After the prolonged flare-up, councilors voted 6-0 to approve the nomination of Darren Alston as clerk magistrate of Northampton District Court.
Governor's Councilors Thomas Merrigan, left, and Marilyn Devaney, right, engaged in a shouting match during a meeting on Wednesday.By KYLE CHENEY
BOSTON – Councilors Thomas Merrigan and Marilyn Devaney escalated their war of words Wednesday, engaging in a screaming match and ignoring Lt. Gov. Tim Murray's calls to restore order during a meeting held just steps from Gov. Deval Patrick’s office that ended with three judicial nominees winning lifetime appointments.
The shouting between the two councilors, Democrats who have frequently – and increasingly pointedly – been at odds over Gov. Deval Patrick’s nominations, startled visitors to the Council Chamber, including members of the governor’s staff on hand to witness the altercation.
The brouhaha began when Merrigan – responding to a week-old allegation by Devaney that a qualified district court nominee was elbowed aside by one of Merrigan’s political allies – ripped Devaney for making “wild accusations” and accused her of spreading falsehoods.
“This ridiculous issue is all too familiar of Councilor Devaney’s weekly modus operandi – absurd and slanderous accusations without a shred of actual evidence – just media hungry and frenzied antics,” Merrigan said, reading from prepared remarks. “Councilor Devaney literally hovers and chases the news reporters all over the State House to harp on her nonsense.”
For months, Devaney has ripped Merrigan for what she claims are inappropriate political contributions and connections – claims Merrigan vehemently denies – and their spats have grown increasingly bitter.
After a dispute in April over a Springfield District Court nominee, Devaney accused Merrigan of playing politics with nominees, referencing donations he and his family have made to candidates such as Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray, who chairs the council meetings. She’s previously accused Merrigan of making inappropriate, last-minute changes to council hearing schedules, which he has also defended against.
During Wednesday’s meeting, Devaney intermittently interrupted Merrigan to reject his slights, and she received an assist from Councilor Mary-Ellen Manning, who repeatedly asked Lt. Gov. Murray to silence Merrigan for violating council decorum.
“This is wrong,” Devaney shouted as Merrigan continued to read his remarks.
“You’re wrong,” Merrigan shot back.
When Lt. Gov. Tim Murray interrupted and moved for a roll call on a Northampton clerk magistrate nominee, he was cut off by Merrigan, who said, “No, I’m going to finish.”
After some additional remarks by Merrigan, Devaney again interjected and said, “This is outrageous. There’s no place for this.”
Murray overruled several attempts by Manning and Devaney to silence Merrigan. The lieutenant governor repeatedly slammed the gavel in an attempt to restore order and limit remarks to one councilor at a time, but Merrigan and Devaney spoke over him in raised and heated tones, shouting and hurling accusations.
Before the argument broke out, councilors voted 5-2 to support the nomination of Marion Broidrick to clerk magistrate of the Orleans District Court. After the prolonged flare-up, councilors voted 6-0 to approve the nomination of Darren Alston as clerk magistrate of Northampton District Court and 7-0 to appoint Garrett McManus as an associate justice of the Suffolk County Juvenile Court.
Alston’s nomination was the root of Wednesday’s argument. Last week, Devaney argued that Alston was passed over for the clerk magistrate’s job in Greenfield District Court, where he had been serving as acting clerk magistrate, in favor of Kenneth Chafee, a political ally of Merrigan’s. She also contended that Greenfield District Court Judge William Mazanec withheld favorable information about Alston.
Devaney reiterated her complaint Wednesday and accused Mazanec of “an outright lie.” She called Chafee a “crony” of Merrigan and Mazanec.
Merrigan said Devaney’s statements were false, called them “typical of the malice, hate and smear, and the utter nonsense that we suffer and endure from Councilor Devaney at our weekly Governor’s Council meetings.” He also called the media “complicit” for reporting on Devaney’s accusations.
“Council Devaney is the poster child for those who would abolish the Governor’s Council, and she has no clue,” he said.
Devaney has previously clashed with other members of the council, including former Councilor Thomas Foley, who in 2008 requested a delay in a hearing on Ralph Gants, Gov. Deval Patrick’s nominee to the Supreme Judicial Court that year.
After that meeting, Devaney confronted Foley, wagging her finger at him and calling him “a disgrace.” “Shame,” she uttered repeatedly. Foley stood mostly in silence, but as Devaney walked away, he retorted, “Sorry about your cat.” At that same meeting, the council voted 5-1 to approve Mazanec’s appointment to the Greenfield District Court.