Massachusetts is fortunate to have a U.S Attorney like Leah Foley.
She is the career federal prosecutor whose office broke a murderous reign of terror launched by the mostly illegal criminal gang from the Dominican Republic known as the Trinitarios.
Twenty-two individuals have been charged with federal offenses in connection with six murders and eleven attempted murders, mostly in Essex County.
It is not Foley’s first action against criminal illegal immigrants in the state, nor will it be the last.
Commenting on the charges, which resulted from a multijurisdictional investigation, Foley said, “Trinitarios gang members have engaged in brazen acts of murder, assault and drug distribution– instilling fear in the communities of Lynn and Lawrence in particular.”
This action, she said, “Ends the Trinitarios reign of terror in Massachusetts. Today our communities are safer with the removal of these alleged violent offenders from our streets, and where appropriate, from our country.”
She went on to praise the cooperation in the takedown of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, like the FBI, Homeland Security, the Massachusetts Police and the office of Essex County District Attorney Paul F, Tucker.
Nowhere was there any mention of Attorney General Andrea Campbell, the state’s “chief law enforcement officer,” and for good reason.
Campbell, a social justice warrior, does not do crime, especially illegal immigrant crime, despite heading an office with some 900 employees including a Crime Bureau staffed by a contingent of State Police officers.
Like Gov. Maura Healey, her predecessor in the office, the only “criminal” Campbell goes after is President Donald Trump. Everybody else walks.
So, you will never see her, or her office, named in any of the scores of cases brought against criminals, especially illegal immigrant criminals, brought about by Foley’s office.
Which is understandable given that Campbell, a former Boston City Councilor, called for defunding the police when she ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2021.
On the day Foley announced her roundup of murderous illegal immigrant gangbangers—a Trump and Tom Homan priority— Campbell was on WBUR radio accusing Trump of “fear mongering.”
“I won’t allow one man [Trump] to distract us from all the proactive work we are doing to help everyday people in their lives,” she said, which obviously includes criminal illegal immigrants.
Following in Healey’s footsteps, Campbell would rather sue Trump—or sign on to suits written and filed by other Democrat attorneys general—than go after illegal immigrant gangs or individuals.
Last week she signed on to a suit challenging Trump’s shutdown of the Consumer Financial Protection Board, a creation of Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s that conservatives abhor.
He litigation-happy approach, tired as it is, did help Healey get elected governor. As attorney general Healey sued Trump some one hundred times during Trump’s first term.
Campbell is following in those footsteps. She said she will ask the Legislature for more taxpayer funds so she can hire more lawyers and investigators to go after Trump.
The only losers in all of this are the Massachusetts citizens who expect the state’s “chief law enforcement officer” to enforce the law.
Campbell’s approach to the illegal immigration problem is best described this way: She is for the protection and support of illegal immigrants even though they broke the law by entering the country illegally.
As a “law enforcement officer,” she of course does not support or protect the illegal criminal immigrants involved in murder, rape, drug and human trafficking and robbery.
But she will do nothing to help the U.S. Attorney or the federal government arrest, punish and deport them.
Campbell’s lack of cooperation is accepted by Foley as long as Campbell “doesn’t interfere with federal agents doing their jobs.”
In her first press conference Foley said, “We arrest people when they obstruct justice and impede the law enforcement officers from carrying out their jobs. If anyone, regardless of who they are, obstructs justice and the administration of justice, we will act.”
At least someone is acting.
Veteran political reporter Peter Lucas can be reached at: peter.lucas@bostonherald.com
