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Larry Giordano in
Conflict of Interest
Tom Duggan
 Former Methuen police officer Shaun
Cronin has filed a lawsuit against the city of Methuen,
the Police Chief Joseph Solomon, and Deputy Chief Joe
Alaimo, claiming that he was wrongfully pressured into
resigning from the police department. Cronin is the son
of Methuen City Councilor Jack Cronin.
The suit was filed in Salem Superior Court, alleging
wrongful termination, emotional distress and tortuous
interference with contracts. Cronin’s wife,
Kimberly, has also filed a claim.
Controversy surrounding the suit arose this week when it
was learned that the constable who served the city of
Methuen (as well as the chief and deputy chief) on behalf
of Cronin’s suit was Methuen City Councilor Larry
Giordano. Besides being a Methuen councilor, Giordano is
also a deputy sheriff of the Essex County Sheriff’s
Department and authorized to serve civil process papers.
As a city councilor, Giordano represents Methuen in all
legal matters, raising questions about Giordano’s
conflict of interest in the matter.
Methuen’s City Solicitor Peter McQuillan, after
being served by Giordano, said in a written conflict of
interest opinion that because Giordano is an official
employee of Methuen, he cannot serve civil process upon
the city in which he is an employee.
In his written opinion, McQuillan stated that Giordano,
as a deputy sheriff, is “prohibited from
effectuating service of the civil process upon the city
of Methuen or any of its employees, board or commissions…”
A copy of McQuillan’s conflict of interest opinion
was filed with the State Ethics Commission. A complaint
was also filed with the same commission, but there has
not been any ruling yet on either the complaint or
McQuillan’s opinion.
Methuen City Councilor Steve Zanni said he was surprised
that Giordano would serve the city, given that he is a
city councilor. “It seems unethical to me,”
Zanni said. “It seems like a clear conflict of
interest for a city councilor to be serving the city he
is elected to serve,” Zanni continued.
“Basically,” Zanni said, “it’s like
serving yourself.”
Asked if he thought the incident would cast a bad light
on the city of Methuen, Zanni said he believes that it
only casts a bad light on the individual involved, “and
not the city of Methuen.”
Zanni said he had not heard that Giordano had served the
city or the two police officials named in the suit, and
as the council president was “going to get to the
bottom of it.”
Worcester attorney Andrew Gambaccini of Reardon, Joyce
& Akerson, P.C. is representing Chief Solomon and
Deputy Chief Alaimo in the Cronin lawsuit. Peter
McQuillan is representing the city of Methuen.
Gambaccini said that he read the “conflict of
interest opinion” written by McQuillan and although
he believes that Chief Solomon and Deputy Alaimo have a
clear legal reason to challenge Giordano’s service
and dismiss the complaint, he added that Cronin would
only have the complaint served again by someone else,
“and that would just delay the process.”
Gambaccini said, “I believe that we may instead seek
summary dismissal, having the case dismissed based upon
the merits of the case.” An answer is not yet
due from the court and there are no court hearings
scheduled at this
time.
Gambaccini added that he and his clients believe that
Cronin’s lawsuit is baseless. He said Cronin’s
claim of wrongful termination was without merit because
he had voluntarily resigned from the Methuen Police
Department with the advice of the union representative
and his lawyer.
Gambaccini is hoping for a “swift resolution of the
case and vindication for his clients.” He said he is
working closely with McQuillan on the case since the
city, the chief and the deputy chief were all named in
the suit
Larry Giordano is presently the East District City
Councilor, a former state representative and former
Massachusetts Commissioner for the Department of Public
Safety. Shaun Cronin is the son of Central District
Councilor John Cronin.
Tom Duggan is the president of Valley
Patriot, Inc., and is a former member of the Lawrence
School Committee. He hosts the Paying Attention Radio
Program on 980AM every Saturday afternoon from noon-2pm.
You can email comments or questions to him at Tdugjr@aol.com
*Send your questions comments to ValleyPatriot@aol.com
The May, 2006 Edition of
the Valley Patriot
The Valley Patriot is a Monthly
Publication.
All Contents (C) 2006, Valley Patriot, Inc.
We publish 8,000 newspapers and distribute in Andover,
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