NEEDHAM, Mass. — Candidate for governor Mike Minogue calls the Healey administration’s $2 billion Springfield courthouse contract “the most corrupt business deal ever done in Massachusetts history” and is demanding that the governor explain how it was awarded. The contract went to Liberty Junction, a partnership that includes CoJo Partners. CoJo is co-owned by Conan Harris, the husband of Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, and John Barros, the interim executive director of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority. Minogue questions how the team won and is demanding answers. He has called on US Attorney Leah Foley to investigate.
Minogue says the governor has not responded to unanswered questions, which are accumulating. Court documents show Barros met with senior Healey staff just hours before the deal was announced. Barros divested his interest only after public backlash, and Minogue says he has still not provided specifics.
Minogue also says the contract does not match what the state asked for. “The RFP was for best value, and it’s not best value,” he said. “The RFP said they wanted gross spending, and it would include infrastructure and maintenance. They didn’t do that. A normal bid would have also had parking on site. There’s no parking on site. The mayor and the city wanted a different location.”
He called the agreement a financial failure as well. “No business person would ever do that deal,” Minogue said. “This is a waste of taxpayer money.”
“Massachusetts taxpayers deserve answers,” Minogue said, “and if the governor won’t give them, the U.S. Attorney should.”
From the press office of Mike Minogue.