Oh, you gotta like that, huh, ladies?!
"E-mail spices up lobbying case" by Andrea Estes, Globe Staff | November 12, 2009
If nothing else, the state’s criminal case against Richard Vitale, former House speaker Salvatore DiMasi’s friend and former financial adviser, offers an extraordinary window into what allegedly goes on in the clubby confines of the State House.
To wit: Prosecutors say that Vitale, accused of illegally lobbying DiMasi and other lawmakers on behalf of a group of ticket brokers, wrote a Jan. 12, 2008, e-mail to ticket company owner James Holzman, in which Vitale referred to Senate President Therese Murray as a “witch.’’
Vitale was apparently trying to explain to his clients why their favored bill, which had passed the House months before, was not sailing through the Senate with equal speed. “[DiMasi] is trying to arrange a dinner with the witch to smoke a peace pipe,’’ he wrote, according to prosecutors.
Whether DiMasi and Murray ever lit that pipe is unclear. Murray wouldn’t say. Nor would she respond to the nasty moniker....
--more--"I hope you saved some of that lobbyist loot and kickbacks, Sal, because I don't think you are going to be seeing any more retirement checks.
"State suspends former speaker DiMasi’s retirement checks" by Andrea Estes, Globe Staff | October 30, 2009
The State Retirement Board suspended pension payments yesterday to former House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi while he awaits trial on federal corruption charges.
DiMasi’s lawyer, Thomas Kiley, called the board’s action unlawful and vowed to go to court as soon as possible to get the decision reversed. The board voted in executive session to withhold DiMasi’s $5,000-a-month pension, though the criminal case against DiMasi has yet to be heard by a federal jury. The suspension will take effect Sunday, though the Retirement Board had been withholding payments since June.
At what point does the looting end? I mean, we can throw out the bums, etc, etc, but when does the culture of corruption cease?
According to state treasurer Timothy P. Cahill, who oversees the retirement system and is the board’s chairman, DiMasi will receive $25,000 to make up for the previously withheld checks.
Excuse me?
Cahill said the board decided to award him the money retroactively after concluding that it had been premature to suspend DiMasi’s pension before yesterday’s full board vote.
He's lucky we haven't taken it out of his hide! WTF?!
Cahill said the board treated DiMasi no differently than anyone else. He said public retirees will lose their pensions if they are either charged with misappropriating funds or convicted of crimes related to their job. “We’re not taking away anyone’s legal rights,’’ Cahill said. “We’re not overstepping our bounds because the person in this case is a high-profile person. At the same time, were not shying away from doing our duty because the person is a high-profile person and can afford very good attorneys. It should give people confidence that we’re doing our job.’’
You can kiss off any hopes for a governor's vote here, guy.
DiMasi, who resigned in January and started collecting a pension shortly thereafter, did not attend yesterday’s closed-door hearing.
Yeah, he STAYED ON JUST LONG ENOUGH to ACCRUE an ADDITIONAL YEAR on to the PENSION PAYMENT!!!
He had 33 years of service in government....
Look at 'em call LOOTING "service!"
--more--"Yeah, "service" to WHO?
His POCKETS and his FRIENDS?
