Springfield's Crooks Keep Falling

Ah, Springfield. The heads just keeping rolling. Next up is Fred Swan, brother of business-as-usual state Representative Benjamin Swan. Naturally, Ben had no idea his brother was involved in such nefarious dealings, and is no doubt deeply disturbed to know that his kin is now a confessed crook. Sadly for taxpayers, Fred's role in setting up over $900,000 in contract bid-rigging deals at a local clinic (which he headed) only allows for a 12-to-15 month prison sentence under federal guidelines. Ho-hum.

For those of you New Englanders out there not schooled in Springfield, MA, local politics, this is just another day at the office for the Feds here.


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Springfield Republican:

Ex-head of clinic pleads guilty
By JACK FLYNN jflynn@repub.com

SPRINGFIELD - Fred Allen Swan, a prominent activist and brother of state Rep. Benjamin Swan, D-Springfield, pleaded guilty yesterday to participating in a bid-rigging scheme involving more than $900,000 in contracts at a taxpayer-financed clinic he managed for a decade.

Adding another name to the roster of public figures snared in a local corruption probe, Swan pleaded guilty to nine felony counts arising from his tenure as the $144,000-a-year director of the Springfield Southwest Community Health Center.

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