Those Wholesome Bulger Boys
 

Why does Billy get immunity?
Will this hasten his departure from UMass?
If they ever find Whitey, will there be anything left to talk about?

Layoff Rumors
 

If you check out Choate's website, they advertise a Boston Bus. Journal article applauding Choate's ability to increase PPP through fiscal management.

Those Wholesome Bulger Boys
 

I think the guy gets immunity because he won't talk otherwise. And they really want his brother. And I think that is the right set of priorities.

I think if he says something incriminating, there will be (just like the last time) a convenient leak to the press, and depending on what is leaked, it could lead to his demise at UMass.

But I would never count him out. The man has more chits saved up than anyone else in the state.

Those Wholesome Bulger Boys
 

Have they agreed to have him testify in private? All he has is immunity. I doubt the "privacy" rights he claims will be honored, let alone given any thought. He has immunity, so he can be made to testify in public. Anyway, he'd be wiser to testify at this point, so the issue remains FBI conduct, rather than continue to raise a stink, when it becomes his own conduct that's the focus of this, and many other, hearings.

Even if his testimony creates a firestorm, which undoubtedly it will when he acknowledges he heard from his brother but failed to do anything about it, and he loses his UMass job because of it, he'll fall into some other job paying just as much and requiring even less work. That's Mass. politics for you.

Those Wholesome Bulger Boys
 

Yup, he gets to testify in private.

IF the testimony is ever made public it will create a firestorm. I just love Massachusetts politics, it's such a great spectator sport. When I first moved here years ago, I was driving to work and wondered why all these people were waving at me and holding signs that had someone's name on it. It seems that every native I know is connected to someone. Such a tangled web. Boss Tweed would be so proud.

Baby Bulger
 

From the Boston Herald (the Bulger's favorite paper):

Bulger bro pleads guilty

by J.M. Lawrence
Friday, April 11, 2003

Retired Boston Juvenile Court clerk John ``Jackie'' Bulger pleaded guilty yesterday to twice lying to a federal grand jury out of ``loyalty'' to his oldest brother, fugitive James ``Whitey'' Bulger.

He could go to prison for two years.

Bulger, 64, who spent 32 years working in the state court system, admitted to U.S. District Court Judge George A. O'Toole Jr. that he committed perjury and obstructed law enforcement's hunt for ``Whitey'' in 1996 and in 1998.

The price of Jackie's loyalty to the Southie crime boss could be steep. Federal prosecutors said he must go to prison for his lies, while state pension officials are reviewing whether to revoke his $66,000 per year pension.

The Bulger gang's gravedigger, Kevin J. Weeks, was ready to testify that he orchestrated a phone call from ``Whitey'' to the youngest Bulger brother in the summer of 1996, prosecutors said.

Weeks stood by while ``Jackie'' spoke to ``Whitey'' at the offices of a South Boston physical therapy clinic, sources said. The notorious fugitive and FBI informant, who is now 73, first disappeared in 1995 and faces charges of 19 murders.

Almost two years after the call, ``Jackie'' Bulger told a grand jury on Jan. 22, 1998, that he never received any information that his brother was alive.

In addition to Weeks' testimony, Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Kelly told the court yesterday that the government would have called on a neighbor of ``Jackie'' Bulgers, who would have testified to passing a message from ``Whitey'' to his brother.

The government refused to identify the neighbor.

Bulger admitted to a four-count indictment and has no plea agreement. Wearing a navy blue suit, the trim, tanned Bulger told the judge he pleaded without coercion or promises of leniency.

O'Toole described the rights Bulger gave up by pleading guilty.

``You're probably familiar with jury trials,'' O'Toole said. ``Have you had experience with jury trials?''

``Yes, your honor,'' Bulger replied.

He left the courthouse without comment.

Bulger's attorney George Gormley said the retired court clerk's crimes were motivated out of devotion to his brother and to his brother's protectors.

``It's from loyalty to his brother and a sense of protectiveness to those he then thought were helping his brother,'' Gormley said.

He said he will ask the judge for a term of home confinement and several years probation at sentencing set for July 16.

The information Jackie received about ``Whitey'' would not help authorities find Bulger, according to Gormley.

``No tactical information was being shared between Jack and Jim. It was just family information - how are the nieces and nephews? Family inquiries of that nature.''

Bulger also admitted he lied to the grand jury on Nov. 26, 1996, when he denied knowing about his brother's safe deposit box in Clearwater, Fla.

Prosecutors said they would have shown the jury a check that Bulger signed to pay rent on the box earlier that year.

The three Bulger brothers - ``Jackie,'' UMass President William M.Bulger, and James ``Whitey'' - grew up together in the Old Harbor housing project in South Boston.

Jackie's guilty plea comes the day after a congressional committee voted to confer immunity on William M. Bulger, 68, to testify about ``Whitey'' and the FBI agents who protected him.

Whitey Bulger's handler, former FBI agent John J. Connolly Jr., is serving 10 years after his conviction on racketeering with the mob.

A spokeswoman for the state pension board said yesterday that a hearing will be scheduled after the board receives notification of Bulger's conviction.

Gormley maintained it would be wrong for state officials to pull Bulger's pension because his crimes had ``no connection whatsoever'' to his position as a court clerk.

He noted Massachusetts law provides special deference for family members against charges of aiding a fugitive. ``The lines are a lot clearer when family is not involved,'' Gormley said.

Board Layout
 

Is it possible to change the format on this Board so that it's a little easier to read? Between trying to ignore all of the signature files (which make it really hard to figure out where one post ends and another begins if you're just skimming) and the "scroll to the end" arrangement, it's a little awkward.

There used to be a setting where you could change the order of the posts bt I couldn't find it. You can turn off signature's and avatar under the "User CP" tab. Check the FAQ section.

Board Layout
 

You can ignore the signature lines and the avatars by going into your user cp. Click on edit options, scroll down to Thread View options.

We cannot however alter the fundamental format of the board.

Fortunately the creators of the board are working on a new version which has an index. Once that is done and bug free we will install it on top of this board, making it much easier to read.

You also might find it helpful to use the last read link, or the different options, which make it easier to find your way around.

More Layoffs
 

Ongoing at Mintz. :eek:

Update: 22 staff were let go this morning.

Mintz
 

Staff as in non attorneys like secretaries, paralegals and staff scientists?

More than I initially heard. 41 in total.
8 attorneys
2 paralegals
19 secretarys
11 from other departments (HR, IS, etc)

Mintz
 

Ouch.

Was there a reasonable package or notice, or are these getting to be like some of the tech companies I deal with, where there's not much left when the later folks get to the exits?

Mintz
 

According to my source, the rumour of impending doom had been around for weeks. The firm was very upfront and stated that they were for economic reasons. I have no $$ details.

Patriots Day
 

Just curious, how many firms have Monday off?