By Alan Burke
Staff writer
May 12, 2008 06:00 am Danvers State Rep. Ted Speliotis is expressing few doubts about charges that a female colleague was recently threatened on the House floor. But other local legislators deny that such strong-armed methods are common on Beacon Hill. Rep. Jennifer Callahan, D-Sutton, said she was threatened May 2 by a male legislator who reacted to remarks she made regarding efforts to place a hospice program for children in his district. "I could make things real difficult for you," he allegedly told her. "I mean, Jen, I could really hurt you if I wanted to." Callahan has refused to identify the colleague. "I tend to believe her," said Speliotis, "because I've seen some interaction in the past. ... I've seen some treatment of her firsthand. ... She doesn't sit far from me in the chamber." He denounced it as a throwback to earlier times when representatives were less educated than today. "People don't deserve to be screamed at. ... The tone of disrespect has to be more civil." The Callahan matter has now been turned over to a secretive House ethics committee. At least two other local representatives, however, are downplaying the incident. Joyce Spiliotis of Peabody insists that she's never experienced any pressure of that kind from her fellow reps, even during tough votes like gay marriage. While conceding she knows little of Callahan's situation, she added, "No one ever tried to intimidate me or make me feel threatened." Legislators respect each other's views, she said. "People are only intimidated by threats if they allow themselves to be." "I heard the comment (Callahan) made and I don't understand it," said Rep. John Keenan of Salem. "I don't really know what she was talking about. ... It's ludicrous to say it was some physical threat. That's absurd." Like Spiliotis, Keenan has never felt threatened, not even when he voted against the leadership. He cited an example where more than 100 legislators signed a letter and persuaded Speaker Sal DiMasi to change course on a bill. But it's the speakership that leaves Keenan wondering if there's more to this controversy than meets the eye. "It depends on whether or not there's a speaker fight. I've never been here for one." With DiMasi under fire for his own alleged ethics violations, some believe that would-be successors are even now jockeying to take his job. Long-time Beacon Hill watcher and lobbyist Barbara Anderson of Marblehead assumes that Callahan would not have been threatened unless one of two things were involved — encroachment on aid to a member's district or a fight over the speakership. "Once you have a speaker fight everyone gets intense. Now you're fighting for real stakes — not life or death or children's welfare — but your position in the Legislature, your perks." Anderson doubts that fear inspired Callahan to speak out. "She was muscled and she decided to talk." That was likely more of a tactic. "Her legislation is safe." Anything done to her will smack of retaliation. Anderson warned against seeing this as an example of sexism. "You're not talking about men and women. You're talking about a different species altogether — politicians." As a lobbyist, Anderson recalled being threatened herself years ago by Rep. Biff MacLean. "I'll get you for this," he told her after she defied him during a Statehouse meeting, she said. "What are you going to do, Biff?" she asked. "Have me killed?" She decided that the New Bedford lawmaker would be hard pressed to find far-off Marblehead. Staff writer Edward Mason contributed to this story.
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