Representative Don Humason



DIMASI INDICTMENT June 6, 2009 By State Representative Don Humason, Jr. It was a tense atmosphere at the State House this week for members of the Majority Party. Legislators, staffers, lobbyists, and reporters under the Golden Dome were all abuzz at the news that former Democrat Speaker of the House Salvatore DiMasi was indicted by a Federal Grand Jury on eight counts of corruption. Sal DiMasi is the third Democrat Speaker in a row who has been indicted. Bob DeLeo, Democrat of Winthrop, is the current Speaker and was Chairman of House Ways and Means under DiMasi. Speaker DeLeo met with Democrat members of the Legislature in a closed-door caucus this week. According to the State House News Service, “After the caucus, DeLeo, Gov. Deval Patrick, and Senate President Therese Murray issued a joint statement saying they had agreed, in light of Tuesday's indictments of DiMasi and three associates, to pass legislation "swiftly that includes the best provisions" of their respective proposals to overhaul ethics, lobbying and campaign finance rules. “The ethics bill conference committee is scheduled to meet for the first time Thursday. The ethics reform proposals were assembled and advanced fairly quickly following last year's federal indictment of former Sen. Dianne Wilkerson on corruption charges. “House Republicans said they would continue to hammer their theme that one-party rule, with Democrats holding nearly 90 percent of legislative seats, breeds corruption. "I think we're going to continue on the talk of open, transparent government," said House Minority Whip George Peterson, using his fingers to place quotation marks around the last three words. “The state Republican Party issued a list of 32 Democrats who had voted for the past three speakers, DiMasi, Thomas Finneran, and Charles Flaherty, all of whom were indicted.” As one of only 16 Republican State Representatives out of 160 members of the Massachusetts House, it is often very frustrating for me to see the lack of balance in the political power structure on Beacon Hill. It disappoints me to see leader after leader of this Legislature leaving under an ethical cloud. I know that the public paints all legislators with the same brush, but we are not all the same. I take my oath of office, my integrity, and personal reputation very seriously. Nick Connors, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Republican Party, released this statement Wednesday: “The developments of the last 24 hours have been nauseating. The third consecutive indictment of a Democrat House speaker is a disgrace. While the federal government seeks to hold Sal DiMasi accountable, we will seek to hold accountable the 135 Democrats who ignored the obvious scandal and re-elected him as speaker in January. Every House member who supported DiMasi must be called out for endorsing his corrupt leadership. It is time, once again, to clean up the mess on Beacon Hill by electing new legislators who are committed to small government, lower taxes and finally ending the culture of corruption and waste. “Everyone of these House Democrats enabled the corruption of state government, and they know better. They chose their own interests and special interests over the interests of their constituents. They have worn out their welcome on Beacon Hill, and if they don't leave on their own, we need to make sure voters will show them the door.” I know, I know, you would expect that from the Republicans. But according to another State House News Service report, even the Massachusetts Green-Rainbow Party was piling on: “The state’s tiny Green-Rainbow Party on Thursday called former Speaker Salvatore DiMasi’s indictment on federal corruption charges “the tip of the iceberg” on a corrupt Beacon Hill and blamed “dirty money” for controlling the legislative agenda. “Party co-chair Eli Beckerman said in a statement, “Urgently needed legislation gets sidetracked while legislative leadership puts their greatest efforts into doing favors for their friends. Catching one of them in an illegal act once in a while doesn’t address the massive flow of money that goes from special interests into campaign accounts. This money is shaping the state budget, tax policy, and the laws under which we live. It creates an atmosphere of corruption that inevitably undermines the public interest.” I’ll conclude by saying that all this is a huge distraction from the important and necessary work legislators should be focusing on; things like our economy, the budget, and the Transportation, Pension, and Ethics reform bills still in Conference Committee. And, on a happier note, congratulations high school graduates of the Class of 2009! * * * Representative Don Humason and his Chief of Staff Sarah Latour may be reached at their Westfield District office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, 568-1366. Email address: Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.state.ma.us Website: www.donhumason.org
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DIMASI INDICTMENT

June 6, 2009

By State Representative Don Humason, Jr.

It was a tense atmosphere at the State House this week for members of the Majority Party. Legislators, staffers, lobbyists, and reporters under the Golden Dome were all abuzz at the news that former Democrat Speaker of the House Salvatore DiMasi was indicted by a Federal Grand Jury on eight counts of corruption.

Sal DiMasi is the third Democrat Speaker in a row who has been indicted. Bob DeLeo, Democrat of Winthrop, is the current Speaker and was Chairman of House Ways and Means under DiMasi. Speaker DeLeo met with Democrat members of the Legislature in a closed-door caucus this week.

According to the State House News Service, “After the caucus, DeLeo, Gov. Deval Patrick, and Senate President Therese Murray issued a joint statement saying they had agreed, in light of Tuesday's indictments of DiMasi and three associates, to pass legislation "swiftly that includes the best provisions" of their respective proposals to overhaul ethics, lobbying and campaign finance rules.

“The ethics bill conference committee is scheduled to meet for the first time Thursday.
The ethics reform proposals were assembled and advanced fairly quickly following last year's federal indictment of former Sen. Dianne Wilkerson on corruption charges.

“House Republicans said they would continue to hammer their theme that one-party rule, with Democrats holding nearly 90 percent of legislative seats, breeds corruption.
"I think we're going to continue on the talk of open, transparent government," said House Minority Whip George Peterson, using his fingers to place quotation marks around the last three words.

“The state Republican Party issued a list of 32 Democrats who had voted for the past three speakers, DiMasi, Thomas Finneran, and Charles Flaherty, all of whom were indicted.”

As one of only 16 Republican State Representatives out of 160 members of the Massachusetts House, it is often very frustrating for me to see the lack of balance in the political power structure on Beacon Hill. It disappoints me to see leader after leader of this Legislature leaving under an ethical cloud.

I know that the public paints all legislators with the same brush, but we are not all the same. I take my oath of office, my integrity, and personal reputation very seriously.

Nick Connors, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Republican Party, released this statement Wednesday:

“The developments of the last 24 hours have been nauseating. The third consecutive indictment of a Democrat House speaker is a disgrace. While the federal government seeks to hold Sal DiMasi accountable, we will seek to hold accountable the 135 Democrats who ignored the obvious scandal and re-elected him as speaker in January. Every House member who supported DiMasi must be called out for endorsing his corrupt leadership. It is time, once again, to clean up the mess on Beacon Hill by electing new legislators who are committed to small government, lower taxes and finally ending the culture of corruption and waste.

“Everyone of these House Democrats enabled the corruption of state government, and they know better. They chose their own interests and special interests over the interests of their constituents. They have worn out their welcome on Beacon Hill, and if they don't leave on their own, we need to make sure voters will show them the door.”

I know, I know, you would expect that from the Republicans. But according to another State House News Service report, even the Massachusetts Green-Rainbow Party was piling on:

“The state’s tiny Green-Rainbow Party on Thursday called former Speaker Salvatore DiMasi’s indictment on federal corruption charges “the tip of the iceberg” on a corrupt Beacon Hill and blamed “dirty money” for controlling the legislative agenda.

“Party co-chair Eli Beckerman said in a statement, “Urgently needed legislation gets sidetracked while legislative leadership puts their greatest efforts into doing favors for their friends. Catching one of them in an illegal act once in a while doesn’t address the massive flow of money that goes from special interests into campaign accounts. This money is shaping the state budget, tax policy, and the laws under which we live. It creates an atmosphere of corruption that inevitably undermines the public interest.”

I’ll conclude by saying that all this is a huge distraction from the important and necessary work legislators should be focusing on; things like our economy, the budget, and the Transportation, Pension, and Ethics reform bills still in Conference Committee.

And, on a happier note, congratulations high school graduates of the Class of 2009!

* * *

Representative Don Humason and his Chief of Staff Sarah Latour may be reached at their Westfield District office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, 568-1366. Email address: Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.state.ma.us Website: www.donhumason.org

This Site Designed and Maintained by: The Barre Group