Possible Ethics Violation by Massachusetts Speaker of the House

  There seems to be a trend in Massachusetts. Sal Dimasi, the Massachusetts speaker of the house, charges are beginning to surface about possible ethics charges. This would be the third straight Massachusetts speaker of the house to face an ethics probe. Three times a charm. The last speaker of the house, Tom Finneran, pled guilty to a lesser FELONY and not only did he receive no jail time, he was reward with a lucrative radio talk show in the morning drive slot. Crime DOES pay!

 In Sal’s case he is facing possible ethics violations for legislation that was modified or created in private by Sal Dimasi that benefited his buddies.

the legislation was either created or modified in the House Ways and Means Committee chaired by DiMasi ally and would-be successor Rep. Robert DeLeo

 That sounds a little like what the governor did not too long ago, when he let a bill slip into law that would benefit his wife’s company. It is just business as usual in Massachusetts. Here are some of the possible violations:

•A ticket-scalping bill that has prompted allegations of unregistered lobbying by longtime DiMasi campaign backer and accountant Richard Vitale

•A contract for $13 million for Cognos, a Canadian software company with ties to DiMasi loyalists

•A plan to allow wind farms in Buzzards Bay that could benefit DiMasi’s close friend, developer Jay Cashman

•A $50,000 arts grant for the Woods Hole Film Festival, which is run by a top DiMasi aide.

 This backroom dealing in the shadowy confines of a dark lit room is what has legislator up in arms.

“Bills are routinely changed in the process, but the thing that’s unique here is you have major policy initiatives being completely re-written in Ways and Means. That doesn’t reflect the committee process,” said one lawmaker, who requested anonymity. “It’s not transparent.”

 I think it is transparent, it is very clear to me what Sal Dimasi is doing here. He gets by with a little help from his friends. And they get by with a little help from him.

 Perhaps Deval Patrick can learn a lesson from this, donate to Sal Dimasi’s campaign if you ever want to get that casino bill passed. That is all it takes, it isn’t hard.

Read more here and here.