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Why is this buried in the
Why is this buried in the story?
"In 1993, Timilty was convicted of wire fraud in connection with a real estate development in East Boston and served four months in federal prison."
Buried maybe because
According to this article the citizens of Boston were "pained" that Timilty was sent to prison. Putting the fact earlier in the article may have brought back more of the pain Bostonians felt.
He did write a book about his 120 days incarcerated. It could also be a subtle plug.
http://www.nytimes.com/books/97/10/12/reviews/971012.12drinant.html
Because it is a memorial piece
Those don't focus on much of anything, other than chronology and "highlights". The recounting of a life is the story, not specific incidents within that.
Look at the structure: it starts with "he's dead", some summary information, a memorial quote, and where you can go to pay your respects. Then it moves along to a rather brief chronology of his career in public life, top to bottom. It isn't buried any more than his first elected office is.
The corruption aspect was scummy, but it was also 25 years ago and he paid for it with his career. Most people reading the story would be aware of the incident anyway. Others would simply be reminded of it.
In short: this is a story about a man, not a story about corruption in politics per se.
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The Globe has a much better write up
Including more on this political life and on the conviction. It’s like any news of a prominent political figure passing away. You put the good but you cannot ignore the bad. I think the senator would have been okay with the Globe’s coverage.
The good old days
Joe Timilty was a class act who did time for a real estate scam but really went to prison for refusing to be a rat for the Feds. Compared to Ted Kennedy, Billy Bulger, Dapper O'neil, John Kerrigan, Gary Studds, and the late Cardinal Bernie Law I would bet that Joe is the only one who will be welcomed by Saint Peter at the Gates of Heaven.
I agree with you about the rest of the guys you've mentioned,
but despite Ted Kennedy's faults, he did many good things, and earned his terms in office as a Senator.
But the reality is
If subjected to the scrutiny today he would have been out of office by the first election after 1969 at the latest.
Timilty's conviction and sentence
He was a partner in a development company that was converting a gumball factory in East Boston into a condominium.
At that time it was common for condo developers to offer second mortgages to buyers. The first mortgagee - supposedly - didn't know about the second mortgage and so the seller and buyer had committed fraud. But everybody- the real estate agent, the seller, the mortgage companies- knew what was going on.
It worked out great for everybody until the condo market collapsed.
Timilty claimed that the FBI was pressuring him to testify about municipal corruption in Boston, using the fraud charge as leverage.
There was no pressure. He
There was no pressure. He created the scheme. No One else. Read the case at Justita.