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Red Mass Group: Jim Stanton for State Representative

By: Mike "DD4RP" Rossettie
Sun Feb 14, 2010 at 11:29:33 AM EST

Jim Stanton is running for State Representative in the 12th Norfolk district against 9 term incumbent John Rogers. Jim Stanton has $11,582.32 and John Rogers has $28,873.20 cash on hand according to their 2009 year end reports with OCPF.

Read the complete article.

Walpole Republican seeks to unseat Norwood's Rogers

Walpole ZBA member to take on Rep. Rogers in November

Walpole Times
By Keith Ferguson

Read the full article here: Wicked Local Walpole

WALPOLE - A political newcomer from East Walpole plans to take on 17-year incumbent John Rogers of Norwood for his seat on Beacon Hill in the fall.

In announcing his candidacy Monday, James Stanton, 41, a Republican from Park Lane, said win or lose, he's prepared to expose Rogers as being part of a "culture of corruption" in the State House.

Rogers, a Democrat from Norwood who represents Norwood and Walpole's Precincts 1, 2, 6, and 7 in the state House of Representatives, is up for reelection in November. Stanton said he could bring a much-needed breath of fresh air to the State House.

"I really feel like there needs to be change on Beacon Hill," said Stanton, an attorney who works in Dedham. "I think it's perceived and I think it's real that (there's) a culture of corruption."

Rogers was House Majority Leader starting in 2005, but he lost that post last year when Robert DeLeo succeeded Sal DiMasi as Speaker of the House. Rogers had made an unsuccessful bid to become Speaker himself.

Stanton said Rogers "suddenly became vulnerable" in 2008 when ethics allegations arose that he used campaign dollars to pay a political advisor who then used the money to make payments on a Cape Cod house the two co-owned.

The state Office of Campaign and Political Finance ruled Rogers' advisor earned the money legitimately but questions persisted as to whether Rogers was actually the sole owner of the Falmouth home, Stanton said.

"It definitely is a violation of public trust," Stanton said. "It doesn't pass the smell test."
The husband and father of three said he would push Rogers about the allegations on the campaign trail, adding he feels many of Rogers's constituents were greatly disappointed in the representative's actions.

"There are going to be a lot of questions he has to answer," said Stanton.
This is the first time in several elections Rogers will face opposition at the polls. With nomination papers not available until next month, Stanton is the first challenger to publicly announce his candidacy.

"It's time that he's challenged, that at least there's someone to run against him," Stanton said. "I think I present a pretty serious candidacy and I plan on winning."
Rogers has not announced he will seek reelection, but an aide said he will pull papers in February.

Stanton explained he announced early to get a jump start on his campaign - a move he feels will prove invaluable in a Democratic-dominated state and while going against an incumbent who has $50,000 in campaign funds banked up from his last election.

Stanton currently serves on the Walpole Zoning Board of Appeals - an appointed board - and has never run for political office, but if he won, he said he'd be able to "jump right in" to being an effective leader.

The former Hyde Park resident said he'd have the courage as a freshman legislator to stand up to special interest groups.

"I think, more so than a 17-year incumbent, I'll be able to do it because I don't owe anybody," Stanton said. "I've got no track record. I've got no background of having made any deals with anyone over my legislative career."

He said he'd push to reduce taxes, work to find budget efficiencies, look to cut back on state mandates, and support giving more local authority to towns and cities.
He said the sales tax increase last year was poorly thought out, blaming the bad legislation on the Democratic legislature.

"I think even the Democrats would agree that that's not good for Beacon Hill," Stanton said of the 144 Democrat members of the House of Representatives. "That's not good for government. It's not what the founding fathers envisioned, that there would be one party rule."
He said legislators need to resist the instinct to simply raise taxes to fix financial problems and instead look to overhaul the way budgets are mapped out.

If elected, Stanton vowed to cut his hours at his law firm and meet with selectmen and school committee members in Walpole and Norwood regularly.

"I think our state representatives should be held accountable," he said. "I think that state representatives should be a regular attendee at (town) meetings and should be called up to report to the boards about what's going on at the state level."