Massachusetts Lawmakers Still Milking the Pandemic [OPINION]

There is still no timeline for Massachusetts lawmakers to return to work or for the Massachusetts State House to reopen to the public. Does Governor Charlie Baker's office connect to the rest of the State House? Baker says the pandemic is over. Drop your masks and get back to work.

Speaker Pro Tempore Kate Hogan is said to be working with the leadership on a "comprehensive plan" to reopen the State House to staff and the public, but nothing is imminent. The State House News Service reports "most House staff members will continue working remotely and sessions in the near term will continue in their pandemic-era mostly remote format" for the foreseeable future.

What the ever-living heck is going on here? Governor Baker says all pandemic-era mandates are history as of next week, including the mask mandate. The state of emergency he declared in March of last year will end on June 15. So why not swing open the doors to the State House?

Get our free mobile app

An email from Hogan says the leadership is "engaged in the development of a comprehensive plan that will allow all of us to return to the State House in a safe manner and to then be able to open the State House to the members of the general public."

Grocery baggers, pizza delivery people, cab drivers, liquor store clerks, coffee barristers, and many others have bravely gone to work throughout the pandemic. Get back to work, you chumps! Open the people's house and get back to doing the people's business.

It's time for this hack-o-rama on the Hill to end.

Barry Richard is the host of The Barry Richard Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. Contact him at barry@wbsm.com and follow him on Twitter @BarryJRichard58. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.