George Brennan of the Cape Cod Times reports that Cape Cod congressional candidate Jeff Perry’s version of what he did as a Wareham police sergeant following the strip-search of a 16-year-old girl on New Year’s Eve 1992 does not match up with what he claimed he did when questioned about it last month.
And now a retired Wareham police captain is speaking out. “It was a big secret. We knew nothing about it,” Paul Cardalino tells Brennan.
Perry, a Republican state representative from Sandwich, hopes to succeed retiring congressman Bill Delahunt, a Democrat. At issue is Perry’s supervision of Scott Flanagan, a police officer who went to prison for illegally strip-searching a 16-year-old and a 14-year-old in two separate incidents.
I first took note of the story last month, when Donovan Slack and Frank Phillips of the Boston Globe and Brennan filed their initial reports. Perry was not found liable in either of the civil suits filed in connection with the strip-searches, and he has denied his subsequent departure from the police force was related to his supervision of Perry. And there the matter seemed to rest.
Yet it looks like information is continuing to drip out. So kudos to the Globe, the Times and Cape Cod Today, a website that has been hammering away at Perry for weeks.
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Richard Carey
No one likes a dirty cop. Accomplice to a crime is still a crime. We have enough problems in this country; don’t send this abettor to Congress. If he is going to run on his “record,” he has to run on his entire record.
Frank Pannorfi
Mr. Carey, I can only assume that you don’t believe in our system of justice, based on your words. I don’t recall Rep. Perry being charged, tried, or jailed for doing his job. In fact, why did his superiors write letters of commendation? As for leaving the police department 7 months after this event, he wasn’t fired and usually when there is a problem, don’t employers walk that person out of the building right then? 7 Months later???
Here is the real reason the “Left” wants to keep this non-story alive. Jeff Perry is seen as the threat to winning this seat, the results of which which would be viewed similarly to the Scott Brown’s victory, but only this time in the House of Representatives. The slide has started for the “Left” in Massachusetts and with the momentum that Rep. Perry has garnered to date and will continue to gain, in spite of the efforts to bring him down, he will be your next Congressman from the 10th Congressional District!
BP Myers
@Frank Pannorfi says: As for leaving the police department 7 months after this event, he wasn’t fired and usually when there is a problem, don’t employers walk that person out of the building right then? 7 Months later???
He resigned the same week the indictment came down against Flanagan.
The State Police investigation said the following:
“There is competent evidence that Sgt. Perry was in close proximity to Flanagan’s strip search of the young girl, in a position to hear Flanagan’s demands and the girl’s protests as well as see what Flanagan was doing. Flanagan was not disciplined or even reported by Sgt. Perry for this conduct.”
Richard Carey
Mr. Pannorfi,
I do believe in our system of justice unfortunately, the police have the ability to circumvent our system. Perry as a supervisor was an accomplice to this crime and should have been charged. Because he was not charged does not mean he was not involved in a cover-up. We know he was involved based on the record. The Chief of Police at that time has said so.
His superiors most likely agreed to writing letters of recommendation as a bargaining chip to get him to resign to save the town more liability in the felony case.
This storey has everything to do with Perry’s character or lack thereof. This narrative has nothing to do with the “Left” wanting to keep this story alive. It has to do with core values of this country in which the “Right” as twisted and corrupted in order to suit their “Patriotic, Family Values, Socialist Mantra” that keeps this country divided.
Tim Manning
Richard,
Rep. Perry was never even questioned in court, he received glowing recommendations when he left the force, and the father of one of the girls abused even mentioned that he holds no ill will against Mr. Perry – is all of that not evidence that this is guilt by association at best?!?! I have followed this story closely and the fact that someone under Mr. Perry’s command did something wrong should not be held against him.
Like any large organization, there are good and bad men in the police department, I hope you recognize their foul efforts to distort our political dialogue!
-Tim
BP Myers
@Tim Manning says: the fact that someone under Mr. Perry’s command did something wrong should not be held against him.
Guess that rules out a “The Buck Stops Here” desk ornament on wannabe Congressman Perry’s desk.
Not to mention license for anyone on his staff to do whatever the hell they want.
On the other hand, that might get interesting.
Richard Carey
Tim,
Perry was never questioned in court because he had moved to Florida before the trail started. The prosecutor in the case believed he had enough evidence not to subpoena him. In fact this was the case. You must also keep in mind that the prosecution and the police work hand-in-hand. If Perry had been called as a witness he would have been open to cross-examination by the defense which might have brought up evidence the town of Wareham did not want disclosed. Thus, risking more indictments and possibly costing the town of Wareham millions of dollars in legal fees and settlements. Again, those in authority were making sure that the entire police department’s core values were not called to task. It’s all about the money.
Maybe the father of the victim in this case feels no ill-will against Perry because he was not sexually abuse and he was paid the money since his daughter was a minor. As far as I know no one has asked the victim how she feels.
Apparently you have never been a policeman, fireman or served in the military. The rules and regulations of those organizations hold supervisors responsible for those under their charge as it regards to following the letter of the law and/or regulations, following all procedures to the letter. This of course is what Perry failed to do.
The political discourse must be about who is best qualified to represent us. Perry does not stand up to the vetting he is undergoing.
Frank Pannorfi
Gentlemen, here’s the bottom line. Even in today’s Cape Cod Times Editorial, the most egregious matter stated was that Officer Perry should have done better than report this matter to his superior officer within 24 hours, thats right, within 24 hours. I think the Times felt this story had gone further than it should have and closed by saying “its time to move on.”
The reality as I stated yesterday is that Jeff Perry is going to be elected the 10th Congressional District’s new Congressman, and in my opinion, thats a good thing.
Richard Carey
Frank Pannorfi says: The reality as I stated yesterday is that Jeff Perry is going to be elected the 10th Congressional District’s new Congressman, and in my opinion, thats a good thing.
_________________________________________________
In your dreams.
BP Myers
@Frank Pannorfi says: The reality as I stated yesterday is that Jeff Perry is going to be elected the 10th Congressional District’s new Congressman
He won’t be my Congressman anyway, so I got no dog in this fight.
But people usually get the representatives they deserve.
Time will tell on this one.
Mike Benedict
Just in case anyone was wondering, Frank Pannorfi wrote a blurb endorsing Perry’s book, “My GOP.”
Here’s the link: http://www.mygopbook.com/reviews.html
BP Myers
@Mike: Okay by me.
I do find the Ronald Reagan worship at the book’s website amusing and perhaps ironic. Weren’t some of Reagan’s underlings too involved in illegal activity?
Unlike Mr. Perry, I recall Reagan ultimately taking full responsibility for it.
Go figure.
BP Myers
Perhaps I spoke too soon. Today’s Globe reveals he does have Reagan’s memory.
http://tinyurl.com/2w86ks4
So there’s that.
Frank Pannorfi
Mr. Benedict, not only did I write a blurb endorsing Jeff’s book, but I am mentioned with fondness and I was his Campaign Manager for the 4 terms elected.
Gentlemen, I’ll say it again, you may not like him, but he will be the next Congressman from the 10th District. Stay well.
Richard Carey
Frank Pannorfi says:
…you may not like him, but he will be the next Congressman from the 10th District. Stay well.
_______________________________________________________
Mr. Pannorfi, it has nothing to do about liking him or not liking him. It’s about what is best for the Massachusetts and for the country. Perry is a small town candidate that is not qualified to be our Congressional Representative. I suggest you stay small-time you seem to do well there. Have a great day!
BP Myers
@Frank Pannorfi says: Gentlemen, I’ll say it again, you may not like him, but he will be the next Congressman from the 10th District. Stay well.
Sounding eerily more and more like a threat.
What if . . . lots and lots more folks begin to not like him?
Will he still be the next Congressman from the 10th District?