State police graduation ceremony peppered with swear words

A tip: Be careful what you ask new soldiers on the street.

At an afterparty after a cotillion for the State Police’s newest recruiting class Thursday at Patriot Place, the new hires filled a bar. The televisions were showing a thrilling Bruins win and an NFL night game, and the drinks were flowing.

But a question from a Herald editor who happened upon the party about fellow recruit Enrique Delgado-Garcia, 25, who died at the academy after a boxing exercise, prompted a few poignant words and a creative middle finger.

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

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

“Is that how you will answer this question on the street?” The Herald quickly replied.

Then the growling soldier slowly raised his middle finger, mimicking a crane raising the telltale finger. For a curious journalist, leaving the bar seemed like the smart move at that point.

It’s clearly a sensitive issue.

Attorney General Andrea Campbell has named 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 calling for accountability.

In this job, you will meet brilliant state police investigators who are familiar with difficult questions. If you need them, soldiers are there. Still, the agency struggles with a serious lack of professionalism that new employees have to contend with.

An exchange in a bar may not define class, but it certainly showed that it is lacking. – Joe Dwinell

Governor Baker may not like to talk politics these days, but he was politically active

Even though Gov. Charlie Baker seems reluctant to talk politics after years of public service, he is not afraid to open his checkbook to local and national politicians and lend them his political influence.

A review of state and federal campaign finance records shows Baker donated thousands to politicians across the country this year while serving as NCAA chairman, including two separate $2,500 donations in April to the Democratic U.S -Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey.

Those came long before Baker largely shrugged off questions about his political future Thursday, deflecting reporters who asked him about the presidential campaign.

“I’m here to talk about college sports and the NCAA. And that’s why I’m here, okay?” he said after a speech 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 it, great.”

Just hours after making those comments, Baker re-engaged in state politics, supporting a Taunton city councilwoman in her Republican bid for the state Senate seat.

It is one of just a handful released so far this election cycle. As the November general election approaches, more Baker endorsements for state legislative candidates are expected.

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

Baker and former Lieutenant Governor 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 state Senate than our friend, Rep. Matt Muratore. “Matt has the public and private sector experience that makes him ready to serve in the State Senate from day one,” the two said in a statement.

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

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