Attorney General Coakley sworn in for second term at Perkins School

Wicked Local Watertown, January 20, 2011
By Erin Baldassari

WATERTOWN — Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley was sworn in for her second term in office Wednesday night at the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown.

Coakley was all smiles at the inauguration, emphasizing that there is “a lot of work to do in the year ahead.”

“Everyday is an opportunity to overcome obstacles,” Coakley said, affirming that her office should be a “positive steward of the public’s trust.”

The focus of her coming term, Coakley said, would be to beef up the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, crack down on predatory lending practices, identify fraud in medical health institutions, respond to the “public safety crisis,” ensure that there are enough firemen and policemen employed statewide, and pass legislation that establishes human and sex trafficking as criminal enterprises.

Speaking at the ceremony, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick acknowledged Coakley’s loss to Senator Scott Brown in her bid to replace Senator Ted Kennedy’s seat last winter, a Democratic stronghold of several decades, but reiterated that he would give her his full support.

Patrick also emphasized tough decisions would still need to be made by her administration, and there are still “tough times” ahead.

“It was not the easiest year for government,” Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray said before recognizing Coakley for her achievements during her previous term as Attorney General, including her work on domestic violence and sexual assault cases.

Senate President Therese Murray continued in the same vein, saying, “You stand with your friends, and you are loyal to your friends.”

State Representative Robert DeLeo called Coakley, “the finest Attorney General in the United States.”

Coakley disappointed the Democratic Party in Massachusetts with her loss to Brown last year and was criticized heavily by Republicans and Independents alike for a lack-luster campaign that took Democratic votes as guaranteed and failed to reach out to non-Democratic voters.

Steve Rothstein, President of the Perkins School for the Blind, served as the Master of Ceremonies and delivered opening remarks. Coakley partnered with Perkins to reach an agreement with Apple, Inc. that provided blind consumers with full and equal access to educational and informational content. She also worked on a campaign to gain blind and deaf guests greater accessibility to movies by requiring movie theater chains to install descriptive captioning devices.

Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court Roderick L. Ireland administered the Oath of Office to the Attorney General before local state representatives and senators, the governor, lieutenant governor, family, friends and supporters.

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