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Historic Bill Signing with President Obama
Today, Martha joined President Barack Obama, as he signed into law the historic financial reforms included in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010.
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In an email to supporters today, Martha wrote:
These national reforms will help ensure that Massachusetts residents are better protected from abusive lending practices, and will not only help stabilize our economy, but will also help prevent future meltdowns. I applaud the House and Senate for their efforts in passing these reforms, and I was honored to be in attendance as President Obama signed it into law.
The bill signed by the President today provides for better accountability and transparency in our financial system, increased protections for American taxpayers by ending bailouts and preventing abusive financial services practices, and the creation of a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to help protect consumers when they make investments, take out mortgages, and use credit cards. Learn more about this new law on WhiteHouse.gov.
Video and thumbnail image from WhiteHouse.gov.
Categories: event, issues
A Busy Summer
We’re only halfway through July, but it has already been a busy summer for Martha, both out on the campaign trail and in the Attorney General’s Office.
Near record-high temperatures this month haven’t slowed Martha down: Martha and her team of dedicated volunteers had a great day marching in the Chelmsford Independence Day parade; and Martha visited the Lynn Democratic City Committee Summer Family Cookout. Martha also made her regular appearance on WTKK with Jim Braude and Margery Eagan, discussing issues such as her work on behalf of taxpayers combating unemployment fraud.
Martha also recently announced a $102 Million settlement agreement with investment giant Morgan Stanley, which includes $58 million in relief to Massachusetts homeowners and a $19.5 Million return to Massachusetts taxpayers. This is just the most recent in Martha’s efforts on behalf of Massachusetts homeowners who have fallen victim to the subprime mortgage lending crisis, which – so far – has brought over $440 Million in relief for investors and borrowers and recovered more than $50 million in taxpayer funds for Massachusetts. More than 15,000 homeowners in the Commonwealth will see relief following Martha’s work.
And exactly one year to the day that Martha filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a federal judge ruled in favor of this effort and struck down DOMA. In her challenge, Martha argued that the law, which defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman, unfairly excluded Massachusetts married same-sex couples and their families from critically important rights and protections and interfered with the state’s authority to regulate marriage.
Martha’s efforts in these cases and in her re-election campaign have been discussed by columnists and bloggers, such as The Boston Globe’s Adrian Walker and Samuel P. Jacobs of The Daily Beast – check them out! It's been a great summer so far, and we're looking forward to more exciting events in the weeks ahead.
Chelmsford Independence Day Parade
Martha and her team of dedicated volunteers had a great time marching in the Chelmsford Independence Day Parade this past Monday.
Despite soaring temperatures, the route was full of enthusiastic parade-goers cheering on marching bands, elected officials, veterans, and various organizations.
Thank you to the Chelmsford Parade Committee for hosting such a wonderful day!
Categories: event, volunteer
2010 Massachusetts Democratic Convention
Next weekend is a very important marker in the 2010 campaign season: the Massachusetts Democratic Convention. The state nominating convention is the event where candidates secure their place on the primary ballot, earn the Party’s endorsement, and is an excellent opportunity to meet other active Democrats from your town and around the Commonwealth.
The convention will take place Friday and Saturday, June 4-5, at the DCU Center in Worcester. The Massachusetts Democratic Party website provides useful information, including a convention agenda, standing rules, hotel accommodations, and more.
If you are able to help out for a couple hours or more, please email us at volunteer@marthacoakley.com or call 617-241-0200. Let us know if you are a delegate or not, and your availability, and we will follow up right away.
Martha has been so glad to see many of you out around the Commonwealth as she’s been out campaigning for re-election this spring, and we all hope to see you at next weekend’s convention.
Categories: convention, event
Please Join Me May 26th
Friends,
I am running for re-election as Attorney General, and I am asking for your continued help and support.
I have spent a great deal of time over these past months out on the campaign trail, meeting with folks at their town caucuses, at commuter rail stops, and out in their communities. It has been a great opportunity to listen to their ideas and concerns, and to share with them the reasons I am so passionate about continuing to serve as Attorney General.
I have dedicated my career to fighting for those who need it most. Every day as your Attorney General, I work to stand up for consumers, taxpayers, and victims. I am running for re-election to continue these important and fundamental fights – keeping people safe in our communities, protecting our children and seniors, recovering money on behalf of taxpayers, and fighting for the families hit hardest during this difficult economy.
Please join me for our first fundraising event for my re-election campaign from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 26th, at Anthony's Pier 4 in Boston.
If you can’t attend, please consider making a financial contribution online or by mailing a check payable to the “Martha Coakley Committee” to 529 Main Street, Charlestown, MA 02129.
I’m grateful for your continued support and I look forward to seeing you out on the campaign trail.
With warm regards,
Martha
A Message from Martha
Dear Friends,
Good news – we have officially secured the 10,000 nominating signatures necessary to place my name on the Fall ballot as a candidate for re-election as Attorney General. With your help, we accomplished this goal well ahead of the May 4th deadline.
Hundreds of you helped us meet this goal and attended events or collected signatures from your friends and neighbors. I am so grateful to our volunteer team and to the thousands of people who signed nomination papers.
I also have enjoyed the opportunities I've had throughout the signature drive to meet with volunteers and with voters, and to listen to their ideas and concerns.
Every day as your Attorney General, I work to stand up for consumers, taxpayers, and victims.
I am running for re-election to continue these fundamental and important fights – keeping people safe in our communities, protecting our children and seniors, recovering money on behalf of taxpayers, and fighting for the families hit hardest during this difficult economy.
Because of your loyalty and support, we are in a strong position for re-election. I am truly grateful for all you have done to help us meet this important early goal.
Thank you,
Martha Coakley
P.S. - I was interviewed by NECN's Alison King yesterday out at a seniors conference. We had a chance to talk about the campaign ahead. Please take a look by clicking here:
Categories: announcement, signatures
Weekend Wrap-Up
This past Friday, Attorney General Martha Coakley participated in another Banned in Boston, playing the role of Ellen DeGeneres in the annual fundraiser for Urban Improv's nationally recognized violence prevention programs for Boston-area youth.
Saturday brought a stop to the Haverhill Democratic City Committee Annual Brunch, where Martha and many other Democratic candidates addressed the crowd and met with activists in Haverhill. Governor Patrick attended the breakfast as he kicked off his campaign with a tour across the Commonwealth.
The weekend concluded with a trip to Hudson for the Middlesex & Worcester Democratic Coalition annual breakfast, where Martha spoke with Democratic activists from 14 cities and towns from the area. Martha also extended special congratulations to photographer and friend Jeff Mayes, a recipient of the "Democracy in Action Award," for his outstanding commitment to the work of local Democratic Committees.
An Update from the Campaign Trail
The weather has finally begun to turn and Martha and our outstanding volunteers have been incredibly busy this month! A quick update from the last month:
We’re pleased to report that we are making progress towards collecting the 10,000 signatures we need, thanks to our Days of Action over recent weekends. Each Saturday, Martha has met up with volunteers at Headquarters and then ventured out to high-traffic areas in the community to collect signatures and say thank you to voters. Throughout the month, Martha made visits to supermarkets in West Roxbury, Porter Square, Fresh Pond, and Arlington. Check out photos on our Flickr site. We have more Days of Action coming up on March 27, April 3, and April 10. Sign up to join us for a couple of hours by emailing volunteer@marthacoakley.com.
Earlier in the month, Martha visited Malden, South Boston, and Lowell to enjoy local St. Patrick’s Day festivities. She also made appearances on Greater Boston with Emily Rooney (watch online), Nightside with Dan Rea on WBZ 1030AM (listen to the podcast online), and FOX25 Morning News for “Ask the AG” (watch online).
Martha has also been busy at work as Attorney General. Earlier this week, The Boston Globe wrote an editorial about Martha’s work combating the faulty marketing of antipsychotic drugs, and her participation in a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson. Also earlier this week, the Supreme Court rejected a challenge to the Massachusetts buffer zone law – a law which Martha has defended over the last year. The statute protects public safety and patient access to reproductive health care facilities by creating a 35-foot buffer zone around clinic entrances and driveways. And this week, Martha announced a settlement with Countrywide Financial Corporation that provides an estimated $18 million in loan modifications for Massachusetts homeowners, $3 billion in loan modifications for homeowners across the country, and a $4.1 million payment to the Commonwealth.
Make sure to follow Martha on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook for all the latest news and events.
Categories: signatures, volunteer
Happy St. Patrick's Day from Martha
I hope you all are enjoying your St. Patrick's Day!
I am excited to seek re-election as Attorney General and my campaign team is out working hard every day. Over the past month, we have been out traveling the state, visiting local Democratic caucuses and working with volunteers to collect signatures at supermarkets, coffee shops, and commuter rail locations. I’ve been happy to join our volunteers at many of these stops and I appreciate the positive responses that we’ve received from people.
The Boston Herald joined me this Saturday, and wrote a piece on our work out on the campaign trail. You can read it on the Herald website.
This past Sunday, I joined State Senator Jack Hart for his traditional St. Patrick's Day breakfast in South Boston. You can view photos from the event online.
Today, I saw old and new friends in Lowell at the City Manager’s annual St. Patrick's Day Breakfast.
We are a little over halfway to our goal of gathering the 10,000 signatures necessary to secure my place on the ballot. With your help, we can complete this drive soon. Can you join us this Saturday March 20th, or next Saturday, March 27th, for one of our Days of Action? I will be at campaign headquarters at 10:00 a.m. to say hello and then will join some teams out in the area. If you can dedicate one or two hours on an upcoming Saturday, please RSVP online or email Kate Foster at foster@marthacoakley.com.
It’s been great to see so many of you out around the Commonwealth, and I hope to see more of you soon. Again, thank you for all that you do.
Martha Coakley
More Days of Action THIS WEEKEND
Our Days of Action these last two Saturdays were a great success thanks to the dozens of volunteers who signed up to hit the streets and collect signatures in the community. With each weekend, we are that much closer to the goal of 10,000 certified signatures by May 4.
We're hoping to build on this success with another strong weekend. Like previous Days of Action, a number of volunteers will be meeting at Coakley Headquarters (529 Main Street, Charlestown) at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, and then will be heading out to targeted locations in Boston, Cambridge, Medford, and Brookline. We will also have staging areas in Newton and Arlington:
- Newton - meet at Starbucks, 85 Wells Ave in Newton Center; to RSVP, email coordinator Katie Sullivan (ksullivan@marthacoakley.com)
- Arlington - meet at Starbucks, 270 Broadway in Arlington; to RSVP, email coordinator Kate Foster (foster@marthacoakley.com)
We have selected locations where signatures can either be collected inside or underneath an overhang, so we will be collecting signatures rain or shine. You can still RSVP to join us!
