Press release
Content
JAMES EHRHARD
STATE SENATE
______________________________________________________________
www.jamesehrhard.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Dated: November 24, 2013 Contact: James P. Ehrhard (candidate) Tel: 508.344.1977; [email protected] Stephen Hackett (campaign manager) Tel: 774.276.1568; [email protected]
JAMES P. EHRHARD (Republican candidate for State Senator for the Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire & Middlesex seat) DEMANDS THAT DEMOCRATIC SENATOR STEPHEN BREWER DISCLOSE THE ISSUES THAT RELATE TO THE USE OF $35,000.00 IN CAMPAIGN FUNDS FOR LEGAL FEES TO THE LAW FIRM OF ROPES & GRAY Sturbridge, MA – The Worcester Telegram & Gazette (“Telegram”) reported today that the current chairman of the Senate Ways & Means Committee, Democrat Stephen Brewer, “spent $35,000 - in three payments on July 27 and Oct. 30, 2012, and Jan. 4, 2013 – on lawyers from the Boston office of the international law firm Ropes & Gray.” Mr. Brewer refused to be interviewed by the Telegram and would not provide the Telegram with the specific reason that such funds from his campaign account were used for such a large legal fee. The Telegram noted that “Mr. Brewer was named prominently in the 2010 report of the Ware Commission, a 400-page account of alleged pervasive corruption and patronage in the state Department of Probation. He was listed as one of the 10 most influential legislators who most often ‘sponsored’ candidates for jobs in the department and who received the most campaign contributions from probation employees.” Notably, the $35,000.00 was expended precisely between the period of time when probation commissioner John O’Brien was indicted in March 2012 and went to trial in April 2013. Mr. Brewer owes the people of his district a specific explanation as to why $35,000.00 in campaign funds were used to pay for one of the most expensive law firms in the United States. As an attorney, Mr. Ehrhard appreciates the role of attorney-client privilege in our legal process. But if Mr. Brewer felt it appropriate to use campaign funds to pay for such legal advice, he cannot in good faith hide behind such privilege when asked what the nature of the advice is. If
such funds can be used to ask for a citizen’s vote, Mr. Brewer owes the people an explanation as to why such funds are used for legal advice.
Mr. Ehrhard is a member of the Tantasqua Regional District School Committee and owner of the law firm Ehrhard & Associates, P.C. Mr. Ehrhard’s full biography, statement of candidacy and district information is ALL available on the campaign ’s website at www.jamesehrhard.com. The campaign’s Facebook page is at www.Facebook.com/JamesEhrhard. District information: The Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire & Middlesex District includes 28 towns covering all of western Worcester County and eastern Hampden County. It has one town in Hampshire County and one town in Middlesex County.
_____________________________________________________________________________ Fiscal Discipline • Responsible Government – A Way Forward for Massachusetts
STATE SENATE
______________________________________________________________
www.jamesehrhard.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Dated: November 24, 2013 Contact: James P. Ehrhard (candidate) Tel: 508.344.1977; [email protected] Stephen Hackett (campaign manager) Tel: 774.276.1568; [email protected]
JAMES P. EHRHARD (Republican candidate for State Senator for the Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire & Middlesex seat) DEMANDS THAT DEMOCRATIC SENATOR STEPHEN BREWER DISCLOSE THE ISSUES THAT RELATE TO THE USE OF $35,000.00 IN CAMPAIGN FUNDS FOR LEGAL FEES TO THE LAW FIRM OF ROPES & GRAY Sturbridge, MA – The Worcester Telegram & Gazette (“Telegram”) reported today that the current chairman of the Senate Ways & Means Committee, Democrat Stephen Brewer, “spent $35,000 - in three payments on July 27 and Oct. 30, 2012, and Jan. 4, 2013 – on lawyers from the Boston office of the international law firm Ropes & Gray.” Mr. Brewer refused to be interviewed by the Telegram and would not provide the Telegram with the specific reason that such funds from his campaign account were used for such a large legal fee. The Telegram noted that “Mr. Brewer was named prominently in the 2010 report of the Ware Commission, a 400-page account of alleged pervasive corruption and patronage in the state Department of Probation. He was listed as one of the 10 most influential legislators who most often ‘sponsored’ candidates for jobs in the department and who received the most campaign contributions from probation employees.” Notably, the $35,000.00 was expended precisely between the period of time when probation commissioner John O’Brien was indicted in March 2012 and went to trial in April 2013. Mr. Brewer owes the people of his district a specific explanation as to why $35,000.00 in campaign funds were used to pay for one of the most expensive law firms in the United States. As an attorney, Mr. Ehrhard appreciates the role of attorney-client privilege in our legal process. But if Mr. Brewer felt it appropriate to use campaign funds to pay for such legal advice, he cannot in good faith hide behind such privilege when asked what the nature of the advice is. If
such funds can be used to ask for a citizen’s vote, Mr. Brewer owes the people an explanation as to why such funds are used for legal advice.
Mr. Ehrhard is a member of the Tantasqua Regional District School Committee and owner of the law firm Ehrhard & Associates, P.C. Mr. Ehrhard’s full biography, statement of candidacy and district information is ALL available on the campaign ’s website at www.jamesehrhard.com. The campaign’s Facebook page is at www.Facebook.com/JamesEhrhard. District information: The Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire & Middlesex District includes 28 towns covering all of western Worcester County and eastern Hampden County. It has one town in Hampshire County and one town in Middlesex County.
_____________________________________________________________________________ Fiscal Discipline • Responsible Government – A Way Forward for Massachusetts
