Silverglate, in a book, indicts federal prosecutors Nov 23, 2009
Silverglate illustrates his indictment with specific court proceedings, some of them from Massachusetts (alleged political corruption during the Kevin White mayoral years and the indictment of former House of Representatives speaker Thomas Finneran, among others). Silverglate introduces his extended indictment wisely, with a seemingly run-of-the-mill federal prosecution that led to a US Supreme Court ruling. (Boston Globe)
In Legislature, the flocks tend their leaders Nov 5, 2009
He calls it a holdover from the days when Speaker Thomas Finneran rewarded those who followed his commands and punished those who didn t.. In the end, Finneran resigned after a guilty plea in a criminal case about his testimony concerning a legislative redistricting plan. (Boston Globe)
Patrick waves off new trans. revenues, Baddour calls for Red Line probe Nov 5, 2009
Patrick waves off new trans. revenues, Baddour calls for Red Line probe - Dover, MA - Dover-Sherborn Press. (Dover Sherborn Tab, MA)
Senate vacancy dominates legislative session Sep 24, 2009
Former Speaker of the House Thomas Finneran on his WRKO talk show referring to the action by the 2004 Legislature that stripped then-Gov. Mitt Romney of his power to appoint a temporary replacement if a Senate vacancy occurs. (Dover Sherborn Tab, MA)
Beacon Hill Roll Call for the week ending Sept. 18, 2009 Sep 22, 2009
Former Speaker of the House Thomas Finneran on his WRKO talk show referring to the action by the 2004 Legislature that stripped then Gov. Mitt Romney of his power to appoint a temporary replacement if a Senate vacancy occurs. Finneran was the speaker at that time and worked to pass the bill. (Wellesley Townsman, MA)
Former Speaker Finneran confesses about 2004 Senate law change Sep 19, 2009
Former House Speaker Thomas Finneran, who was in charge of the House in 2004 when lawmakers stripped Republican Gov. Mitt Romney of the power to appoint a senator in the event of a vacancy in the office, confessed Thursday morning that the effort amounted to grubby, lousy politics and predicted some legislative Democrats might lose their seats if they turn around and hand appointment power to Gov. Deval Patrick, a Democrat. Democrats are going to pay a price for this politically, Finneran said... (Belmont Citizen Herald, MA)
Recap and analysis of the week in state government Sep 19, 2009
Democrats are going to pay a price for this politically, said former speaker and current talk-show host Thomas Finneran, who knows a little about that. Loading commenting interface. (Burlington Union, MA)
House backs an interim senator Sep 18, 2009
Several state lawmakers grew more nervous when former House speaker Thomas Finneran predicted that Democrats would experience some fallout. Democrats are going to pay a price for this politically, Finneran, who was at the helm when the law was initially changed in 2004, said on his WRKO-AM morning talk show. (Boston Globe)
MARSHFIELD STATEHOUSE ROUNDUP: Let the race to replace begin Sep 10, 2009
Timothy Toomey, a Democrat who was a player under former Speaker Thomas Finneran and back-benched under former Speaker Sal DiMasi, where he remains under DeLeo. At that moment in history, that president might have been Sen. (Marshfield Mariner, MA)
Kennedy succession request casts hill into confusion mode Aug 24, 2009
That law was pushed through the Legislature, which at the time was led by House Speaker Thomas Finneran and Senate President Robert Travaglini, both Democrats. It was passed over Gov. Mitt Romney s veto. (Arlington Advocate, MA)
Kennedy should resign Aug 23, 2009
When the final vote took place, , hooting and hollering broke out on the usually staid House floor, and House Speaker Thomas Finneran acknowledged candidly: It s a political deal. It s very raw politics. (Boston Globe)
MARSHFIELD STATEHOUSE ROUNDUP: Grabauskas grousing grabs headlines Aug 20, 2009
Foreboding and Biblical quotes of the week You could have Jesus of Nazareth running the MBTA. It ain t gonna work, former House Speaker Thomas Finneran, back on the Hill last Wednesday. Finneran is the same gent who predicted in 2003 that any state that adopted universal health care would go bankrupt within 14 months. (Marshfield Mariner, MA)
State House Weekly Roundup: A post-Grabauskian world Aug 20, 2009
Former House Speaker Thomas Finneran, back on the Hill Wednesday. Finneran is the same gent who predicted in 2003 that any state that adopted universal health care would go bankrupt within 14 months. (Hamilton Wenham Chronicle, MA)
More personnel shakeups at the MBTA Aug 17, 2009
At the State House for an intern awards ceremony, former House Speaker Thomas Finneran said Grabauskas, a 2004 Mitt Romney appointee whose contract at the MBTA was slated to end in May 2010 before he was bought out, was hamstrung by Big Dig-related debt in his management of the agency. You could have Jesus of Nazareth running the MBTA. It ain t gonna work, he said, crediting Grabauskas, who once headed the state Registry of Motor Vehicles, for being able to achieve a cultural transformation at... (Arlington Advocate, MA)
Ruth Balser: Balser has record of teamwork and tax hikes Aug 13, 2009
Outside of many battles and disagreements with former Speaker of the House Thomas Finneran, Balser has avoided conflict over two decades in politics, and has never run against an incumbent ... 5/99 support Thomas Finneran s ruling denying floor debate of $150 million tax cut proposal (NO). (Newton Tab, MA)
Celebrities' 15 minutes of shame Jun 16, 2009
Why, it's the previous disgraced speaker of the Massachusetts House, felon-turned-talk-show-host Thomas Finneran. What about the man Frank Rich calls the "disgraced former Boston Globe columnist Mike Barnicle". (Boston Globe)
State Capitol Briefs, June 4 Jun 6, 2009
Appearing on "Finneran's Forum" with former Speaker Thomas Finneran, Evangelidis said independent thinking among Democrats on Beacon Hill is thwarted by the influence of extra stipends awarded to dozens of lawmakers handpicked by the Speaker of the House for committee chairmanships and other leadership positions. ETHICS BILL NEGOTIATORS SHUTTER DELIBERATIONS The House-Senate conference committee negotiations ethics reform legislation that legislative leaders say is critical to restoring public... (Belmont Citizen Herald, MA)
Beacon Hill Roll Call: Senate says yes to selling naming rights to state facilities Jun 6, 2009
DiMasi's indictment is the third straight one of a speaker, following the indictments and convictions of former Speakers Charles Flaherty and Thomas Finneran. TELEPHONES, DIRECTORIES AND 411 - The Committee on Telecommunication, Utilities and Energy held a hearing on several bills including requiring telephone companies to eliminate the private caller feature that currently allows callers the option to not have their phone number show up on the caller ID system of the person being called (S... (Cambridge Chronicle, MA)
EDITORIAL: Another argument for ethics reform Jun 4, 2009
DiMasi again follows in the steps of his immediate predecessors, Charles Flaherty and Thomas Finneran, who also faced federal indictments upon putting down the speaker's gavel. That record is a powerful indictment of the Beacon Hill culture, and all who have sustained it all these years should hang their heads in shame. (Marblehead Reporter, MA)
Ex-Speaker DiMasi, three others indicted Jun 4, 2009
He became speaker in 2004 after Thomas Finneran resigned during a federal investigation. Finneran pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice for lying during a redistricting lawsuit. (Easton Journal, MA)
Cahill urges quick action on economy in chamber speech Apr 28, 2009
This time there is no House speaker like Salvatore DiMasi or Thomas Finneran to stand in the way of expanded gaming, said Cahill, who expects a new push by the fall. "We're closer than we've ever been," Cahill said. (Marlborough Enterprise, MA)
Pals in high places Apr 19, 2009
When former House Speaker Thomas Finneran was shown a copy of the amendment, which he allegedly ordered placed quietly in the 1999 budget, he said: "Not a bad outcome for Timmy Bassett. Not bad at all.". Meanwhile, while Bassett is still collecting his unethically bloated pension, the Legislature is considering cuts in urgently needed services to the unfortunate citizens of our Commonwealth who do not have a friend in high political places. (Boston Globe -- Editorial)
Budget meltdown continues Apr 16, 2009
During the fiscal crisis of 2002, House Speaker Thomas Finneran unveiled a similar budget that steeled the public and his members for a fight that culminated in the Legislature burying a bid to roll back the state income tax from 5. 3 to 5 percent. (Boston Globe)
House budget chief questions local aid refrain Mar 21, 2009
Nevertheless, his elevation from vice chairman of the Bonding Committee under DiMasi surprised many in the House, in part because of Murphy s relatively recent tenure as a back-bench maverick during former Speaker Thomas Finneran s regime. Murphy said he did not necessarily disagree with characterizations of his brief leadership of the budget panel as fiscally conservative, a mantel the Senate has largely wrested from the House with insistence on reforms before revenue. (Beacon Villager, MA)
DeLeo to terminate DiMasi aides 'in relatively short order' Mar 20, 2009
Gitell said it is not unusual for aides to former House speakers to remain on the payroll after their departure, and he provided termination letters for a handful of aides to former speaker Thomas Finneran. The letters indicated that staffers were paid until January 2005; Finneran resigned in September 2004. (Boston Globe)
Board recommends Finneran disbarred Mar 16, 2009
The state's Board of Bar Overseers of the Supreme Judicial Court has recommended that Thomas Finneran, the state's former Speaker of the House and the one-time head of the , be disbarred from practicing law in the commonwealth, according to a written opinion made public Friday. The 12-member board said Finneran's prior felony conviction for obstruction of justice should prohibit him from practicing law in Massachusetts, as it would for any ordinary bar member. (Boston Business Journal, MA)
State House pauses to remember Speaker George Keverian Mar 14, 2009
Attendees included former Senate Presidents William Bulger, Thomas Birmingham and Robert Travaglini, former Gov. Paul Cellucci, and former House Speakers Salvatore DiMasi, Thomas Finneran, Charles Flaherty, David Bartley and Bob Quinn. Legislators from eras long past filled the chamber s seats, and Keverian s family, clad in black, sat in the House balcony. (Hamilton Wenham Chronicle, MA)
Kaufman weighs 'systemic reform' of tax structure Mar 13, 2009
Kaufman - a suburban liberal who was back-benched under former Speaker Thomas Finneran, elevated to Public Service Committee chair by former Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, and dubbed Revenue Committee chief by DeLeo - pointed to his tenure atop the Public Service Committee as an example of how he would approach tax policy. Kaufman acknowledged his new position could mean he presides over the largest legislatively mandated revenue boost in the state's history. (Lexington Minuteman, MA)
DiMasi considers health care policy consulting role Mar 13, 2009
DiMasi was one of five onetime House leaders who attended Wednesday s memorial service: Robert Quinn, David Bartley, Charles Flaherty, and Thomas Finneran. DiMasi left office in January, after more than four years as speaker, under an ethical cloud amid investigations into his role in legislation and state contracts in which friends of his reportedly had financial interest. (Arlington Advocate, MA)
Beacon Hill rejects real reform, again Mar 12, 2009
You might think a commission would be welcome in Massachusetts, since the last redistricting resulted in Speaker Thomas Finneran being indicted and driven from office. But lawmakers won't easily give up their political games. (West Roxbury Transcript, MA)
Editorial: Beacon Hill says no to reform, again Mar 10, 2009
You might think a commission would be welcome in Massachusetts, since the last redistricting resulted in Speaker Thomas Finneran being indicted and driven from office. But lawmakers won t easily give up their political games. (Boxford Tri Town Transcript, MA)
State House News briefs for March 4 Mar 6, 2009
Former Speaker Thomas Finneran, in January 2007, pled guilty to obstruction of justice charges connected to his involvement in the 2000 redistricting process. The Senate rejected the formation an outside commission earlier this month. (Beacon Villager, MA)
Restoring the rainy day fund after downpour Feb 27, 2009
The most frugal member of the leadership was Thomas Finneran, from 1991 to 1996 chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. He had his faults, of course. (Boston Globe)
Murphy named House budget chief Feb 14, 2009
Murphy s ascendancy comes just a few years after he was a backbencher under former Speaker Thomas Finneran. Under DiMasi, he was vice-chair of the Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets. (Wilmington Advocate, MA)
Editorial: Oblivious on Beacon Hill Feb 10, 2009
The state s last redistricting ended in a federal court, where House Speaker Thomas Finneran s declaration that he wasn t involved in drawing district lines resulted in a perjury indictment. With the next redistricting coming up, Senate Republicans proposed the task be entrusted to an independent commission charged with drawing districts through criteria that don t include political advantage. (Needham Tab, MA)
A new view on the office Feb 7, 2009
It might be the one issue on which he routinely bucked Thomas Finneran, another former speaker. Funding for special needs is one issue that comes under close scrutiny in every budget crisis. (Boston Globe)
