Sal DiMasi – No Pension!
Judge who halts Sal DiMasi hearing a former donor
The judge who abruptly pulled the plug yesterday on a hearing over indicted former House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi’s bid to have his state pension restored gave $50 to the disgraced pol’s election campaign in August 1990, the Herald has learned.
DiMasi’s attorney, Thomas R. Kiley, was a character witness for Boston Municipal Court Judge Raymond G. Dougan Jr. when, three months later, in November 1990, Dougan was nominated an associate justice by then-Gov. Michael S. Dukakis, according to state records.
Dougan, 65, still has DiMasi’s case before him but has postponed it until June 30 so he can confer with BMC Chief Justice Charles Johnson “to determine who is best suited to hear the matter,” said Joan Kenney, state court spokeswoman.
DiMasi, 64, was an assistant Suffolk district attorney in the mid-1970s and later a private attorney who possibly stood before any number of jurists.
The endangered Democrat’s $4,952-per-month retirement allowance has been held up since November while he awaits trial in federal court on mail fraud and conspiracy charges alleging he took $57,000 in bribes from a software company in exchange for state contracts.
DiMasi has pleaded not guilty and claims he needs his pension to pay for his defense and to live.
“I need my retirement allowance to support myself and my family,” he said in court documents. “I had a thriving legal practice until I became speaker but restricted it upon becoming speaker (in 2004) to avoid conflicts and the appearance of conflicts.”
DiMasi resigned his State House seat on Jan. 27, 2009, prior to being indicted. Kiley could not be reached for comment last night.
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view.bg?articleid=1261647