Women's Event June 29th

A Conversation with

Martha Coakley

Please join other interesting and committed women for a candid conversation and reception with Attorney General Martha Coakley about campaigns, public policies, and current issues.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

$50, $125, $250, $500

5:30 PM – Host Committee Reception

6:00 - 7:00 PM – General Reception

Bingham McCutchen, LLP, One Federal Street, 13th Floor, Boston, MA

For more information please contact ml@mlganley.com

Honorary Host Committee: Councilor Ayanna Pressley, Sheriff Andrea Cabral, Senator Katherine Clark & Representative Jen Benson

Co-Chairs: Beth Boland, Shanti Fry & Georgia Murray

Host Committee

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Martha has a long record of standing up for victims, particularly for victims of domestic violence. Throughout her career, she has advocated for safe waiting spaces for victims at courthouses, and has developed and organized trainings statewide focused on raising awareness of the issues surrounding human trafficking and the commercial sexual exploitation of children. She has partnered with various charitable organizations, such as Dressed for Success, and domestic violence shelters, such as Voices Against Violence, to hold clothing and supply drives to help victims reclaim their lives and get back on their feet.

This week, Martha visited Melrose to take part in the 15th Annual Melrose Alliance Against Violence Vigil for domestic violence awareness. She was joined by State Representative Katherine Clark and many others, as they read the names of victims who were murdered at the hands of loved ones this year. View photos from the event.

Martha has been endorsed by a number of law enforcement officials and organizations in her re-election efforts, all who have called Martha the only one in the race who has prioritized victim support and public safety challenges such as cyber crime, senior safety, neighborhood safety, and child protection.

Video from the Melrose Patch.

A Message from Martha: Doing the Job

Every day on this campaign we're out meeting voters in their community, shaking hands. In fact as you may have heard me say, I've vowed to leave no hand unshook! We know the stakes of this election and we are out working hard every day on this campaign. The reason that this is so important is because at the end of the race, there’s a job to do.

We do that job every day by standing up for the consumers and taxpayers of this state, and working to keep people safe.  Let me give you three examples from just this week:

We worked in partnership with federal agents to bust a major methamphetamine drug ring and break down a significant criminal enterprise that was trafficking drugs plaguing Massachusetts neighborhoods. 

When we learned that there may be questionable practices being used to foreclose upon Massachusetts homeowners, we took action by calling on Bank of America and other big lenders to cease foreclosures against homeowners.

And, we negotiated a major restructuring of a contract of the Caritas hospital chain to help protect access to health care for thousands of residents, save 12,000 jobs and create up to 4,000 more, while adding unprecedented oversight to the chain.

This election is about who can do the job best for the people of Massachusetts. I’m proud of our record, and I will put it up against anyone in this race. I’m asking for your help and your vote on November 2nd so that we can keep working for you.

With best wishes,

Debate Success, Money for Consumers, and a Busy Weekend Ahead

Last night Attorney General Martha Coakley went head-to-head with Republican opponent Jim McKenna, and again demonstrated that she is the best candidate for the people Massachusetts. On NECN’s Broadside, Martha gave strong responses to moderator Jim Braude on issues such as public safety, immigration, marriage equality, death penalty, and public corruption. But don’t just take our word for it; watch the debate yourself online or read more about the debate on our website.

As Martha said following the debate, “Debates are important because they help people learn more about each candidates’ positions and record,” added Coakley afterwards, “The Attorney General’s office is not just a political office – it’s a serious law enforcement job, and I know that when people see my record of keeping people safe and standing up for taxpayers, the choice will be clear.”

The debate capped off another big week for Martha, with a series of endorsements from District Attorneys and law enforcement organizations, and some big case announcements from the Attorney General’s Office:

• Thousands of motorcycle owners are receiving checks from Safety Insurance following a $7.4 million settlement with the AGO. The average refund to consumers under this settlement is $348, some consumers are receiving checks up to $24,655.
• The former general manager of the Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority was indicted for allegedly stealing large amounts of money collected in bus fares from the agency’s money room.
• Following additional Medicaid fraud settlements this week, Martha announced that her office has recovered a record $173 million for the Commonwealth’s Medicaid program since she took office in 2007.

Martha will keep right on moving forward with a busy campaign weekend, including stops to canvass in Lynn, to enjoy the 3rd Annual Great Pumpkin Give-a-Wey festivities in Weymouth, and march in the Northern Berkshire Fall Foliage Parade in North Adams.

A Message from Martha: The Campaign Ahead

Thank you for your support in Tuesday’s primary election. I’m proud to be your nominee for re-election as Attorney General and I’m looking forward to the campaign ahead. As we begin, I want to take a moment to speak directly with you as a friend and supporter. 

At the AG’s Office, we work every single day to stand up for you and for the Commonwealth in the face of unfairness. We listen to what the people of this state are asking for from us, and I want to share with you how we respond. 

You want your children and your family to be safe – online, at school and in your neighborhood – and we take action to challenge online sites like Craigslist, confront bullying and cyber-bulling, and provide summer jobs for teens.

You are fed up with fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars – and we go squarely after corruption, prosecuting unemployment fraud, and recovering more than $100 million in our Medicaid system.  For every $1 in budget funding my office receives, we return $5 back to taxpayers and consumers.

You want someone to stand up for the middle class during this economic crisis.  We’ve recovered over $440 million from big banks and Wall Street for consumers, keeping 15,000 people in their homes, and we are challenging unfair rate hikes by big gas and electric companies. 

And, you want your government to stand for fairness – and we successfully challenged the Defense of Marriage Act, standing up for the civil rights of all.

It is a real privilege and a serious responsibility to serve as the Attorney General and to represent you, and the campaign I’m running will reflect that.  I hope you’ll join me this fall to discuss where we’ve come, what’s important to you, and how we can take on even more in the next four years.

With Best Wishes,

Historic Anniversary

"The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex."

It was with those powerful words of the 19th amendment, ratified into our Constitution on this day 90 years ago, that women in this country were granted the right to vote.

We have been great beneficiaries of all those who sacrificed to achieve this historic victory for civil rights. I know some of my most rewarding moments on the campaign trail are when I meet a young woman eager to cast her very first vote in an upcoming election.

Earlier today, I met with a group of women leaders from organizations across Massachusetts to commemorate this anniversary and to continue the important work of ensuring equality for all people.

I hope you too will take a moment to honor this historic day and that, together, we recommit ourselves to engaging in civic life.

With best wishes,

Martha

A Message from Martha: What We're For

We’ve been busy this summer out on the campaign trail. I’ve heard from so many people who want government focused on what’s important - to fight for their interests and get things done that matter in their lives.

That is exactly what we do in the Attorney General’s Office.

Let me give you just one recent example.

My office recently negotiated and approved a new contract that will significantly lower the costs of the Cape Wind project. As a result of our work, Cape Wind has agreed to lower its price by 10%, reducing costs for consumers and businesses by more than $450 million over 15 years.

I believe in the importance of renewable energy, but at a fair cost to already struggling ratepayers. This agreement should allow Massachusetts to move forward as a leader in developing green technologies, securing hundreds of new jobs in the process, while doing so at a lower cost for consumers and businesses.

As your Attorney General, I work to be your voice and to fight for your interests. Let others talk about all that they are against, we will continue to declare what we are for and then work to get it done.

Thanks for your continued support. Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Best Wishes,

Americans with Disabilities Act Anniversary

This past Monday marked the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. It is fitting that also this week, Attorney General Martha Coakley announced a settlement with the three largest movie theater chains in the Commonwealth, providing greater accessibility for hearing and visually impaired residents.

With this settlement, these theaters must ensure that every Massachusetts location is equipped with accessible technology, such as captioning technology and description technology. To see the complete settlement details, visit the Attorney General’s Office website.

This settlement is just one among many successful advocacy efforts taken on by Martha since being elected Attorney General. In September 2008, Attorney General Coakley and the National Federation of the Blind reached an agreement with Apple, Inc. , that required Apple to make its iTunes software accessible to blind consumers and students worldwide and to pay $250,000 to Massachusetts to be used to purchase assistive technology for blind students. The Attorney General’s Office also achieved a nationwide settlement with Cardtronics, Inc., the nation’s largest ATM operator, that will provide significantly improved access for blind consumers to the company’s machines.

And in May, Martha was honored with the President Award by the Perkins School for the Blind ,  in recognition of her office’s work to promote accessibility, particularly in technology, for children and adults with sight impairments.

Martha continues to be an advocate for individuals with disabilities, and today’s impressive victory was another step forward in this mission.

Historic Bill Signing with President Obama

Today, Martha joined President Barack Obama, as he signed into law the historic financial reforms included in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010.

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In an email to supporters today, Martha wrote:

These national reforms will help ensure that Massachusetts residents are better protected from abusive lending practices, and will not only help stabilize our economy, but will also help prevent future meltdowns. I applaud the House and Senate for their efforts in passing these reforms, and I was honored to be in attendance as President Obama signed it into law.

The bill signed by the President today provides for better accountability and transparency in our financial system, increased protections for American taxpayers by ending bailouts and preventing abusive financial services practices, and the creation of a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to help protect consumers when they make investments, take out mortgages, and use credit cards. Learn more about this new law on WhiteHouse.gov.

Video and thumbnail image from WhiteHouse.gov.