Maria Stephanos from Fox 25. They do this during a ratings period for the TV station—Fox 25 is basically advertising on Howie’s show. When the ratings period ends you will magically not hear from Maria for quite some time (be aware she was one of the three finalists for “Pres of Howie Carr Nation” the other 2 being Col Hunt, who won, and “Officer Mark”...)
Pol farewell tour bites into funds
By Howie Carr / Boston Herald
You’ve probably never heard of ex-state Rep. David Torrisi of North Andover. Apparently most of his constituents had never heard of him either, because last September he lost the Democratic primary to a 29-year-old first-time candidate.
But living well is the best revenge, and after losing, Torrisi went on a fine dining spree that should have been chronicled on the Food Network.
According to his end-of-year filing with the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance, between Oct. 20 and the end of the year, Torrisi’s campaign committee raised exactly 40 cents.
At the same time, he was spending $8,992.28, most of it on “dinner with colleagues,” “staff dinners,” “dinners with campaign supporters,” “staff lunches,” “lunches with campaign supporters” and “lunches with colleagues.”
Maybe if Torrisi had sprung for those meals with his colleagues before the legislative redistricting, the leadership wouldn’t have shunted him into such an unwinnable district.
Torrisi did not return repeated calls for comment.
His biggest feast came on Nov. 20 at Old City Hall. That was “dinner with colleagues” for $818.02.
Next came “staff dinner” at Strega Waterfront a week before Christmas. That’s a swell place; Michelle Obama has dined there. Lame-duck Torrisi ran up two separate tabs on Dec. 18 — for $651.03 and $163.
Hope the staffers ordered the lemon cake. That’s my favorite, even better than the ricotta pie.
And isn’t Phil a great maitre d’?
Next on the Torrisi gourmet tour is Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse on School Street. A chain, but a nice chain. “Dinner with colleagues” — $570.70 on Dec. 5. Then there’s Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse in Park Square. Torrisi threw another “dinner with colleagues” there Oct. 24. Not as many colleagues that night, apparently, because the tab was a mere $179.21.
How about a red-meat emporium closer to home? On Dec. 11, the soon-to-be-extinguished solon hosted a “dinner with campaign supporters” at Burtons Grill in North Andover. Cost: $256.25.
Torrisi also celebrated his last hurrah at The Last Hurrah on Nov. 20 and Dec. 4. Total tab: $336.55.
Christmas is about giving, especially if you have a campaign account and you’ve run your last campaign. So on Dec. 11, someone, presumably Torrisi, stopped by the Apple Store in Peabody and dropped $911.62 for “staff Christmas gifts.”
The trip to the Apple Store was the day after he visited Wine & Beer at the Andovers and dropped $167.95 on “gifts for campaign volunteers,” and the day before he visited the Wine Connextion and spent another $185.99 on more gifts for campaign volunteers.
The lesson here is, public service is tough. And fattening.