Dining Out

Boston, MA – The Massachusetts Republican Party today issued the following statement as part of on ongoing effort to expose Rep. Paul Kujawski’s failed record on Beacon Hill.

MassGOP Communications Director Barney Keller said, “From Dallas, Texas to Hyannis, MA, Paul Kujawski has repeatedly abused his campaign account for his own personal use. It’s time we stop sending the same people back to Beacon Hill and start sending people who will keep the public trust. That’s why the voters of the 8^th Worcester District should elect Kevin Kuros on November 4^th.”

Dining out on Campaign Account: State Rep. Paul Kujawski dined 107 times at pricey restaurants in Boston, Cape Cod, Worcester, Rhode Island and Western Massachusetts last year, charging the bills to his campaign account. In addition to eating out at a rate of twice a week, the Webster Democrat also spent $798 on dry cleaning, about $420 a month to lease a Ford, more than $3,000 on gasoline and $346 on auto excise taxes- all billed to his campaign fund. The lawmaker admitted to violating campaign finance laws in the late 1990s and paid $10,000 in fines and restitution in 2001 under an agreement with the attorney general's office and the Office of Campaign and Political Finance. Under state law, elected officials can use money contributed to their campaign fund for a wide range of purposes, as long as it is to enhance their political future or to perform constituent services. Mr. Kujawski, 50, an ally of House Speaker Thomas M. Finneran and chairman of the influential Steering, Policy and Scheduling Committee, filed his 2003 year-end report Jan. 13 with the OCPF. (Telegram & Gazette, 1/19/04)

Paul Kujawski’s Favorite Restaurants To Eat Out On His Campaign Contributers

Abe & Louie’s: “The lawmaker dined at Abe & Louie's, a swank Boston steakhouse, four times last spring and summer with constituents from Central Massachusetts, racking up bills of $340, $325, $405 and $320.”

Antonio’s Cucina: “But he also patronized the not-so-upscale Antonio's Cucina on Beacon Hill, although he spent $650 at the family-style Italian eatery for a March 6 reception for a soccer team from Douglas.”

The Colonial Club: “Closer to home, he favored the Colonial Club in his hometown of Webster, where he entertained constituents eight times over the course of the year.”

The Point Breeze Restaurant: “He spent $9,170 on a fund-raiser at the Point Breeze restaurant on Webster Lake on Sept. 8.

One Eleven Chop House: “In Worcester, Mr. Kujawski spent more than $500 at the upscale One Eleven Chop House and Sole Proprietor restaurants.”

Ate out from Westfield to Hyannis: “He also visited establishments in Auburn, Oxford, Millville, Westport, Westfield, Amherst, Springfield and Northampton. In the summer, Mr. Kujawski headed to Cape Cod.”

And He Really Loves Eating on The Cape: “He held a July 3 fund-raising meeting at the Tugboats restaurant overlooking Hyannis Harbor, spending $230. Mr. Kujawski also spent money on fund-raisers and meetings with constituents at the Ocean House in Dennis Port in July and August. He returned to the Cape in early September for two golf outings in Harwich.”

He even visited Dallas, Texas: “In October, he flew to Dallas for a conference, according to the campaign finance report, spending nearly $1,000 on airfare and hotel accommodations.”

All Information From The Telegram & Gazette, 1/19/04

Subject of a grand jury investigation...

Boston, MA – The Massachusetts Republican Party today issued the following statement as part of on ongoing effort to expose Rep. Paul Kujawski’s failed record on Beacon Hill.

MassGOP Communications Director Barney Keller said, “The people of the 8^th Worcester District should have to wake up and see ‘federal grand jury investigation’ next to the name of their State Representative. The voters deserve a State Representative they can be proud of, and Paul Kujawski has proven to be nothing but an embarrassment to his district.”

The Kujawski Files – Was The Subject of a Grand Jury Investigation

Subject of a Federal Grand Jury for taking bribes: “A federal grand jury sitting in Worcester has apparently focused on allegations that veteran state Rep. Paul Kujawski, D-Webster, solicited money from local business owners in exchange for political favors, sources close to the investigation say. The money, usually in amounts ranging from $1,000 to $3,000, was not reported as personal income or as campaign contributions, according to the sources. At least three Webster-area business owners are known to have testified before the grand jury, which has been pursuing its investigation for past six months, and others have received subpoenas to testify. The panel is seated for two years, and it is unclear when the investigation will end or whether it will result in indictments of Mr. Kujawski or others.”(Telegram and Gazette, 11/20/05)

Accused of repeatedly claiming he could “Use his position to obtain special treatment: “The Telegram & Gazette has examined two subpoenas, both of which refer to transactions or communications between the witnesses and Mr. Kujawski. Extensive interviews with people close to the investigation suggest a pattern of Mr. Kujawski using or claiming to be able to use his position to obtain special treatment. According to at least one allegation reported to the FBI, the lawmaker kept money he owed a business owner, implying it was a campaign contribution. Another business owner who was interviewed by the FBI claimed Mr. Kujawski offered preferential treatment in exchange for money… In an interview, that person, a Webster businessman, said he expects to tell the grand jury about how Mr. Kujawski allegedly reneged on paying a handful of large bills totaling thousands of dollars, and that the charges in question are related to the legislator's campaign fundraising. The subpoena issued to this witness requests that he produce records of transactions with Mr. Kujawski. The businessman has handed over his personal computer to the FBI agent. (Telegram and Gazette, 11/20/05)

Was accused of “Shaking people down to get money.”: Another source who has seen the subpoenas served to three other local businessmen who have testified said witnesses provided canceled checks, ledger entries, calendars and other documentary evidence bearing Mr. Kujawski's name. The items were requested to back up allegations that Mr. Kujawski was "shaking people down to get money," the source said. After receiving the payments, Mr. Kujawski allegedly did not report the income and debts as gifts or campaign contributions, the source said. (Telegram and Gazette, 11/20/05)

For More Information About The Kujawski Files, Visit www.TheKujawskiFiles.com.

Embarrasing

Boston, MA – The Massachusetts Republican Party today issued the following statement as part of on ongoing effort to expose Rep. Paul Kujawski’s failed record on Beacon Hill.

MassGOP Communications Director Barney Keller said, “This is one of many times in which Paul Kujawski put himself above the law. He has abused the trust put in him by his constituents so many times, that it’s hard to keep track. If we keep sending the same people back to Beacon Hill we will continue to get the same results, which is exactly why the people of the 8^th Worcester District should toss out Rep. Kujawski and replace him with Kevin Kuros.”

The Kujawski Files – Admitted To Violating Campaign Finances Laws In 2007

Paul Kujawski Admitted To Violating Campaign Finance Law: “State Rep. Paul Kujawski has agreed to pay nearly $17,000 and change his practices after admitting he violated state campaign finance laws between 2001-03, Attorney General Thomas Reilly said Friday. The settlement with the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance and Reilly's office resolves issues including alleged personal use of campaign funds, failure to keep proper records and acceptance of excess contributions from political action committees. Kujawski, D-Webster, also admitted to violating a 2001 agreement that had resolved early campaign finance charges.” (AP, 1/13/07)

Kujawski used campaign money to pay for the his own car and for clothing: “Kujawski will pay a $2,500 civil forfeiture to the state and reimburse his campaign committee more than $14,000, partially for personal automobile use and travel, clothing, cleaning and meal expenditures. Kujawski has said the automobile use and clothing and cleaning expenses were for personal use, but denied the travel and meal expenditures were, according to a press release from Reilly's office. His campaign committee also will refund, without admitting guilty, $500 to two PACs. In 2002, Kujawski's committee exceeded the $7,500 limit of PAC contributions allowed, taking $10,700, according to Reilly's office. Most excess contributions already had been refunded.” (AP, 1/13/07)

Spent Money on “Everything from Red Sox Tickets to furniture and business suits.”: One of Beacon Hill's most free-spending politicians has been hit with a $10,000 fine after dipping into his campaign account for everything from Red Sox tickets to furniture and business suits. Representative Paul Kujawski, a Webster Democrat, could not provide documentation that $20,000 in spending was related to his political operation, the attorney general and the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance said yesterday. Kujawski, who receives generous political donations from the insurance industry, has been under scrutiny for his campaign record-keeping and for paying his personal credit card bills through his political account. Kujawski has "very, very few records to back up any of the reported expenditures," said Brad Balzer, deputy director of the Office of Campaign and Political Finance, which referred the case to Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly's office. Massachusetts law requires that campaign account expenditures be restricted to political purposes - in other words, spending that enhances a candidate's political standing. Though the statute is interpreted broadly, candidates must document that they are not using the money for personal expenditures. Yesterday, Kujawski continued to insist that his expenditures were proper, and said he is paying a steep price for poor bookkeeping. He said that many expenses were related to the upkeep of a district office in Uxbridge. Others, he said, were "to advance my political career." "I bought a couple of suits at one point, strictly for work," Kujawski said. "I've been a good representative of the district." According to the agreement with the attorney general's office, Kujawski will also hire an accountant to review campaign reports for the next five years. (Boston Globe, 8/25/01)

The "Puppet"

Who's pulling Paul Kujawski's strings?

MassGOP Starts The Kujawski Files

The Massachusetts Republican Party today announced that from now until election day they will issue briefings to expose Rep. Paul Kujawskis failed tenure on Beacon Hill.



In this volume, the MassGOP pointed out that Paul Kujawski has taken nearly $5,000 from over 30 lobbyists. Kujawski also received the maximum contribution from Richard McDonough, who the Boston Globe has described as a close friend of Speaker DiMasis. (Globe, 7/30/08)



MassGOP Communications Director Barney Keller said "Paul Kujawski has a history of selling out to special interests and putting the issues of lobbyists before his constituents. Hes part of the problem up on Beacon Hill. On November 4th, the voters can put an end to his embarrassing tenure and replace him with someone new. Voters in the 8th Middlesex district deserve to have a Representative they can trust to put them first, and that person is Kevin Kuros."



The Massachusetts Republican Party also announced the creation of a new blog, www.TheKujawskiFiles.com, for voters to see Rep. Kujawskis history of selling them out for special interests and lobbyists.



Kujawskis Lobbyist Money



Kujawski has a history of bragging about receiving money from Lobbyists : When state Representative Paul Kujawski pushed an insurance-related amendment during the House budget debate last year, his allies in the new House leadership looked on nervously. Hanging in the air were worrisome reports that Kujawski, a Democrat from Webster, had just received a major infusion of campaign cash from donors tied to the state's largest auto insurer, Commerce Insurance, which is located in his hometown. Indeed, reports swept Beacon Hill that Kujawski had recently been seen in a local bar waving a well-stuffed envelope of what he described as donations from Commerce. And Kujawski's campaign finance records show that on March 26, 1996 - two days before his alleged barroom boast - he had collected more than $ 15,000 in donations from sources directly connected to Commerce. Those funds - which make up two-thirds of what he collected during the first eight months of 1996 - have put Kujawski in the middle of an ongoing federal investigation into alleged fund-raising practices by Commerce officials and the strong political influence its president, Arthur Remillard Jr., has on Beacon Hill, said sources familiar with the probe. It could not be determined if Kujawski has been questioned about the pattern of donations, but sources say federal agents are familiar with the alleged incident at The 21st Amendment, a Beacon Hill pub frequented by politicians, and are actively exploring Kujawski's relationship to Commerce. (Boston Globe, 5/28/97)



Kujawski received $4,925 from 2007 to 2008 from 34 registered Lobbyists according to the secretary of State, including the maximum $200 from Speaker DiMasis friend Richard McDonough. (Source: Lobbyist Disclosure - http://www.sec.state.ma.us/lobbyist/LobbyistSearch/PublicSearch.asp)



Lobbyist Date Contribution

Andrew J Calamare 6/23/2008 $100.00

Charles F Flaherty 4/16/2008 $100.00

Christopher S Koczela 2/19/2008 $100.00

David I Finnegan 2/19/2008 $200.00

Edward J Dever, Jr. 2/25/2008 $100.00

Edwin J Shanahan 2/20/2008 $150.00

Francis G Mara 10/30/2007 $200.00

Garrett L Trierweiler 2/19/2008 $200.00

George F Cronin 2/19/2008 $100.00

James T Harrington 2/26/2008 $150.00

Jeff Terrey 10/27/2007 $100.00

Jeff Terrey 2/19/2008 $100.00

Joseph A Giannino 2/19/2008 $200.00

Joseph A Ricca 2/19/2008 $100.00

Joseph T Baerlein 2/19/2008 $200.00

Kevin M Grant 2/19/2008 $100.00

Luke A Dillon 2/21/2008 $100.00

Mark K Molloy 2/20/2008 $100.00

Mary L Bonauto 7/15/2007 $100.00

McDonough, Richard 2/19/2008 $200.00

Michael J Muse 10/30/2007 $200.00

Michelle R McGee 12/26/2007 $200.00

P.J. O'Sullivan 3/5/2008 $100.00

Patrick F Scanlan 2/25/2008 $150.00

Patrick J Huntington 2/8/2008 $200.00

Paul M Pezzella 2/18/2008 $50.00

Richard J Underwood 2/5/2008 $200.00

Robert F White 10/30/2007 $200.00

Robert M Platt 3/2/2008 $200.00

Roger D Donoghue 2/22/2008 $200.00

Sean C King 2/25/2008 $100.00

Theodore J Aliexo, Jr. 2/25/2008 $100.00

William A Delaney 2/19/2008 $100.00

William F Kennedy 10/30/2007 $125.00

William F Malloy, Jr. 2/27/2008 $100.00

Total: $4,925.00

Paul Kujawski.

So, who really is Paul Kujawski from Webster, Massachusetts? This blog will show you what the newspapers have written about Paul Kujawski.

Stay tuned to see what the Beacon Hill Democrats have to offer.