I just read on another MM string that Ed O’C will be the next Chair of the Melrose School Committee. I do not follow the MPS closely since my last kid graduated from MHS 2 years ago. I had planned to vote YES on the Override until I saw that O’Connell was elected SC Chair. People deserve 2nd chances but the “Felon” never made restitution for the money he swindled from seniors. I’m sure Ed expects Melrose Seniors to Vote in support of the Override. If he dares to canvass with “One Melrose”, I hope he gets doors slammed in his face by those on fixed incomes. I was hopeful when voting for new and younger women to the SC Board. I have lost all respect for them because they “elevated” Ed to Chair! What a farce government is in Melrose. If there was a remote possibility of the Override passing, having voted for a Convict to lead the SC seals the deal. Theatre of the Absurd continues in Melrose. Great Moral Leadership leading the School Committee. You can’t make this stuff up. Only in Melrose !!!!! VOTE NO.
I totally agree with your post. He is and remains a problem. Everyone deserves a second chance but he
feels entitled. The time he served in Martha's Vineyard j just added insult to injury. He received
such a slap on the wrist for what he did to not just a few senior citizens but to the entire
elderly community is appalling.
He knew how to play the angle. He has no shame and for the members of the school committee shame
is on all of you. He has been lobbying for this position for months with his 'SO CALLED PRAISE" of
"MADAM SUPERINTENDENT AND MADAM CHAIR" What a phony!!!
To me, this attitude is a major problem with our criminal justice system. The societal expectation that once convicted of a crime, particularly a non-violent one, people's subsequent opportunities should be limited. He served his time, and as far as I can see, is paying what the court has determined he needs to pay. So why shouldn't he have the same opportunities as anyone else? He's been punished. Let the man move on.
If he is a bad choice for school committee chair because of his record as a member, fine. But I find the idea that he shouldn't be in a leadership position because of a crime he already served time for to be a discomforting one.
The Convict has yet to PAYBACK the $ he stole from senior investors.
Now, the Felon is campaigning for an Override that senior citizens on fixed incomes are expected to help fund?
His reputation is shot forever unless and until he FULLY refunds every cent he robbed from his victims.
Ed can “move on” when he makes complete restitution to people who lost their life’s savings because of his actions.
Ed permanently hurt the “opportunities” of vulnerable seniors who were scammed by him.
He will be always be judged on his lack of ethical and moral conduct.
The Override’s passage will fail in part because of the “leaders” who are promoting it.
The Convict has yet to PAYBACK the $ he stole from senior investors.
Now, the Felon is campaigning for an Override that senior citizens on fixed incomes are expected to help fund?
His reputation is shot forever unless and until he FULLY refunds every cent he robbed from his victims.
Ed can “move on” when he makes complete restitution to people who lost their life’s savings because of his actions.
Ed permanently hurt the “opportunities” of vulnerable seniors who were scammed by him.
He will be always be judged on his lack of ethical and moral conduct.
The Override’s passage will fail in part because of the “leaders” who are promoting it.
Where exactly did you hear this news that Ed has been voted in by the school committee as the new chair??
I find it hard to believe that current school committee members would be foolish enough to compromise their own politic careers and perceived ethics by elevating an ex-con and disbarred lawyer (who still owes restitution to victims) to school committee chair.
SC Mtg 12/11/18 MMTV @1:07:00. Unanimously. The only nomination. Nominated by Driscoll. Driscoll defeated DeSelm for Vice Chair.
Melrose Ethics? That's an oxymoron.
Sounds like this guy is real winner. Now he is out promoting an override when he has not finished paying his restitution. We need to remind everyone of this and get local Media outlets involved.
The Melrose Free Press published an article on 10-2-13 and The Boston Globe’s article was in their 10-3-18 edition. Just google Ed O’Connell, Melrose School Committee and they will pop up. How “One Melrose”, the Melrose Democrats and other members of the School Committee would put him front and center during this critical year is both surprising and crazy. Ed’s track record regarding honesty and ethical financial management certainly will undermine support for the Override. Can you trust him? Will his “facts and figures” be manipulated? Why would anyone believe a word he has to say about money or budget needs? Ed probably received his Law Degree by mail from Trump University.
He never has apologized for what he did. He would have continued with his scam but he got caught.
He ruined lives of senior citizens. Do not question my 'ATITUDE" towards the criminal justice
system. Again, he got a slap on the wrist. He knew how to play the system and made sure he was
protected financially. The people he scammed had no such opportunity.
Seriously!!! This guy stole from his clients . Served time in Jail for stealing and was disbarred!! Has not repaid his victims. Yes he has a right to move on with his life. But he has no business being on a school committee that oversees a 30 million budget. And you wonder why people in Melrose have no faith in City leadership. Shameful!!!
The best answer is in the voting booth. Do I still have the right to do that or is that too much
of a PUBLIC FORUM. Then I will be voting on his performance as a member of the school committee.
Not sure why anyone on the School Committee would want to associate with someone who swindled elderly people when they entrusted him as their lawyer. He is on the school committee and makes decisions regarding a $30 million budget. We are always going to be wondering if he is manipulating data like he did to his clients. His presence on the board should be alarming to all. I’m all for giving second chances where appropriate but he has become a major distraction as his presence overshadows the rest of the committee . He was not just disbarred. He went to Jail. Think about it. Who in their right mind would give 5.18 million more tax dollars to a school system that has a convicted felon, who stole from elderly people, as chairman of the school committee? This is nuts!!!
The Mismanagement lack of Transparency and Coverups. No on any Override.
From The Massachusetts Bar Overseers:
IN RE: EDWARD J. O’CONNELL S.J.C. Judgment of Disbarment entered by Justice Spina on September 18, 2003, with an effective date of October 18, 2003.1 SUMMARY2 On or about May 2, 2003, the respondent represented Countrywide Home Loans (“Countrywide”) at a closing in which Countrywide was providing a mortgage loan to Rafael Dones, for the purchase of a home from Veronica Kabba. The respondent took possession of the funds from Countrywide and deposited them in his client funds account. From those funds, the respondent was supposed to pay Kabba’s outstanding mortgage with Ameriquest Mortgage in the amount of approximately $195,000. The respondent did not utilize Countrywide’s funds to pay Kabba’s outstanding Ameriquest Mortgage. The respondent intentionally converted those funds to his own use with the intent to deprive Kabba of those funds, and with deprivation resulting. On October 26, 2002, the respondent represented a lender, Option One Mortgage (“Option One”), in the refinancing of the mortgage of James Dolbier and Joanne Cicero. PCFS Financial Services (“PCFS”) held the original mortgage on the property in the amount of approximately $209,000. The respondent received funds from Option One prior to the closing, but did not pay off the PCFS mortgage until April 14, 2003. Sometime later in April 2003, the respondent utilized funds belonging to another client, which he was holding in his client funds account, to pay off the PCFS mortgage. On August 15, 2002, the respondent represented a lender that was loaning money to a party to purchase property owned by Fran Basche. The respondent received money from the lender from which he was supposed to use to pay off Fran Basche’s mortgage at the Winchester Savings Bank. The respondent converted approximately $130,000 of those funds to his own use with the intention of depriving Basche of the funds and with deprivation resulting. Consequently, when the respondent wrote a check for approximately $203,000 to the Winchester Savings Bank on his client funds account, the check was dishonored. The respondent subsequently replenished his client funds account by borrowing approximately $170,000 from friends and family members, and paid off Basche’s mortgage. Sometime in 2000, the respondent represented Joseph Koerner in the sale of his home in Cambridge, and with respect to certain zoning matters. In connection with the zoning matters, Koerner gave the respondent $50,000 to cover the cost of any renovations to the property that might be required subsequent to the sale as an outcome of the zoning cases. The respondent deposited the $50, 000 in an escrow account at the Cambridge Trust Company. The respondent converted the $50,000 for his own business expenses, with the intention of depriving Koerner of the funds and with deprivation resulting. On or about February of 2000, the respondent was elected Treasurer of the East Cambridge Land Trust (“ECLT”), a Massachusetts non-profit corporation. The respondent, both prior and subsequent to February, 2000, also provided pro-bono legal services to ECLT. During the period in question, ECLT maintained bank accounts at the East Cambridge Savings Bank. Beginning in 2001, the respondent intentionally converted ECLT funds totaling approximately $152,000 to his own use with the intention of depriving the ECLT of the funds, and with deprivation resulting.
By his conduct, as described above, the respondent violated Mass. R. Prof. C., 1.2, 1.15, and 8.4 (c) and (h). The respondent executed a Consent to Disbarment and Statement of Disciplinary Charges. On September 4, 2003, the Board of Bar Overseers filed the consent and statement with the Supreme Judicial Court for Suffolk County. On September 18, 2003, the county court (Spina, J.) entered a judgment of disbarment effective October 18, 2003. 1 The complete Order of the Court is available by contacting the Clerk of the Supreme Judicial Court for Suffolk County. 2 Compiled by the Board of Bar Overseers based on the record before the Court.
How could the SC elect this man as Chair? Belief in government transparency and trust in elected officials is at al all time low. Great judgement shown by Illegitimate Gail and the rest of the SC. How will voters view the SC Chair leading on the Override with his resume? He’ll be a great partner for PDR, Vanny, Cyndy, and the rest of the “One Melrose” crew asking for taxpayers to fund facts and figures they say are necessary. It’s “Alice in Wonderland” time here in 02176....the Mad Hatters Tea Party is seen every time people keep saying things are true when they are far from it....
If you are looking for someone to blame for bringing that dark cloud over Melrose Schools and city government again, look no further than the current School Committee chair who was foolish enough to nominate him for the SC chair in the first place. Sad to say, but Melrose voters foolishly voted for both Ed O'Connell and Margaret Driscoll during the last election. Elections have consequences.
true.
How do they expect a $5.18 million school override to pass when the chairman of the school committee was disbarred and went to jail for stealing from seniors and has not yet paid restitution in full. Now this guy will be responsible for implementing a 30-35 million school budget. This is bad optics!! He should really think about resigning if this override is going to have a realistic chance of passing. The fact they vote this convict as chairman shows their poor judgment. Shameful!!
HOLIDAY GREETINGS TO EVERYONE ON THIS WEBSITE
The Mismanagement lack of Transparency and Coverups. No on any Override.
As most defense attorneys know, when "compassion 'and 'forgiveness ' is sought, having a mostly female "jury" like the School Committee is an important factor.
Call me a sexist but does anyone believe a male -dominated committee would have voted the same ?
GOOD POINT .
The Mismanagement lack of Transparency and Coverups. No on any Override.