Michael Graham Arrested
by Brian Maloney, February 13th, 2009 at 10:58am
At WTKK-FM this morning, midmorning host Michael Graham discussed his arrest, which occurred early today. According to the Boston Herald, it appears to be the result of a license revocation issue with the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Here’s Graham’s booking photo:
Here’s a tip, Michael: always SMILE in your booking photo! That’s what the A-listers do. From the Herald’s coverage:
Conservative WTKK yakker Michael Graham was handcuffed and arrested early this morning, the latest Boston radio personality to have a run-in with the law.
Graham, 45, was arrested around 5:30 a.m. in Framingham and charged with failure to stop for a red light and operating a vehicle after his driver’s license has been revoked, said Lt. Paul Shastany.
A cop busted Graham driving his 2008 Jeep Patriot through a red light on Route 9. The officer ran Graham’s license plate number and arrested him after learning his license had been revoked because of “insurance issues,” Shastany said.
The radio host talked about his arrest on his show today.
“I was arrested, handcuffed, fingerprinted and placed in a jail cell - all courtesy of the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles and its Registrar, Rachel Kaprelian,” Graham said in a statement.
“I was pulled (over) for a minor traffic infraction, and was astonished when the officer informed me that the RMV had revoked my driver’s license. I don’t know when and I don’t know why, because I - like so many Massachusetts drivers - was never told by the RMV. If I had been, I would have had the opportunity to address whatever issue they have without the expense of being towed, or the unpleasantness of going to jail.”
Ann Dufresne, a spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, said Graham’s Massachusetts driver’s license was revoked in November because the state of Virginia notified the National Driver Registry that his Virgina license had been revoked because he had not paid his car insurance since 2006.
The RMV sent Graham a license revocation letter on Oct. 9 to a Hopkinton address, giving him until the following month to address the issue, Dufresne said.
No word on whether this is an attempt to secure a deal at WRKO, where a criminal record is a job requirement.
The Herald’s Messenger Blog also has a statement from Graham, see it here.
According to Graham, the RMV never notified him of the license suspension. The Bay State’s horrible motor vehicle department has a miserable track record of dealing with the public, with rude service, long lines, endless bureaucracy and poor communication the norm.
UPDATE: Given Virginia’s reasoning, I think this arrest is bollocks. He wasn’t paying for insurance there because he was living here! Doesn’t that make sense?
The only exception I can think of to this is the possibility that he never registered his vehicles in Massachusetts, which would keep him in Virginia’s system. We know he’s had a Mass license for several years.
Entry Filed under: Uncategorized
43 Comments Add your own
1. WRKO Staffer | February 13th, 2009 at 11:04 am
Well, at least he isn’t using for lame comedy purposes the way Jim and Margery did. I can’t believe Jim and Margery kept that one going as long as they did. LAME!!
Anyway, the RMV is a joke now that Ms. Kaprelian (sp?) is in charge. She is a no-show hack.
2. Brian Maloney | February 13th, 2009 at 11:14 am
When I mentioned our miserable RMV as a great talk radio subject last year, a couple of people here said it was a “lame” topic.
3. WRKO Staffer | February 13th, 2009 at 11:17 am
Well, it is no longer a lame topic now that Rachel no show is in charge.
4. bjd | February 13th, 2009 at 11:22 am
If MA refuses to tell the license holder they are suspended, do they also not tell other states of this suspension? It would only seem to be consistant if they did not tell all other states.
I can’t believe what you guys in MA think is accecptable from your government.
5. James Huberty | February 13th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
How about the crypto-fascists in Boston who throw the “Denver Boot” on cars left and right.
Just another shakedown from the statists in the White House. If not for California, this state would be rock bottom
6. piratetoby | February 13th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Graham should be arrested and locked-up. For G.P. He makes my blood boil.
All kidding aside, I’ve shouted back AT THE RADIO listening to him.
Yeah, the RMV can make you crazy; however Graham made such a big deal out of the Dept. not sending notifications for renewing licenses. Yet he rails about the less fortunate being coddled by government. Personal responsibility doesn’t apply to Michael?
Sorry if I sound puerile, but Graham is really a mental case. Really, he’s nuts.
7. James Huberty | February 13th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Graham is a clown. He makes a spectacle of himself, once a failed stand up comedian…almost a caricature of what a southern conservative is supposed to be. I’m shocked he’s lasted this long up here…
Anybody who uses the term “Islamo-Fascist” is historically ignorant.
8. bjd | February 13th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
pirateboy:
Put aside your dislike of Graham, the point of this goes far beyond that. What if this was you, your mother, or some other memeber of your family? What does it cost you in surcharges, insurance, and legal fees after this happens? If this happened to Randi Rhodes, as a resident, shouldn’t you be outraged?
Explain how it’s OK for the RMV to NOT tell the holder they have been revoked, but it IS OK for MA to notify other states of this very same revocation.
He got a bum deal and he should make as much noise about this as he can, radio, TV, newspaper, blog, bull horn, grafitti, and sky writting if possible.
I can’t believe people in MA not only let this go on, but vote to create more of it. Too bad you outlawed your guns in MA. A pitchfork and torch are only going to help you so much and it appears you’re going to need your guns really soon.
Last one out of the state, if they let you out, shut off the light.
9. Tickled | February 13th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
It is about time somebody arrested him for
something! He will have to take that foot out
of his mouth and start walking on it.
10. the real Barbara | February 13th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
WTH happened here? Grabowskus had this department purring like a kitten, well, almost, but even before he took over it was never this bad. Hacks being hacks, if I was Graham I’d be all over town with this. What does it take to get it right? Every year it just gets worse and worse and every election day the dumbbells just keep re-electing the same dimwits into office. Where/when/how does it end?
11. piratetoby | February 13th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
bjd,
Fair enough. I’ll try to put aside the contempt I feel for Michael. Not only do I dislike him, I feel he (and others like him) are always part of the “problem”.
That being said, your point about the surcharges on insurance is a separate issue. If he was pulled over for making an illegal u-turn and given a ticket, even with a valid license, he still gets a surcharge. Every moving violation is subject to a surcharge.
And I’m fairly sure the reason MA license revocations are shared with other states is initiated by the other state. MA complies with their request.
If anyone gets pulled over and their license has been revoked, what’s the first thing they say? “Revoked? Me?”
We all know that the RMV is NOT going to inform us when our license expires. We’re all busy (not just Graham). It is not that difficult to remember to renew your license on your birthday.
Michael’s protests sound way too “innocent” in this incident. And I don’t buy it. If he did know his license had been revoked, do you think he’d ever admit it? I don’t.
12. raccoonradio | February 13th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
I know my own license is up for renewal a year from this very month, but the MA govt sure isn’t going to remind me. Together We Scam!
13. piratetoby | February 13th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
happy birthday, raccoon.
14. bjd | February 13th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
pirateboy:
failure to renew is just one of the MANY reasons you could be on the revoke list. I won’t go into the possibility of there ever being a mistake made at the RMV. I mean they NEVER make mistakes. They are all highly skilled, competent, very well trained, dedicated, tireless, public servants and not hired as a favor to somebody else in government.
So if this notification is at the request of other states, what happens if you are stopped in NJ at a DWI checkpoint (You don’t have to do something wrong to be stopped at a DWI.) and they find you are on the revoke list. Do you think that is NOT going to cause ANY problems in your life at all? Now you have to post bail in NJ, and have to go back to answer the charges, EVEN IF IT IS A MISTAKE! Who pays for the lost time, travel expenses, and all the other “fun” costs that go along with a trip to NJ? Do you think for a second that MA will pay you back for ALL of those costs because of a mistake by them? Try submitting that to the state for payment.
If notification is at the request of the other states, why does that request get honnored, but a request by the citizens of MA, THAT PAY THE RMV SALARY, doesn’t? Is the citizen supposed to call the RMV every day to find out if they can drive that day? I can hear the automated attendant now, “Please enter your drivers license number.” (Of course preceeded by message “para continuar en español de prensa número cinco”.) Maybe a web page that you can enter your DL number to see if your status has changed? How often will it be updated? Do you need to call just once in the morning, or like a bank, is a new cycle started at 01:00 PM? The latter would suck if you drive to work and now you can’t drive home, or even to the the RMV to clear up this mistake. Oh happy happy, joy joy think of all your money the state can spend keeping those systems up and running.
pirateboy, I feel bad for you and those that think failure to notify YOU, the HOLDER of a license to operate, can have it suspended without them telling you about it. Driving is a privlidge yes, but notification of the suspension of that privlidge is an absolute right.
15. Arrested too | February 13th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
I was arrested by police, the police then pled the FIFTH denying me my right to face my accusers. Then last month the chief was found guilty!
I have an eternal arrest record of an arrest that all charges were dismissed becasue the police pled the FIFTH.
This cost me over $26,000 in legal fees while the cops got paid 4 hours overtime, 13 times for just showing up in court.
How much do you think this cost Mass. taxpayers?
With a CORI arrest record, you are denied volunteering in many organizations.
This is why they don’t broadcast proceedings.
Imagine seeing two cops pleading the FIFTH for what they did under color of law?
16. RosannaDanna | February 13th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
I listened to Michael today. The explanation was that Virginia had revoked his license since he hadn’t renewed. He said he hadn’t lived there since 2005. Massachusetts has a reciprocity agreement with VA so they revoked his license here. Yes, he should shout about it.
17. BurlGurl | February 13th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Maybe he missed the suspension notices. His wikipedia page says hes separated, so hes probably not living at his address.
18. piratetoby | February 13th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
His Wikipedia page states he’s separated? Wow. I’ve read bios w/married and/or divorced status, but I don’t remember ever reading a Wiki bio. listing a “separated” status.
Do you think referring to your wife on the air as “The Warden” has anything to do with it?
bjd, et all: for some reason I get the feeling that Michael is exploiting this arrest. Opportunist? Possibly. I have no proof, it’s just feeling.
That being said, I’m out of the debate. I’ll admit that I can’t be open-minded in regards to Graham.
19. piratetoby | February 13th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
OMG….I just clicked onto the link to the Herald’s story.
Graham looks like a neo-Nazi in his mug shot.
20. BurlGurl | February 13th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
The Herald says the RMV sent the notice to Hopkinton, but he lives in Framingham. Probably why he didnt get it.
21. susan mcbride | February 13th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
i am laughing…….
“he should be arrested for something”
22. Joe from Brighton | February 13th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
WTKK was down a few arrests, but appears to be narrowing its gap to WRKO.
23. James Huberty | February 13th, 2009 at 10:09 pm
Massacusetts…the United Soviet Republic of Zimbabwe. What a hellhole.
24. Lee | February 14th, 2009 at 12:33 am
If you go to his Wikipedia page, it lists the web address for his wife’s site. She appears to be beautiful AND smart - what is she doing with this idiotic misogynist?
25. Larry | February 14th, 2009 at 8:37 am
A blogger reminded me of the Teddy K’s drunk driving homocide on Chappy years back. His license had expired too, but he was able to call in a cadre of believers to “place ” a phony renewal application in the Registry files. Too bad Mike isn’t a Kennedy…BTW Now that the grim reaper is hanging outside Teddy’s door, do you think he will ask to be cremated as he badgered the Kopechne family into doing? With the cremation all the forensic evidence went up in smoke.
26. James Huberty | February 14th, 2009 at 9:56 am
Cremating that worthless fat bastard Teddy could create a fire similar to the ones in Australia.
27. ChrisNH | February 14th, 2009 at 11:18 am
“The Herald says the RMV sent the notice to Hopkinton, but he lives in Framingham. Probably why he didnt get it.”
Fast-forward to socialized health care: “Ohhhhh…it was your LEG we were supposed to amputate…sorry.”
28. raccoonradio | February 14th, 2009 at 11:40 am
Wonder how many Howie haters out there
rejoiced for a moment when they saw the following headline on the Herald’s site…
>>Herald columnist, radio host charged after traffic incident
…then were disappointed to see Michael
(Could have
Graham’s pic underneath
conceivably been Eagan or Callahan too, though…)
29. BurlGurl | February 14th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Chris, he probably forgot to tell the RMV he was moving. It not the first thing Id remember if I was getting separated.
30. Joe from Brighton | February 14th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
Mike, if WTKK ever fires you, you’d fit in well at WRKO (as long as you get at least an assault charge on your record in the interim).
31. Bullwinkle J. Moose | February 15th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
” The Natural Truth ” Huh !
Unfortunately he’s more dangerous on the radio than on the road.
There are worse right wingers…
BTW - He would Know the natural truth if it bit’em on the arse … Hmmm…
32. Nancy O'Neil | February 15th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
I’m sure he’ll be talking about this all week and will make for interesting radio. Better than hearing about the stimulus package.
33. Larry | February 16th, 2009 at 8:07 am
I think I have figured out the conspiracy here. Rachel K was one of the annoying women who auditioned to be Tiny Tom Finneran’s sidekick. She failed. Now she is trying to take down MG in a fit of jealous rage. After listening to her I could understand why her ex hubby has a drinking problem. He was only able to avoid jail time after his third OUI conviction with some Massachusetts state house slight of hand…Yes we can!
34. Mikey | February 16th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Ignorance of the lawrrrr is noooo excuse! the LAW is the LAW
anyone that breaks thine laws should be executed. Nice knowing you all.
35. Tickled | February 17th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
The shite is a flowing!! Pick me, pick me pleeeze?
I want to be a juror. The law is the law someone
once said and the law won (I hope)
36. susan mcbride | February 18th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
he just strikes me as an increadily insecure man.
37. kareep | March 6th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
he looks worse than he sounds. The transplanted cracker ought to lay off the bourbon and pay attention to his mail. He looks like he’s been drinking. He always sounds it’
38. Al Girolamo | March 11th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
He couldn’t have even had a VA lic anymore, because you turn your out of state lic. in to get a MA lic. It is just another case of a state gov’t office screwing up. If he had been an illegal they would have let him go. We had a customer that leant her car to a fellow worker to use to run an errand. That person had an accident, police came to the scene and found he had no lic and was indeed illegal. Being a “sanctaury city”, they let him go, called the woman and listed her information on the accident report as if she were the driver. She the incurred surcharges as well.
39. Juju | March 14th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
I hope they give him life.
40. Save WRKO » Terrori&hellip | March 30th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
[...] For his part, Graham is relishing the second wave of publicity he’s received locally in recent weeks, especially since this one doesn’t involve his mug shot. [...]
41. Brian E. Simoneau | April 18th, 2009 at 12:12 am
“The Herald says the RMV sent the notice to Hopkinton, but he lives in Framingham. Probably why he didnt get it.”
G.L. c. 90 Sec. 26A says that you have to notify the RMV of your change of address. Was failure to notify the RMV the cause of the notice being sent to the wrong address?
I handle suspended license issues with the the Mass. Registry</a on a daily basis. The agency is not perfect. However, we shouldn’t be so quick to vilify and condemn the RMV. It looks like they sent the notice to the address they had on file. If Graham did not change his address that’s his fault, not the Registry’s.
42. Brian E. Simoneau | May 4th, 2009 at 10:15 pm
Did he notify the Mass. Registry of his change of address? You can’t blame the RMV for sending a suspension notice to his old address if he never notified the Registry. It’s the law.
G.L. c. 90 Sec. 26A.
A person in whose name a motor vehicle or trailer has been registered under the provisions of this chapter and a person to whom a learner’s permit or a license to operate motor vehicles has been granted by the registrar shall report a change of name, residential address or mailing address in writing to said registrar within 30 days after the date on which any such change was made. Said registrar may revoke or suspend the license or certificate of registration or learner’s permit of a person violating the provisions of this subsection.
(b) Said registrar may use reasonable sources of information regarding addresses including, but not limited to, municipal excise records, insurance company records and United States Post Office change of address records to update address information contained in registry records and such updated records shall constitute the official records of said registrar for purpose of giving any notice as provided in this chapter or for any other purpose. If the registrar obtains information from the department of revenue, he shall have access only to individuals’ names and addresses.
(c) Said registrar shall not be required to mail a notice pursuant to this chapter to more than one address; provided, however, that such address was obtained pursuant to subsection (a) or (b).
43. Tamale | June 29th, 2009 at 9:46 am
I know this is old news but anyhow. He’s kind of ridiculous. I wish they’d sent the mail registered so they’d have proof.
The RMV sent the mail. Maybe he provided the wrong address. Maybe he discarded it thinking it was junk mail. Tough luck. And yes where’s his big sense of personal responsibility now??! I’ve received numerous notices (all very annoying ones, like parking tickets and such and how they’ll be revoking my license soon if I don’t pay but they always send the notice).
Is his car registered in Virginia while he lived here????!! If so, then let him rot in jail.
I don’t what the hell everyone keeps bitching about. The RMV is automated as hell with those number calling systems and there’s often a number of people in line but they cycle through fast. You can look on line and find out what the wait time is for crying out loud, time your visit. The typical wait times I get are 5-20 minutes with one time a 45min wait. I thought that from an IT and automation and etc… they were the model of what a government agency should be. The ones I’ve had experience with are in Wilmington, Webster, and I thought there was one near Waltham that I’ve been too maybe 10 times in 5 years. And the efficiency, etc.. has been pretty consistent.
Leave a Comment
Some HTML allowed:
<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>
Trackback this post | Subscribe to the comments via RSS Feed