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Article: And justice for all - Qui tam bills will help stop corruption.
- Article from:
- The Boston Herald
- Article date:
- August 24, 1997
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1997 Boston Herald. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The best friend of fraud against the government is not the corrupt public official nor the greedy private contractor. Rather, it is the popular refrain: "I don't want to get involved."
Most people in a position to blow the whistle are convinced the costs of getting involved are too high, and the benefits too low.
Two bills now before the Massachusetts Legislature try to provide an alternative approach. Based on the successful federal model, the Qui Tam Law would allow citizens who know about fraud against the government to bring a lawsuit against those responsible and, if the defendant ends up paying, to get a substantial percentage of the settlement. ...