Critics Defend Lt. Governor Karyn Polito For Violating Her Own Social Distancing Order During Party At Family Compound In Shrewsbury
Yesterday we published a blog about a party that was held at Lt. Governor Karyn Polito’s lakefront house in Shrewsbury on Saturday, which has been shared thousands of times on social media, and elicited much controversy. Here is a small sampling of some of the complaints that critics have voiced about the piece.
In particular a fake account that some have suggested is Karyn Polito herself, has commented over 100 times on our Facebook pages.
In the name of transparency allow me to address some of these criticisms.
- No other media outlet has reported this
That’s usually what happens when you break a story.
- Turtleboy is not real news.
Kylie Kirkpatrick, the Boston Globe, the State Police, and countless others disagree.
- There were only 7 cars there
At the time this picture was taken there were indeed only 7 cars there. Unless each of those cars had no passengers in them then were more than 10 people in that house at the same time, which is a direct violation of Baker and Polito’s 2 week order, which is now in week 11. However, witnesses saw many more cars earlier in the day, and saw 10 teenagers outside playing basketball, while the parks in town have all been closed off per orders of Baker and Polito.
I cannot go back and time and have the witness take pictures of more than 10 cars there. However, our reputation at reporting legitimate news stories precedes us, and the sources were trusted. It was four years ago this week that we broke the news that Jorge Zambrano was the man who killed Auburn Police Officer Ron Tarentino. We were then first to report that Zambrano had been killed in a standoff in Rochdale, and days later we were the first to report that Zambrano’s drug dealing brother was dating Ashley Losapio, the daughter of a judge. The sources and methods of sourcing we used for all of these stories were identical the methods used to write this story. TB’s strength comes from the sources who trust us because of the quality reporting we do.
- We don’t know which house they were at. They could’ve parked on the street and gone into any house.
There are three houses on that street, all of which are owned by the Polito family. Karyn, her brother Kenny, and her parents. The Globe wrote about this in a story in 2018 when they questioned why her home was not listed on the town’s online database. Karyn also has a homestead on her home.
Let’s say for argument’s sake that all those people went into her brother’s house and not her house. What difference does that make? At best it would mean that she was aware that this took place and did nothing to stop it. At worst it would mean she was inside partying. Either way it would mean that she was permissively allowing her family and friends to ignore the “orders” her administration has handed down regarding social distancing. She specifically told the commoners “only go out for essentials.”
This week, @MassDPH issued an updated #SaferAtHome public health advisory.
🏡 High-risk individuals should stay home if possible
🏡 Only go out for essentials + reopened activities
🏡 Wear a face-covering if social distancing isn't possibleMore ➡️ https://t.co/HmJH6MpQ0C pic.twitter.com/00xqvIINde
— Karyn Polito (@MALtGovArchive) May 21, 2020
What was “essential” about a get together at the family compound? Was this the latest reopening committee meeting?
More importantly, thanks to her administration’s orders a family owned driving range in East Longmeadow was issued a cease and desist and a fine for attempting to make a living, because they were in violation of her orders. Millions of people were forced out of work or had their businesses shut down because we were told that contact with other human beings would spread the virus.
Yet here she is having a party on her street. If she wasn’t there then when will she be issuing a fine against her family members? Is she wasn’t there then where was she that entire Saturday, and what evidence does she have to prove her alibi? Spare the nonsense about innoecent until proven guilty. This isn’t a court of law, and her administration stopped ignoring the constitution a long, long time ago.
- Her family just had two deaths and the family was having a get together for it.
Thousands of people have lost loved ones and could not grieve properly with a wake or funeral due to Karyn Polito’s order to avoid social distancing. The fact that this is the only weekend her family could violate this order together does not matter. All you’re doing when you say this is suggesting that the rules do not apply to her family, which is exactly what made it newsworthy in the first place.
There were two deaths in the extended Polito family as Anthony Polito Sr. and his wife Flo passed away just days apart earlier this month. Neither of them listed Karyn Polito in their obituary. There is a Karen Polito listed, but Karyn Polito’s husband is attorney Stephan Rodolakis, and neither of them is listed.
- TB used an old image in a previous blog to smear Charlie Baker, claimed that it was a recent photograph, and made it look like Baker wasn’t practicing social distancing at Symmons Industries.
I wrote this blog five days ago, clearly stated that Baker had been going to Symmons Industries for photo ops “ever since he was elected,” and used the image of him taking the selfie during a tour. Since Baker was first elected in 2014 it should be obvious that this image was taken long before the pandemic.
What makes this even worse is that thanks to her administration’s social distancing order businesses like the Fenway Golf driving range, and Prime Fitness have been issued cease and desist notices on top of fines. What’s more “essential” – attempting to make a living, or having a social event at your house? She wants small businesses to sacrifice and people to lose their jobs, but she’s not willing to make any sacrifices herself. At this point every business in the state should open up. If the order doesn’t apply to Karyn Polito’s family then why should it apply to them?
The bottom line is that Karyn Polito is a hypocrite who doesn’t believe that the social distancing orders actually prevent the spread of COVID. If she truly believed her family was in danger by having groups of more than 10 people get together like this then she would never allow it to happen in the first place. But Karyn Polito isn’t stupid, and she knows that this wasn’t the least bit dangerous.
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