Nicole McDonald

For two years, I’ve gazed in awe as this woman, her husband Patrick and their Somerset neighbors strived to rout an international polluters’ cabal — one with grievously strong government ties. Yon heroes have now weathered the appeals stage of a malicious, complex and protracted string of lawsuits. T...his week they officially prevailed with the worthy Appeals Court Justice Robert B. Foster, who himself serves at the Land Court division of Boston’s Suffolk County Superior Court. … The saga’s moral injuries can hardly be overstated. Yet Dame Justice and The Dream Team (you all know who you are) have prevailed — in more ways than one. Soon this last, inevitable appeal will dwindle in our wake. South Coast loyalists will then turn to their gimlet eyes on the Administration’s latest “miracle developer.” And make no mistake, the true agenda will be debunked in grand Fall River style. (“You Picked the Wrong Town,” crooks: and then some.) … Much as I regret that Nicole’s laurels are long-overdue, they’re no less the green for that. So here goes. I’ve had the privilege of working with all manner of aces from the worlds of investment banking, law, government, the arts, broadcasting, and historic or environmental preservation. And as that ancient oath said — “By my dead mother’s eyes” — you can stack Nicole McDonald up with the best of ’em. … Nicole does as she says, is in it for all the right reasons, displays unflagging energy, and earns the loyalty of everyone with whom she serves. Where Nicole’s concerned, litigation is never, ever a study in ego: it’s about Justice with a capital “J.” Better yet, while the lady may be a consummate pro, one with a rare gift for marshaling talent, her real superpower is inspiring those around her. … Nicole’s “a walking contradiction in terms”: shrewd, tough-as-nails and brave to her very socks, yet tender-hearted anytime the opportunity arises. She stands forever watchful for solutions, rechecking every detail, looking twice at allies and opponents, testing and challenging her own assumptions.. Her resiliency can be dazzling, as can her smile. … She’s truly a marvel, reviewing one legion of betrayers after the next. Yet Nicole’s sunny disposition always prevails. I’m reminded of the quote by Chief Justice Brandeis of the Supreme Court: “We must fill the seats of justice with great men, but not so great as to forget what human frailty is.” … … Who knows how often discouragement dogs Nicole’s every step? Somehow, she fends it off. The lady simply never gives in, however hard adversity may wear. Someone else always warrants her attention, and up she steps. (If only I could spirit her and Patrick to Tahiti.) … I admire Nicole McDonald more than I can say. Those who know her personally deem it a bona-fide privilege, whichever side of the issue we may find ourselves on. She walks in light, as the Good Book says, gently guiding others as she goes. She will fight for the truth with her last breath. By then, I pray, our felonious oppressors will have died of old age in prison, right where they belong. … Signed with my full name: MP Feitelberg, the McDonalds’ neighbor across “The Wild and Scenic Taunton River”