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DiMasi indicted in federal court
By adamg on Tue, 06/02/2009 - 3:08pm
UPDATE: Emerging from federal court just in time for the 5:30 news, DiMasi said everything he has ever done has always been "in the best interests" of his constituents and the Commonwealth. His lawyer, Thomas Kiley, said "citizen legislators" do not earn enough to support a family: "He has earned a living, and for that he is charged today." Kiley then declined to answer questions: "It isn't about the press, it isn't about the voters. We will present our case in the courtroom and (at the end) you all will agree with me, as will the jury ... that Mr. DiMasi has never violated the public trust."
The Globe has the details on the charges against former Speaker Sal DiMasi related to $20 million in contracts with software vendor Cognos (now part of IBM).
Also indicted: DiMasi pal and un-lobbyist Richard Vitale, DiMasi pal and Cognos lobbyist Richard McDonough and Cognos sales agent Joseph Lally.
Read the indictment (PDF file), which says DiMasi received payments of $5,000 a month for his services.
Innocent, etc.
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Comments
His Resignation
But discussions about his possible indictment had nothing to do with his decision to step down in January, right?
: )
DiMasi Indicted
Over the fifty years from January 1959 to January 2009, nine men serving in the Massachusetts House of Representatives were elevated by their peers to Speaker of the House. Of those nine politicians—every one a Democrat—four, John F. Thompson (Speaker, 1958-1964), Charles Flaherty (1991-1996), Thomas Finneran (1996-2004), and Salvatore DiMasi (2004-2009) resigned the speakership in disgrace, dogged by charges of legal or ethical lapses. One Speaker, Thomas W. McGee (1975–1984), was found so wanting even by the low standards of his fellow Democratic legislators that he was dumped from that leadership position in favor of George Keverian (1985–1991). Keverian left the post, and state politics, in 1991, after losing the Democratic party primary for Treasurer of the Commonwealth.
In the fifty years prior to that, 14 men served as Speaker, 12 Republicans and two Democrats. None, as far as I know, left office in disgrace or disfavor. About half went on, after their speakerships, to run successfully for higher office in state or national government. Among them Republican Christian Herter (Speaker 1939-1942) was later elected U.S. Representative and Massachusetts Governor and served in high positions in the Republican Administration of President Eisenhower and under Democratic Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. Thomas Phillip "Tip" O'Neill, Jr. (1949-1952) went on, after his leadership in the State House, to serve ten years as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
They just...
...don't make 'em like they used to!
Its all about competition,
Its all about competition, we really need a strong second party in the state, there is nobody capable of staring these guys down until an actual idictment comes out. I find it hard to believe that nobody knew for sure what was happening here,funny thing about rumors, they tend to have some truth to them.
True
Yes, a true second party is needed. And, don't forget the largest chunk of Mass residents - the unenrolled, "independent".
An answer
Those of us who kept asking when they'd indict a non-Black and non-woman politician have at least this one answer.
And that list didn't even
And that list didn't even include the Mass. Senate. Hardly "this one answer." The question was a silly one in the first place.
Absolute power and all that
David Bernstein discusses the Beacon Hill culture that lets legislature leaders (like Ms. Murray, too) do whatever they want. Also, he wonders why the US Attorney's office never uttered the word "bribe," as it did so readily in the Wilkerson and Turner cases.
DiMasi as a series of lines
WBUR graphs the relationships between DiMasi and the other players in this story.