Ken Moulton speech to Massachusetts Legislature November 2001

[Guest guest]

Good afternoon. My name is Ken Moulton and this is my family. Virginia and I are the co-presidents of HADD (Homeowners against Deficient Dwellings) for Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire. We are part of a national consumer group that is fighting corrupt building and home inspection practices.

In Massachusetts, the building/fire/safety and health codes that are suppose to be enforced during all construction and remodeling activities, are considered a joke by some local and state inspectors. They are nicely written on paper but are very seldom obeyed or enforced.

The reason these codes were developed was to protect every man, woman and child in Massachusetts, as well as all of the tourist that visit our state, from harm, illness or death. They are also in place to insure that all loans by Federally licensed banks are only given to homes or construction that meets or exceeds these codes.

In the case of our family, and many other families across the state, the very people, building inspectors, that are required to enforce them, are routinely ignoring these codes. In many cases documented with municipal and state public records, local and state building inspectors have shown an open refusal to enforce these laws.

In many documented cases, like ours, local and state government officials refuse to order their inspectors to enforce or obey these laws. In our case, local and state government officials have refused to allow re-inspections of our home their inspectors illegally and knowingly passed. They cite their Fifth Amendment right against self –incrimination like any common criminal.

It seems that our Governors, Attorney Generals and Inspector Generals are also afraid because they also have refused, for at least the past eight years, to demand that these laws be enforced. The Governors have also refused during this same time period to fire the state inspectors that have refused to obey and enforce the law. They appointed them and can fire them. Massport isn't the only agency where incompetent people are given political appointments.

Virginia and I first brought these issues to you here in the Legislature some five years ago. You have also closed your eyes and ears to this ongoing and continuing corruption by state and local building inspectors. You have given these crooks the green light to continue their illegal acts and ways.

Some communities across the state, such as ours in Barnstable, have also known of the illegal acts of their own town inspectors. They too have closed their eyes and ears to the corruption as well. These towns even allow these crooked inspectors to retire at taxpayer expense rather than discipline them. Unless you pass this legislation, these government criminals will continue their ways of robbing from us.

My family, and many others across our state, has had to suffer severe medical problems caused by the mold in our homes. Much of this mold is caused by water that leaks through illegally constructed roofs, such as ours. This mold has also been found in schools, government buildings and nursing homes.

The worst form of mold is called Stachybotrys. Our Government and the Military considers it a biological warfare agent just as lethal as anthrax or smallpox. I told the Town of Barnstable of this mold in our home in October of 2000 and they have refused to allow their inspectors into our home. I even showed them a picture of it. Law requires them to send the inspectors.

Around this same time I also sent photos of the mold to the Secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Governor and asked for the state inspectors to visit our home. They, like Barnstable, refuse to talk with me for they don't want to incriminate themselves in their staffs' known illegal and corrupt activities.

We ask that we be restored our rights as citizens of the United States to bring legal complaints and charges against these local and state officials, and the communities and state which have knowingly allowed it, that have broken the law and placed our families life, health and safety in jeopardy.

If you fail to immediately allow the passage of our bill, the Moulton Bill Against Government Corruption in Massachusetts, you become part of the problem rather than a solution. If you fail to pass our bill you are telling the citizens of Massachusetts that you don't give a damn about them or their families. Is this to be your legacy?

Your decision on what action you will take on our bill will be the answer to our questions. Are you Cowards or law-abiding legislators. Our citizens await your choice!

In addition, we are placing into the Committees record this package. It describes, in some detail, the illegal acts I have discussed and the public records that document it. You can also see the mold that I have discussed.

Must we continue to have to suffer the medical effects caused by this mold? Some of the effects are constant breathing and respiratory problems, constant diarrhea, hair loss, memory loss, potential brain damage and the coughing of blood.

I implore you to act NOW to save my family, and many others, from any more of these possible life-threatening conditions. If you fail to act by passing our bill, you might be giving our family a death sentence.

Ken Moulton