A senior staffer in Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey’s western office was arrested on drug trafficking and illegal firearms charges and immediately dismissed, touching off Republican calls for accountability and fresh questions about vetting in the governor’s administration. Investigators say multiple packages containing suspected cocaine were intercepted and a controlled delivery led to kilogram‑level seizures tied to earlier shipments, and prosecutors have indicated the probe could broaden.
Lamar Cook, until this week deputy director in Healey’s Western Massachusetts office, was taken into custody after police executed a search warrant at the Springfield State Office Building where he worked. Authorities say officers intercepted packages destined for the government building and that a controlled delivery resulted in a significant seizure at the site. The report of drugs routed into a state office is the kind of headline that makes voters demand answers about who is hired to represent the public.
When Healey hired him in 2023, the governor “described” Cook as a “proven [leader] with deep ties to Western Mass” during the announcement, language now ringing hollow for critics who point to the charges. Cook entered a not guilty plea in Springfield District Court and is due back in court on the schedule set by prosecutors. Bail was set, but the political fallout will likely follow him and the administration for months.
Investigators say the most recent controlled delivery led to seizure of roughly eight kilograms of cocaine, and that the total amount connected to the investigation now approaches 21 kilograms. Two parcels discovered earlier this month at Hotel UMass are part of that tally, and law enforcement officials emphasize the investigation into the Hotel UMass seizure is continuing. Those details raise questions about whether package screening and oversight were adequate in places tied to publicly funded programs.
“Evidence collected during that operation was consistent with the narcotics recovered during the most recent controlled delivery in Springfield,” Gulluni’s office said in a statement, signaling prosecutors see a clear link between multiple shipments. Prosecutors also warned that the inquiry into the earlier Hampshire County seizures may lead to additional charges. That potential expansion means more subpoenas, more interviews and more pressure on the administration to explain how this slipped through.
Cook’s resume shows he ran Hotel UMass from 2016 until 2023, a role that gave him familiarity with the Western Mass hospitality and housing networks and, apparently, access to parcels moving through those channels. After his arrest, Healey’s office announced Cook had been terminated from his position effective immediately. The abrupt firing confirms the administration wanted to distance itself fast, but critics say quick severance is not the same as accountability for a hiring decision.
“The governor’s office has been made aware of the arrest of an employee, Lamar Cook. The conduct that occurred here is unacceptable and represents a major breach of the public trust,” the governor’s office said in a statement, acknowledging the public shock. “Mr. Cook has been terminated from his position effective immediately. This criminal investigation is ongoing, and our administration will work with law enforcement to assist them in their work.” Those words are official, but voters who worry about public safety will expect concrete action beyond statements.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Kennealy called the news a “disgrace for our state and a direct reflection of Healey’s failed leadership,” a hardline reaction that underscores how quickly the story became a political liability. Fellow Republican candidate Brian Shortsleeve it “beyond shocking” and urged accountability, reflecting a unified demand from the right for stricter hiring standards and clearer oversight. Conservatives will use the episode to press for reforms that make it harder for problematic actors to land in positions tied to the governor’s office.
The ongoing investigation could produce more charges and more names, and prosecutors have not closed the book on the Hotel UMass connection or any other possible shipments. For the Healey administration, the immediate task is damage control and cooperation with law enforcement, but the larger test will be whether policy changes follow to prevent a repeat. Voters watching will want proof that promises about public safety and good government mean something in practice, not just in press releases.
https://x.com/ShortsleeveMA/status/1983622161894887745
1 Comment
Healey is the worst governor the state has ever had and go figure she is a Whacko Leftist!