Same old, same old

Speaking of a total lack of ethics at the State House, here is yet another story of politicians lining the pockets of family and supporters at the expense of the rest of us.

A legislative leader whose wife, former aide, and scores of financial supporters have received jobs in the state Probation Department is fighting a subpoena ordering him to appear before an independent counsel investigating allegations of corrupt hiring practices within the agency.

Independent counsel Paul F. Ware had ordered Representative Thomas M. Petrolati, the third-ranking leader in the House of Representatives, to appear before him last week to answer questions about his efforts to secure probation jobs for his family, friends, and supporters. Ware also demanded documents about Petrolati’s relationship with Probation Commissioner John J. “Jack’’ O’Brien, who was suspended from his job in May after the Globe revealed a pattern of political favoritism in hiring.

Catch that? “Third-ranking leader of the House of Representatives”. In the tradition of Salvatore DiMasi, Tom Finneran, and Charles Flaherty – the last three leaders of the House of Representatives, all of which resigned due to ethical lapses – Petrolati saw how the system worked, and worked the system. How many other Representatives learned the same lessons? It’s time to clean the House – vote the clowns out on November 2^nd.