August 26, 2010
Ned Holstein, MD, MS, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Fathers and Families, criticizes Massachusetts Senator Cynthia Creem, co-chair of the Joint Committee on The Judiciary, for her opposition to shared parenting bill in his new column Holstein: Senator Creem and Mr. Rudnick, Help our children (Newton Tab, 8/24/10). HB 1400, Fathers and Families’ most recent bill promoting the presumption of shared parenting, was bottled up in committee this legislative session, despite enjoying widespread support. The Newton Tab is an influential local paper in Creem’s district. To join the debate in the comments section, click here. Dr. Holstein wrote:
Senator Creem has represented her district well in many respects. But Adrian Walker of the Boston Globe was correct when he pointed out that as co-chair of the Judiciary Committee, she has a conflict of interest on alimony reform. This is because her main livelihood as a divorce lawyer thrives when parents have something big to fight about. She also has a conflict of interest on child custody legislation. Because what could be bigger than the custody of one”s children? As an actively practicing divorce attorney, Senator Creem should not simultaneously be holding up legislative reform of child custody when doing so has the potential to create parental battles from which she may profit. Especially when 86 percent of voters have shown that they want change. And if she does not already do this, she should inform her clients who wish to share the parenting of their children that she opposes shared parenting legislation. Meanwhile, Senator Creem”s opponent in the Democratic primary, Charles Rudnick, has remained unduly cautious on these issues despite the clear mandate from voters to reform custody law. There is no indication that he would help children any more than Senator Creem has, but at least he would not have a financial conflict of interest and would not be able to blunt reform as co-chairman of the Judiciary Committee. I urge him to support shared parenting legislation that would help children, diminish parental conflict, and preserve the loving bonds between both parents and their children. There is a large and growing movement of parents nationally who call for urgent reform of our family courts to rid them of practices that do not serve modern needs. We need Mr. Rudnick to tell us where he stands on issues that affect nearly 40 percent of our children. Senator Creem, whose positions are clear, should recuse herself from deliberations on child custody, alimony and other issues on which she has a conflict of interest.
Read the full piece here.