State Police graduation party

A word of advice: be careful what you ask of newly minted troopers on the street.

At a post-cotillion afterparty for the state police’s final recruiting class Thursday at Patriot Place, the new hires packed a bar. The TVs showed a thrilling Bruins win and an NFL night game and the drinks were flowing.

But a question from a Herald editor, who happened to be at the party, about fellow recruit Enrique Delgado-Garcia, 25, who died at the academy after a boxing practice, provoked a few choice words and a creative flash of the middle finger.

“What happened to your fellow recruit?” a Herald editor asked a group of new troopers.

“(Expletive) you!” was the reply of a new officer.

“Is that how you’re going to respond to that question on the street?” the Herald responded quickly.

That’s when the snarling soldier slowly raised his middle finger as he mimicked a crane hoisting the telltale figure. Withdrawing from the bar seemed like a wise move for a curious journalist at the time.

It’s clearly a sore subject.

Attorney General Andrea Campbell has appointed an attorney to lead an outside investigation into Delgado-Garcia’s death. The Latino Law Enforcement Group of Boston and Lawyers for Civil Rights in Boston are also demanding accountability.

In this job, you’ll meet brilliant state police detectives who know their way around tough questions. If you need them, there are troopers. Yet the agency suffers from a serious lack of professionalism that new recruits face.

One exchange in a bar doesn’t define class, but it did demonstrate a lack of class. – Joe Dwinell

Gov. Baker may not like to talk about politics these days, but he has been politically active

Even though Governor Charlie Baker apparently no longer likes to talk politics after years in public service, he is certainly not shy about opening his checkbook and lending his political influence to local and national politicians.

A review of state and federal campaign finance records shows that Baker has paid out thousands of dollars to politicians across the country this year while serving as head of the NCAA, including two separate $2,500 donations in April to New Jersey Democrat, the U.S. Senator Cory Booker.

Those came well before Baker largely shrugged off questions about his political future on Thursday, snapping back at reporters who asked him about the presidential race.

“I’m here to talk about college sports and the NCAA. And that’s why I’m here, okay?” he said after speaking at the UMass Club in downtown Boston, according to our friends at CommonWealth Beacon. ‘I’m not here to talk about other things. So if you don’t have any questions about that, that’s fine.”

Just hours after making those comments, Baker waded back into state politics, endorsing a Taunton city councilor in her Republican bid for Senate.

It’s one of a few made public so far this election cycle. Baker is expected to make more endorsements of state House candidates as the November general election approaches.

He also supported Rep. Matt Muratore, a Republican from Plymouth who is running for a Senate seat from South Shore and Cape Cod, against Rep. Dylan Fernandes, a Democrat from Falmouth, and Rep. Steve Xiarhos, a Republican from Barnstable who is running for re-election.

Baker and former Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito announced their support for Muratore last month, calling him “one of our favorite lawmakers to work with.”

“We can’t think of a better candidate for Senate than our friend Rep. Matt Muratore. Matt has the public and private sector experience that makes him ready to work in the Senate on day one,” the couple said in a statement.

The former Republican governor of eight years also donated $1,000 in late August to Rep. Paul Frost, a Auburn Republican running for re-election, and another $1,000 in late June to Anne Manning-Martin, a Republican running for the open seat of the Governor’s Council. vacated by Eileen Duff, according to state campaign finance records.

A political spokesman for Baker declined to comment on his activities. – Chris VanBuskirk