The Hiller Instinct: Battle against Bulger

The attorney general sent a shockwave through state politics, tersely taking on the powerful Umass president for not telling all he knows about his fugitive brother, "Whitey Bulger."

Tom Reilly, Massachusetts Attorney General
"We're not talking about bookkeeping here, we're talking about mass murder and we're talking about a mass murderer still on the loose."

Refusing to answer questions, Bulger responded with a statement:

Tom Reilly, Massachusetts Attorney General
"He has not cooperated in any way with this investigation."

Reilly says Bulger has the right not to testify against his brother, but that makes it wrong for him to lead UMass.

William Bulger, UMass President
"For Mr. Reilly to somehow represent my efforts, and the painful results, as a ‘wrong choice’ is irresponsible and is a gross distortion of the facts."

Tom Reilly, Massachsetts Attorney General
"We're at a junction now where the university is certainly being hurt. Those students and faculty are being caught in the middle of something that they don't belong in."

Andy Hiller, 7News Political Editor
"Do you believe – if he wants to protect his brother – he should not be president of UMass because it is not the mission of the university?"

Mitt Romney, Governor of Massachusetts
"I respect the attorney general's conclusion."

Reilly's call for Bulger's resignation is a political windfall for the governor, who wants to eliminate Bulger's job.

Andy Hiller, 7News Political Editor
"Would you vouch for Bulger’s Honesty?"

Mitt Romney, Governor of Massachusetts
"I've said all I’m going to say on that topic, thank you."

Bulger is now no longer just a political target of a republican governor -- he's also a moral target of an democratic attorney general. This moves his fight to keep his job outside the state house and onto the campus. Until this is resolved, UMass is "U-Mess."