Also known as a purge

Not content with Democrats holding all six constitutional offices in Massachusetts, a 5-1 advantage over Republicans in the Legislature and all 10 of the state's seats in Congress, Bay State Governor Deval Patrick wants 50 commissioners and agency leaders appointed by Patrick's Republican predecessors to reapply for their jobs, according to today's Boston Globe.

"The governor has asked each secretariat to build a team that shares this administration's priorities and visions," Patrick spokesman Kyle Sullivan was quoted as saying.

Once the purge is complete -- by the end of the month, Sullivan told the Globe -- political diversity in Massachusetts will rival to that achieved by the late and unlamented (but not on Beacon Hill) Soviet Union.

We are not amused

Deval Patrick as quoted in the Boston Globe story mentioned in the preceding post:

"I am so sorry that we have all spent the kind of time we have on what we have spent time on, and I am sorry that I have been responsible for that.

Is it my imagination or does Patrick rely a tad too abundantly on use of the royal "we"? Oui?

Then again, maybe that's just we, ah, me ...

Patrick breaks from spending spree to state the obvious

What follows is the headline of a story on front page of today's Boston Globe, accompanied by photo of Deval Patrick with horde of pesky reporters --

Patrick: 'We screwed up' on spending'

Subtext: There, you happy?! ... Now leave me alone!

Howie Carr nails it

"From Together We Can to Together We Con" -- one of several laugh-out loud lines about Deval Patrick in Carr's column in today's Boston Herald.

A photo op is being arranged of the governor's new Crown Vic

A folo-up to the preceding post, from the lead story in today's Globe about Deval Patrick ponying up -- "Aides declined to permit a Globe photographer to photograph the new furniture or the draperies, hung at the enormous windows overlooking Boston Common."

Patrick's aides, in unison -- "Together we can't!"

Cadillac Deval -- it gets worse

... and to think it once appeared limited to a couple chopper rides.

Then came the news that new Bay State governor Deval Patrick wanted a leased Cadillac DeVille for his official vehicle, instead of the mundane Crown Vic used by Mitt Romney.

Then came the news that Patrick's administration had hired a $72,000-a-year staffer - a major fundraiser in Patrick's campaign, go figure - to handle the trickle of media calls and event scheduling needed for Patrick's wife.

Next comes the lead story in today's Boston Globe under this headline - "Patrick to repay taxpayers for decor: $10,000 spent for drapes; governor to offset car costs."

"Governor Deval L. Patrick spent more than $10,000 on damask drapes for his State House office as part of a $27,387 makeover that also included a new desk, settee, and other furnishings paid for with taxpayer money," write Globe reporters Frank Phillips and Andrea Estes. "Yesterday, after an inquiry from the Globe, Patrick abruptly announced that he would repay the state for the draperies and furnishings."

"At the same time, Patrick said he would contribute $543 each month to the lease of the Cadillac DTS he uses for state business," Phillips and Estes write, "bringing the cost to the public in line with the more modest Ford Crown Victoria used by Gov. Mitt Romney."

The story quotes Patrick as saying, "I realize I cannot in good conscience ask the agencies to make those choices without being willing to make them myself."

And who knows, maybe Patrick would have come to this decision without that annoying inquiry from the Globe -- after all, together we can!

Cadillac Deval

Word out of Beacon Hill via an Associated Press story earlier tonight that new Bay State governor Deval Patrick apparently wants more than chopper rides when it comes to taxpayer-funded percs. The AP is reporting that Patrick has decided on a Cadillac DeVille for his work vehicle, rather than the all too common and less expensive Crown Victoria (the car used by half the cops in America).

The AP also reports that a staffer has been brought on board -- at a $72,000 annual salary -- to handle media inquiries and public appearances for Patrick's wife. Curiously, the administration spokesperson quoted in the story was uncertain as to how many media inquiries and public appearances for Patrick's better half are currently being handled.

You'd think at least one person close to the "newly minted" governor would have pointed out the unfortunate similarity between Patrick's first name and vehicle of choice.