Zimini responds

Gerry Nutter asked John Zimini what he thought of the cartoon in yesterday's Lowell Sun. The basis of the ad, from Tony Archniski, was that Zimini, who calls himself the independent, took thousands of dollars from unions in campaign contributions. The ad, he said, makes it seem that Zimini took all those contributions in 2008 but they were actually made over a 7 year period.

Fair enough.

I think Zimini's donations are based on his ties to the Democratic Party and Lt. Gov. Tim Murray. I can't imagine they have much influence on local issues. Zimini himself gives a lot of money to statewide candidates. In the past 10 years or so, he has donated closed to $5,000 to state office candidates, mostly to Murray. The donations back to him, it would seem, are just your typical political quid pro quo.

I am surprised that Archniski would bring up Zimini's union ties given the fact that Archniski himself works for a union! His union, the New England Police Benevolent Association, has given thousands and thousands of dollars in donations to political candidates in recent years. Granted, it's not Archniski himself giving/receiving donations from them but his union is very powerful and vocal, especially over the recent debate over municipal health care costs. Where will Archniski be on that issue? Will he be with the taxpayers or the unions?

I have no problem with the police union - I like Jerry Flynn actually. But, it just surprises me that Archniski would go on the union issue when going against Zimini. It was a good ad (I am friends with the cartoonist actually) but does it hold up?