
PLUS THE INSIDE STORY OF
BARACK OBAMA'S HISTORIC
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN.
DAVID PLOUFFE AND THE AUDACITY
TO WIN.
AND CAUSE FOR OPTIMISM, FORMER
HILLARY CLINTON ADVISOR LISA
CAPUTO SPEAKS OUT ABOUT A NEW
SURVEY OF THE MASSACHUSETTS
ECONOMY.
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GOOD EVENING.
IT WAS BAD ENOUGH WHEN STATE
SENATOR GALLUCCIO ADMITTED
LEAVING THE SCENE OF A
HIT-AND-RUN ACCIDENT, BUT NOW
A LITANY OF PAST INDISCRETIONS
ARE DOGING THE CAMBRIDGE
SENATOR.
HE'S BEEN CHARGED WITH SEVERAL
D. U. I.S GOING BACK TO WHEN
HE WAS JUST 17 YEARS OLD.
NOW SENATE PRESIDENT THERESE
MURRAY HAS EXPRESSED HER
DISAPPOINTMENT, AND CAMBRIDGE
RESIDENTS SAY THEY'VE HAD
ENOUGH.
JARED BOWEN HAS MORE.
>> Reporter: STATE SENATOR
ANTHONY GALLUCCIO HAS SAID
VERY LITTLE SINCE REAR ENDING
A MINIVAN AND SPEEDING AWAY
ONE AFTERNOON IN CAMBRIDGE
LAST MONTH.
>> I MADE A REGRETTABLE
DECISION TO LEAVE.
>> Reporter: THIS WEEK
CAMBRIDGE POLICE REVEALED THAT
AT 4:39 A.M. THE MORNING OF
THE ACCIDENT, A GAS STATION
ATTENDANT NEAR FRESH POND
CIRCLE CALLED 911 TO REPORT
GALLUCCIO AS BEING DETAINED
THERE BECAUSE HE WAS TOO
INTOXICATED TO DRIVE AWAY.
CAMBRIDGE OFFICERS THEN DROVE
THE SENATOR HOME, LEAVING HIS
CAR PARKED AT A NEARBY FLIT
CLUB.
GALLUCCIO IS STILL SAYING
LITTLE.
>> AS YOU KNOW THERE'S A LEGAL
PROCESS THAT IS ONGOING, OUT
OF RESPECT TO ALL THE PARTIES
INVOLVED I DON'T THINK IT'S
APPROPRIATE TO COMMENT ON IT
AT THIS TIME.
I'LL HAVE MORE TO SAY WHEN THE
PROCESS IS COMPLETE.
>> Reporter: GALLUCCIO HAS A
HISTORY OF DRUNK DRIVING, WITH
CONVICTIONS IN 1984 AND 1997.
AND IN 2005 HE CAUSED A
FOUR-CAR CRASH IN DOWNTOWN
BOSTON AT 2 A.M., WITH
WITNESSS TELLING POLICE HE WAS
INTOXICATED.
>> NORMALLY WHEN YOU'RE DRUNK
YOU CALL A TAXI.
>> Reporter: ACCORDING TO
PEOPLE WE SPOKE WITH IN
CAMBRIDGE TODAY, THE STATE
SENATOR IS LOSING FAVOR WITH
HIS CONSTITUENTS.
>> HE SHOULDN'T BE REELECTED.
PEOPLE SHOULD BE SMART ENOUGH
TO KNOW THAW CAN'T TRUST THE
GENTLEMAN.
>> NOBODY WAS HURT, NO
PROPERTY WAS DAMAGED, SO I
THINK THE RIGHT THING WAS DONE,
HE SHOULD BE RELET EKED.
WHY NOT --
REELECTED.
>> Reporter: THE GLOBE HAS
FLOGGED HIM TOO.
AN EDITORIAL CONCLUDED:
THE PLYMOUTH COUNTY D. A.'S
OFFICE IS NOW INVESTIGATING
THE INCIDENT N. THE MEANTIME
GALLUCCIO IS DUE IN COURT
FRIDAY ON CHARGES RELATED TO
THE AFTERNOON ONE
>> WITH ME NOW ARE THE "BOSTON
HERALD"'S DAVE WEDGE AND DAVID
BERNSTEIN OF THE BOSTON
PHOENIX.
WELCOME TO BOTH OF YOU.
FIRST OF ALL, DAVE WEDGE,
THERE'S A BUNCH OF THINS THAT
ARE UNANSWERED HERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU'VE
BEEN TRYING TO GET AT THEM OR
WHAT.
BUT FOR INSTANCE, WHAT
HAPPENED IN THE 12 HOURS
BETWEEN THE TIME HE GOT THE
RIDE HOME AND 12 HOURS LATER,
HOW DID HE GET HIS CAR BACK
FROM THE CAFE BASHA?
WAS HE STILL DRUNK OR DID HE
START RENEWED DRINKING?
>> Z WE DON'T KNOW.
ONLY SENATOR GALLUCCIO KNOWS
THE ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS,
AND AS YOUR PIECE SHOWED HE'S
NOT TALKING ABOUT IT.
HE'S SAYING THERE'S A LEGAL
PROCESS THAT'S GOING TO GO ON.
HE HAS A COURT HEARING FRIDAY
FOR THE HIT-AND-RUN,
PRESUMABLY THIS NEW
INFORMATION WILL BE PART OF
THAT INVESTIGATION.
THE PLYMOUTH DISTRICT ATTORNEY
HAS SAID AS MUCH.
>> DO YOU THINK THE CAMBRIDGE
POLICE ARE COVERING UP?
THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED ON
OCTOBER 4, THE ONE WHERE THEY
DROPPED HIM OFF AT HOME.
THEY DIDN'T WRITE THAT UP
UNTIL OCTOBER 29.
WHY NOT?
>> WELL, THEY'RE SAYING THEY
DIDN'T HAVE TO.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY
SHOULDN'T HAVE.
AND MY PROBLEM HERE WITH THIS
WHOLE SITUATION IS THIS IS AN
ISSUE OF SHOULD THE POLICE
HAVE DISCLOSED THIS
INFORMATION, CERTAINLY WHEN
THEY RELEASED THAT ORIGINAL
ACCIDENT REPORT ON OCTOBER 5
OR 6, WHEN EVER I IT CAME OUT,
THEY KNEW THAT TWO OF THEIR
OFFICERS HAD GIVEN HIM A RIGHT
HOME 13 HOURS BEFORE THE
ACCIDENT.
THEY COULD HAVE VOLUNTEERED
THAT INFORMATION AND PROBABLY
SHOULD HAVE.
>> DAVE, I'M REALLY THE LAST
ONE TO THROW SOMETHING AT
SOMEONE, DRINKING AND DRIVING,
WE'VE ALL HAD A FEW.
BUT THIS SEEMS TO BE IN A
WHOLE OTHER CATEGORY.
WHICH MEANS THAT ALL OF HIS
COLLEAGUES IN THE SENATE KNEW
OR KNOW RIGHT NOW THAT HE'S
GOT A SERIOUS DEBILITATING
DRINKING PROBLEM.
HOW COME IT'S JUST COMING OUT
NOW?
>> WELL, I THINK THERE'S A
COUPLE PIECES TO THAT.
I THINK THAT IT'S VERY HARD TO
KNOW WHETHER SOMEONE HAS A
REALLY SERIOUS DRINKING
PROBLEM OR WHETHER THEY JUST
HAVE A BAD HABIT OR BAD
JUDGMENT.
>> YOU DON'T THINK IT'S HARD
TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE?
>> I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I CAN SAY
FROM THE OUTSIDE.
BUT I THINK WE'VE REACHED A
POINT WHERE HE'S NOT GOING TO
SURVIVE POLITICALLY UNLESS HE
ACKNOWLEDGES THAT HE DOES HAVE
A PROBLEM, AND IT'S ALMOST,
THE COLD CALCULATION
POLITICALLY IS IT ALMOST
DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER HE
THINKS HE DOES OR NOT, TO
SURVIVE POLITICALLY HE'S GOING
TO HAVE TO TALK OPENLY ABOUT
HAVING A PROBLEM, SEEKING
HELP.
OTHERWISE FRANKLY I THINK HE'S
GOING TO FORCE HIS SENATE
COLLEAGUES INTO DOING
SOMETHING, WHETHER IT'S
CENSURE OR MORE.
AND ANYTHING THAT THEY DO
OFFICIALLY AGAINST HIM IS, I
THINK, GOING TO MAKE IT ALMOST
IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM TO GET
REELECTED.
>> THE DRINKING ISSUE IS
WHOLLY SEPARATE FROM THE LEGAL
TROUBLE THAT HE IS IN NOW.
HE COULD HAVE, HE COULD
ADDRESS THAT AT ANY POINT AND
PROBABLY NOW IS THE POINT.
>> I THINK THAT'S RIGHT.
I THINK THAT THIS TALK ABOUT
HE'S SAYING, YOU KNOW, I'M
GOING TO LET THIS LEGAL
PROCESS PLAY OUT FIRST, AND
THE SENATE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN
SAYING I WANT TO LET THE LEGAL
PROCESS PLAY OUT BEFORE WE
DEAL WITH ANYTHING ON THAT.
I THINK THAT THAT'S UNTENABLE,
FRANKLY.
I THINK THAT YOU'RE EXACTLY
RIGHT.
THE LEGAL ISSUE OF WHAT
HAPPENED THAT DAY IS ONE
THING.
THE ISSUE OF WHETHER HE HAS A
SERIOUS PROBLEM OF SOME SORT
THAT NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH,
THAT HAS TO BE ANSWERED SOONER
RATHER THAN LATER.
FRANKLY IF HE DOESN'T ANSWER
THAT UNTIL WHEN EVER IT IS,
TWO MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD, IT'S
GOING TO LOOK LIKE HE'S BEEN
AVOIDING IT AND BEING FORCED
INTO THE ISSUE.
I THINK THAT HE MAY HAVE SORT
OF A LAST OPPORTUNITY OVER
THESE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS
BECAUSE THE SESSION IS WINDING
DOWN FOR THE YEAR TODAY.
THIS IS THE LAST DAY.
SO HE CAN THEN COME OUT IN THE
NEXT DAY OR TWO, AND SAY ALL
RIGHT, NOW I WANT TO TALK
PUBLICLY ABOUT THIS.
I WANTED TO DO THE VOTES IN
THESE LAST COUPLE DAYS, BUT
NOW HERE'S WHAT I'M GOING TO
DO.
>> YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOMETHING
OF A CIRCLE OF THE WAGONS IN
CAMBRIDGE AS THERE IS IN A LOT
OF CITIES AND TOWNS, BUT
CAMBRIDGE IS PARTICULARLY
INSULAR IN SOME RESPECTS.
THE SAME PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
REELECTED OVER AND OVER, THEY
JUST HAND THE BATON BETWEEN
THE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR'S
OFFICE, CAN NEVER KEEP TRACK
OF WHO'S WHERE, AND GALLUCCIO
HAS BEEN PART OF THAT.
SO DO YOU THINK THAT'S PART OF
THE REASON WHY THIS IS PEOPLE
DON'T TALK, IT'S THAT
MENTALITY OF DON'T ASK DON'T
TELL?
>> WELL, I THINK CAMBRIDGE IS
LIKE ALL SMALL CITIES,
EVERYBODY KNOWS EACH OTHER,
ESPECIALLY IN THE POLITICAL
COMMUNITY.
FOR GALLUCCIO WON HIS SENATE
SEAT AFTER THAT 2005 CRASH
THAT WAS VERY SUSPICIOUS, AS
YOUR PIECE SAID.
THERE WAS EMT'S THAT SAID HE
WAS INTOXICATED AT THE SCENE,
HE STILL WON.
I'M FAIRLY CERTAIN THAT IF HE
SURVIVES THIS, THE NATIONAL
DOES NOT TAKE ACTION AGAINST
HIM, THEN HE'LL WIN AGAIN,
BECAUSE HE'S BY ALL ACCOUNTS
VERY WELL LIKED IN THE TOWN.
AND I THINK PEOPLE LOOK AT
SOMETHING LIKE THIS LIKE HE
DRANK TOO MUCH ONE NIGHT AND
NOBODY GOT HURT, AND I THINK
IT'S A MALL TOWN MENTALITY.
>> READING THROUGH THAT POLICE
REPORT, WHICH I'M SURE WE ALL
DID, IT'S VERY STERILE.
YOU CAN'T TELL ME THAT THERE
WASN'T SOME KIND OF
CONVERSATION GOING ON.
I MEAN, HE COULDN'T REMEMBERED
WHERE HE LIVED AND WHEN THEY
GOT TO THE HOUSE WHERE THEY
THOUGHT HE LIVED, THEN HE
REMEMBERED HE LIVED SOMEWHERE
ELSE.
BUT THERE HAD TO BE SOME
FURTHER CONVERSATION GOING ON
THERE.
THAT WAS JUST NOT THERE.
I GUESS WHAT I'M GETTING AT,
DO YOU THINK THERE WAS MORE TO
THIS?
WHO WAS THE GUY DRIVING HIM
HOME, WHO WAS THAT GUY?
>> IT DOES SEEM LIKE A PRETTY
SANITIZED POLICE REPORT
HONESTLY.
THEY SAY THEY RESPONDED TO A
REPORT OF AN INTOXICATED MAN,
NEVER SAYS THAT MAN WAS
GALLUCCIO, BUT CLEARLY THIS
GUY THAT DERIVED TO DRIVE HIM
HOME COULDN'T FINE HIS HOUSE,
THE POLICE TRIED TO DRIVE HIM
TO HIS HOUSE AND HE STILL
COULDN'T FINE HIS HOUSE, THEN
THE POLICE REPORT SAYS THE
POLICE OFFICERS HELPED HIM
INTO HIS HOUSE.
SO WHY NOT JUST WRITE IN THE
REPORT THAT MR. GALLUCCIO WAS
SLURING HIS WORDS, INTOXICATED,
GLASSY EYED, AS MOST POLICE
REPORTS OH DO WHEN THEY'RE
DEAL WITH INTOXICATED PATRONS.
>> MAYBE YOU KNOW THE ANSWER
TO THIS, DAVE, THE STREET IS
NOT IN THE DISTRICT --
SO HE'S NOT LIVING --
>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE
ANSWER TO THAT IS, FRANKLY.
>> I NO THE ANSWER TO THAT, I
WROTE THAT STORY.
HE BASICALLY MADE ONE OF THE
ADDRESSES WAS IN THE DISTRICT
AND ONE WASN'T.
HIS MOTHER'S HOUSE, RIGHT SO,
HE CLAIMS HIS MOTHER APPEARS
DRESS AS HIS PRIMARY ADDRESS.
BUT APPARENTLY, YOU KNOW, THE
REPORT --
>> AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO
REMEMBER WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
CAMBRIDGE LIKING HIM, THERE
ARE A COUPLE THINGS ABOUT
THAT.
ONE IS CAMBRIDGE LIKES HIM,
BUT THEY DON'T LOVE HIM.
HE'S NEVER BEEN A FAVORITE OF
THE LIMOUSINE LIBERAL SET, IF
YOU WILL.
HE WAS OPPOSED TO RENT CONTROL
AND HE'S NEVER REALLY BEEN A
FAVORITE OF THEIRS.
BUT ALSO A LARGE PART OF THAT
DISTRICT IS OUTSIDE OF
CAMBRIDGE.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CHELSEA
AND SAUGUS AND REVERE AND
CHARLESTOWN.
AND FRANKLY, I THINK THAT THE
DISTRICT, THE VOTERS OF THAT
DISTRICT WOULD BE VERY FOR
GIVING OF SOMEONE WHO HAS A
PROBLEM WHO WANTS TO ADDRESS
THE PROBLEM AND IS OPEN ABOUT
IT.
I DON'T THINK THEY'RE GOING TO
BE FOR GIVING OF SOMEONE WHO
HAS GOTTEN INTO MESS AFTER
MESS AFTER MESS AND IS ASKING
FOR ANOTHER CHANCE, WITHOUT
MAKING SOME SORT OF
CONTRITION.
>> WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS
AFTER HIS COURT DATE.
DAVID WEDGE, DAVID BERNSTEIN,
THANKS.