Jury selection begins today in the corruption trial of former House Speaker Sal DiMasi, and the former king of Beacon Hill is already looking and talking like a beaten man.
The looming trial has severely exacerbated DiMasi’s existing financial difficulties: He has already been declared an indigent defendant, and as of February, he owed more than $11,000 in back condo fees on his North End residence, which might be seized if he’s found guilty. Old friends and business associates are lining up to testify against him. Last week, when US District Court Judge Mark Wolf ruled that DiMasi’s former law partner can testify that the ex-Speaker suggested he lose his check register — the one recording $65,000 in alleged kickbacks — DiMasi was biting his nails and insisting, none too convincingly, that he’s looking forward to his day in court. Upon boarding a courtroom elevator, mistakenly pressing the up button, and being told by his lawyers, “No, we’re going down,” DiMasi sadly replied, “I used to be on my way up.” Chuck Turner he isn’t.
But if DiMasi has the stink of defeat already hanging over him, things are considerably more tense for the colleagues he left behind on Beacon Hill. Current House Speaker Robert DeLeo, whom DiMasi plucked from the back benches and placed atop the powerful ways and means committee, could have to testify that good politics dictated he push legislation through his committee at his boss’s command. Gov. Deval Patrick and Senate President Therese Murray are other boldface witnesses who could be forced to describe a legislative process in which power politics and horse-trading are commonplace. Staffers from two branches of government, and two gubernatorial administrations, have been called to potentially testify.
The DiMasi trial comes on the heels of the prosecution of Turner and former state senator Dianne Wilkerson. FBI agents are currently hunting for corruption in Revere and Lawrence. Then there’s the pair of grand juries currently weighing evidence in the state Probation Department job-rigging scheme.
And let’s not forget the pending state action against DiMasi’s co-defendant, Richard Vitale, who allegedly pocketed $60,000 while acting as an unregistered lobbyist, and used his connections to DiMasi to push through a ticket scalping bill. Prosecution of the Vitale case is on hold; defense lawyers have said DiMasi could testify in Vitale’s defense, but that DiMasi wasn’t willing to take the stand with a federal rap hanging over his head. The alleged conduit in the Vitale case was state Rep. Thomas Petrolati — a top DiMasi lieutenant, a major player in the Probation scandal, a former enforcer for DeLeo, and, possibly, one of the few Beacon Hill pols thankful that the DiMasi circus is in full swing on the South Boston waterfront. After all, Petro’s name isn’t on anybody’s witness list right now. And that’s more than can be said for a lot of folks on Beacon Hill.
–PAUL MCMORROW
BEACON HILL
The Globe reports that Attorney General Martha Coakley has subpoenaed records from the Lottery Commission and the state treasurer’s office as part of an investigation into whether former treasurer Tim Cahill improperly advertised the Lottery to boost his gubernatorial campaign last year.
Despite emergency regulations from Attorney General Martha Coakley banning them, the New Bedford Standard Times finds phone card video terminals that act as gambling machines are still operating in the area.
Salem Rep. John Keenan files budget amendments that would make it harder to close his city’s coal-burning power plant, prompting accusations that he’s doing the bidding of the plant’s owner, the Gloucester Times reports.
State Rep. James Cantwell says Blue Cross Blue Shield is using the direct pay for ambulance service as a way of “bullying” cities and towns to join its plan .
MUNICIPAL MATTERS
Lantigua in the spotlight. The Eagle-Tribune runs three stories about Lawrence Mayor William Lantigua. One about his power struggle with the head of the Licensing Board, one about the effort to oust the mayor, and another about the governor and the city’s overseer ducking questions about Lantigua. Meanwhile, the Globe reports that Lantigua has a history of vouching for people facing criminal charges. The Herald’s Margery Eagan can’t manage to get Lawrence’s legislators to return her phone calls about the embattled mayor.
In the wake of the recent Boston burrito brouhaha, the Globe editorial page says it’s Mayor Tom Menino who should be saying lo siento.
Milton and Canton consider a deer hunt to help combat Lyme disease, NECN reports.
Marshfield voters shot down a proposal at town meeting to end a 30-year ban on coin-operated video games in town.
Some Falmouth residents aren’t too happy about a church’s application to preach on the beach during the summer.
The spat between Fitchburg and its utility, Unitil, continues.
Towns in the Pentucket school district advance a Prop. 2 1/2 override.
NATIONAL POLITICS/WASHINGTON
Noted presidential observer Bob Woodward tells Keller@Large that President Obama’s risk-averse approach will be sorely tested in Libya and the upcoming budget debate.
The Wall Street Journal’s Gerald Seib breaks down the cynical politics behind debt ceiling votes.
The outside law firm brought in to defend the Defense of Marriage Act drops the case, but one of its partners is vowing to take the job to another firm. House Republicans had hired the firm when the Department of Justice refused to defend the law in court.
ELECTION 2012
Alan Khazei officially announces he’s challenging Scott Brown. And Doug Rubin responds to the cranks on BostonHerald.com who think he’s nuts for suggesting Brown is beatable.
Wall Street tycoons who backed Barack Obama in 2008 are switching teams for 2012.
Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour’s decision not to compete for the Republican presidential nomination brings more confusion to a confused GOP, according to a Washington Post analysis. Barbour told supporters he lacked the “absolute fire in the belly.” More speculation about the decision is here.
Mitt Romney trails Mike Huckabee in a new poll of likely South Carolina primary voters. And Huckabee isn’t even in the race yet.
BUSINESS/ECONOMY
The Pentagon officially ends its second engine program for the next-generation F-35 fighter plane, which is bad news for Lynn, the Item reports.
EDUCATION
The city of Boston offers breakup advice to adolescents, WBUR reports.
MIT president Susan Hockfield tells WBUR’s Radio Boston that higher education is at a crossroads.
Globe columnist Derrick Jackson offers a laundry list of reasons why the UMass Amherst move into the top tier of Division I football is a bad idea.
The New York Times looks at the ways universities fudge Title IX compliance, including double-counting women athletes and counting male practice players as women. CommonWealth’s Jack Sullivan found similar tactics when he examined Massachusetts public universities’ Title IX performance in this Fall 2010 cover story.
HEALTH CARE
Nurses at Tufts Medical Center in Boston and St. Vincent’s Hospital in Worcester plan a one-day strike to protest what they say are unsafe staffing levels. Meanwhile, their colleagues in Pittsfield aren’t happy either.
Vermont’s Senate gives preliminary approval to a health care initiative that puts the state on track to become the first in the nation to adopt a single-payer system, WBUR reports.
TRANSPORTATION
The MBTA wants $70 million for its parking garage underneath North Station. The agency used $45 million in presumed proceeds from that sale to balance its FY2012 budget. The T is also shutting down the Green Line’s Science Park and Lechmere stations for six months to save time on the installation of elevators and other work. Via Universal Hub.
ENERGY/ENVIRONMENT
A Salem nonprofit that operates an affordable housing complex for the elderly celebrates the installation of solar panels paid for with a $256,000 state grant.
The Springfield Republican says that better controls need to be put on hydrofracking, the process of injecting water and various chemicals into the ground in order to find oil and natural gas.
Washington provides funds for a culvert that will allow herring to better access their spawning grounds in Brewster.
The Falmouth Board of Health updates town residents on its wind turbine study.
The five communities that want the Housatonic River cleaned up should keep the pressure on General Electric and the EPA, according the Berkshire Eagle.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Retiring federal judge Nancy Gertner sits down with Emily Rooney to talk about her career and her new book, In Defense of Women.
HELPING HANDS
The Globe has a spirit-lifting story of helping hands that extend from Massachusetts and New Hampshire to earthquake-ravaged Haiti.