Minogue accuses Healey of trading an 11% raise for state police endorsement

The State Police Association of Massachusetts voted to endorse Democratic Governor Maura Healey after the administration agreed to a 11% pay raise for troopers. The contract terms were finalized in the weeks leading up to the primary election, a timing that has drawn scrutiny from the Republican side of the race.

Challenger Mike Minogue argues the sequence of events represents a direct exchange between the governor’s office and the union leadership. He stated that the timing suggests a specific political calculation rather than a standard contractual negotiation. Minogue told reporters that the move fits a pattern of dealmaking on Beacon Hill. He asked journalists to pose a direct question to Healey: whether she cut a deal with state troopers for an endorsement.

Healey rejected the characterization of a quid pro quo arrangement. She described the comments from her opponent as lies and nonsense. Her office pointed to the long-standing relationship between the executive branch and the law enforcement workforce as the basis for the contract approval.

The endorsement comes against a backdrop of several high-profile investigations involving the department. In 2018, a series of probes into fraudulent overtime practices at Logan Airport resulted in the early retirement of approximately 20 troopers and prison sentences for others. Those investigations were initiated by U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling, who served as a Republican appointee at the time.

More recent legal proceedings have intensified the debate over the department’s operational integrity. Former Stoughton police officer Matthew Farwell is currently standing trial for the murder of Sandra Birchmore. The case is being prosecuted by the office of U.S. Attorney Leah Foley. The original cause of death for Birchmore was ruled as suicide by hanging by state police and a medical examiner, a determination that was later changed to undetermined as additional evidence was collected.

The State Police Association of Massachusetts President Brendan Murphy defended the new contract and his members’ professional reputation. He criticized Minogue for accusing union members of corruption without presenting specific evidence. Murphy stated that the organization would not allow the integrity of the contract to be smeared for political gain.

Healey has a history of engaging with the department dating back to her tenure as attorney general. During that period, she focused on issues of culture and accountability within the ranks. As governor, she appointed Colonel Geoffrey Noble to lead the agency. Noble has overseen the department during a period of elevated public attention regarding internal conduct and external investigations.

Minogue maintained that he supports the men and women of the state police while remaining critical of the specific timing of the endorsement announcement. He labeled the process as corrupt dealmaking politics. The union’s endorsement provides Healey with a key organizational backing in the final stretch of the campaign.