Romney Tries to Seize Control of Big Dig

[AnOhioan]

BOSTON (AP) - Gov. Mitt Romney announced Thursday he was filing emergency legislation to seize control over inspections and any decisions on reopening a highway tunnel where 12 tons of falling cement ceiling panels crushed a woman.

Romney also started legal proceedings to oust the chairman of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, which oversaw the troubled $14.6 billion Big Dig highway project through Boston.

``There should no longer be any doubt that the Turnpike Authority has failed to do its job effectively,'' Romney said.

The Massachusetts attorney general said contractors knew as early as 1999 that there were problems with some of the bolts attaching massive concrete panels to the ceiling of the Big Dig highway tunnel where a woman was crushed by 12 tons of falling concrete.

More at
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-5949044,00.html

[napi21]

1. I don't know if this is the right move, but SOMEBODY definately

screwed up! I can't believe this even happened! I would think the people to sue would be the contractors! Surely there is technology that would prevent these slabs from falling off, or they shouln't have used slabs at all!

I lived in Pgh for 45 years, and we had lots of tunnels. NOTHING like that EVER happened, and all our tunnels were very, very old!

[aquart]

2. Corruption is in every orifice of government.

Who or what will protect us from it?

[Ian David]

3. You mean after his $31 million line-item veto of tunnel maintenance?

Heckuva Job, Romney! Cut tunnel budget from $56 million to $25 million
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=158&topic_id=9353&mesg_id=9353

[MADem]

4. THANK YOU~~~!!!!!!!!!!

The inspection on that section would likely have happened well ahead of the incident, had Mitt the Shitt just LEFT THAT IN. But nooooooo....he has had a hardon about the Turnpike Authority from the get-go....and this is all about REVENGE with him, not any real accountability.

[zonkers]

5. I saw him on the news. What a tool. Good luck in 2008 Mit.

[MADem]

9. He reminds me of a waxen Ken Doll,,,,that fake hair, the skeletor head

And the muthafucka is ALWAYS on vacation when the shit hits the fan. I guess he figures he should be the GOP nominee because he has a VACATION record similar to the Monkey's!!!!

[zonkers]

16. I've seen more realistic heads on a pez dispenser. nt

[sallyseven]

6. This happens when you do away with oversight and

let the free market grab the money without any consequences. Matt may not be the brightest light in the world but he neither is romney. I wouldn't let romney be in charge of the Out door toilets at a concert. You have no idea how much I hate him.

[BrentWill4U]

8. WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT...

The Big Dig is ALL ABOUT GOVERNMENT WASTING MONEY AND THE GOVERNMENT FAILING TO PRODUCE A SAFE PRODUCT. If you want to look for a problem, look at the government bureaucracy that provided oversight and the sloppy work done by Union members( I don’t mind unions and think they are an important part of stopping serious company abuses, however I also believe in putting blame where it belongs ) To suggest that the big dig, one of the BIGGEST government infrastructure projects in the country and the WORLD shows the failures of the free market is the height of lunacy. The free market, with government oversight to prevent abuses, will produce a better product, for a cheaper price, and will produce that product faster.

[skids]

11. Welcome to DU!

Have some popcorn! :popcorn:

[Gormy Cuss]

14. Free markets and infrastructure don't mix.

The government, with standard independent oversight, will produce a better product for public works. It's unlikely to be cheaper or faster than the free market, but doing the job right comes at a cost.

The problems with the Big Dig are related to shoddy work by private contractors and insufficient independent oversight.

[jwirr]

18. The government contracted with Bechtel to do this job didn't they?

[mom cat]

7. Mitt.: The buck stops at your desk.

[MADem]

10. He thinks putting a political enemy's head on a plate will cover him.

He thinks wrong...

[Eugene]

12. Boston.com breaking: Legislative leaders back Romney.

Breaking news item at the Boston.com home page:

BREAKING NEWS: Senate President Robert Travaglini and House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi
announced in a press conference this afternoon that they back Gov. Mitt Romney’s efforts
to take control over the inspections and opening of the closed Big Dig tunnel. The governor
announced earlier today that he would file emergency legislation to take control of the
investigation of the Big Dig tunnels. Romney said he wanted inspectors and engineers
examining the connector tunnel to report to Secretary of Transportation John Cogliano,
instead of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority.

Related story: Legislative leaders tell Amarello to take lesser role

[gulfcoastliberal]

13. Remember the Big-Dig contractor = Bechtel

Will anything lead to them?

[arendt]

15. Even local police-blotter "news" channel AM 1030 called Romney on it

Reichwing AM1030 station played a long sound bite
from US Rep ?Jim? Lynch.

Lynch said (paraphrase) that Romney can't pretend he has
no accountability. That Romney should be engaged with his
oversight responsibility, but that's hard to do when he's
only in the state two days a week.

It sounded like even the Rethugs on 1030 AM see right thru
daMitt.

What a clown. Like he landed from Mars yesterday, and had
no role in any of this.

arendt

[Massachusetts]

17. 1998

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Inspector Generals Audit of 1998 exposed the problem.Paul Cellucci was the elected Gov then (replacing Jane the Swift). Maybe that's why he took the U.S. Ambassadors' position in Canada, in 2001


http://www.mass.gov/ig/publ/catboltr.pdf

(see p.6)

[AngryAmish]

19. I'll repeat: Boston you have soiled your own nest

First, you elected Romney. You have allowed corruption to go on for too long. You demanded federal money for a local project and you didn't have the decency to make sure it worked. You hired thieves.

I call for a ten year ban on any federal money to Boston. You change, then we'll think about it. People have died.