What a winter for Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly. In the course of six weeks he has committed slow motion career suicide.

It all started with a bizzare admission that he had been arrested for drunkenness way back in 1962. Maybe he was concerned because Massachusetts liberals would never put up with having a drunk in a high elected office?

Less than two weeks later, it became clear why he was nervous about the issue of drunkeness,

Boston Globe: Reilly says he discussed crash with supporter
January 11, 2006

Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly acknowledged yesterday that he discussed a fatal car accident with a prominent businessman and campaign supporter, but Reilly, a Democratic candidate for governor, strenuously denied that the supporter asked him to intervene in the investigation of the crash that killed two teenage girls.

Then, a bill Tom Reilly supported was surprisingly, resoundingly defeated in the state legislature. Against his wishes, the state had decided NOT to grant tax breaks to state colleges for illegal immigrants. Yes, you read that correctly, he was in favor of tax breaks for illegals attending state colleges.

Next up, his selection for his running mate. Two days of news stories say it will be Chris Gabrelli, a local investment pro/millionaire who would infuse much needed cash into Reilly’s campaign. But no, that didn’t happen.

Instead, Reilly shocked Massachusetts by selecting State Representative Marie P. St. Fleur, the author of the wildly unpopular tuition tax break for illegals bill. On that ground alone, I thought Reilly had completely blown the election. I was wrong.

Less than 24 hours after selecting St. Fleur, the Boston Globe gives Reilly a lesson in the value of real background checks,

Reilly’s pick delinquent on taxes, loans; St. Fleur says she is repaying debts

State Representative Marie P. St. Fleur, Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly’s choice to be his lieutenant governor running mate, has had three delinquent tax debts in the last four years, including an April 2005 federal tax lien of $12,711 against her and her husband, according to records examined yesterday by the Globe.

St. Fleur, in an interview last night, disclosed that she also owes $40,000 in delinquent federally backed student loans.

St. Fleur told the Globe last night that she had paid down the federal tax debt to about $8,000 by making $500 monthly payments since last spring. But later last night, Corey Welford, a Reilly campaign spokesman, corrected her, saying that she had in fact made only one $500 payment last May and that the balance is still more than $12,000.

Is there anything more infuriating than a tax and spend liberal who doesn’t feel the need to pay taxes themselves?

Let’s summarize. Reilly decides to select the woman behind this wildly unpopular bill to give tax breaks to illegals attanding state schools. Then it turns out that she herself never felt the need to pay back her own student loans, or her taxes. This guy is the top law and order man in Massachusetts and his background check on this woman didn’t know any of this? If it did, and he nominated her anyway? What does this say about Tom Reilly’s judgement?

Speaking as someone who paid back student loans for 13 years without missing a payment, this is a total outrage. This woman should be in jail for tax evasion, let alone in the state house as a legislator and even worse, on the ballot for Lt. Governor.

CASE CLOSED AGAINST TOM REILLY. UNFIT FOR OFFICE.