Beacon Hill Probe Finds Evidence of Attempted Coercion

BOSTON, MA — Following the results of a probe into allegations of political retribution, Gov. Charlie Baker shared news with reporters Wednesday of a changing of the guard at the state's Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.

The results of an investigation begun this August verified allegations that EEA personnel officer Jared Valanzola “did attempt to coerce (co-worker) Cynthia Lewis to influence her fiancee not to run for political office."

Lewis is engaged to J.D. Parker-O'Grady, a Democratic Senate candidate who is running to unseat current Sen. Donald Humason, a Westfield Republican, according to previous reporting by The Boston Herald.

Investigators' report Wednesday found evidence to back allegations that Valanzola implied Lewis' job could be negatively impacted if she did not comply, and exaggerated the level of authority he would have in such a hiring decision. As a result, he has been fired, the report states.

Additionally, DCR chief operating officer Michael Valanzola has offered his resignation, according to the report, despite there being "no conclusive evidence that (he) sought retaliation" against Lewis. He is a relative of Jared's, according to The Boston Globe. EEA assistant secretary for operational services Gary Lambert will become acting chief operating officer next week on a temporary basis, Baker said.

In video of a press conference posted by MassLive, Baker unequivocally defended the sitting senator at the center of the attempted coercion.

"Senator Humason had absolutely no involvement in this. Zero," he told reporters Wednesday afternoon.

Baker said the first communication on the matter came through in June, and a second notice was made to the Energy and Environmental Affairs office in July. The probe began in August, he said.

More changes may still be coming to that office's Department of Conservation and Recreation, which faces troubling reports and ongoing allegations of its own.

“We’ll be making some announcements about DCR probably shortly,” Baker said at the press conference.

Baker said reports out of that office have "at minimum, disappointed me but, frankly, astonished me." However, he cautioned against painting the department with too broad a brush.

"I will say this," Baker told reporters. "Anybody who engages in any of the kind of activity that has been associated with this investigation or some of the stuff that's been reported on with respect to the misuse of state property and all the rest, we will deal with that, and we will deal with it aggressively."

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