In April 2021, the state’s campaign finance regulator referred evidence to Attorney General Maura Healey that he believed indicated Sen. Ryan Fattman; his wife, Worcester County Register of Probate Stephanie Fattman; and Jim Lyons, the head of the Massachusetts Republican Party, may have violated campaign finance laws.

There was a report last fall that a grand jury had been empaneled in the case, but since then nothing has happened. Many political insiders think the case is dead, but there’s been no public announcement either way – after nearly 1 ½ years.

Fattman declined to comment. He is up for reelection this year and is likely to cruise to victory because he is facing no opponent. Stephanie Fattman is not up for reelection.

In an interview in mid-August, Healey declined to say whether the case is still active.

“I cannot talk about it and I will not talk about ongoing investigations,” she said. “I cannot talk about any ongoing matters referred to my office for criminal investigations.”

Asked what was taking so long, given the fact that most of the evidence had been gathered by another agency, Healey said: “We have to go by the facts and the law and these processes take time.”

The case raises interesting legal questions. There is no limit on how much money a candidate’s campaign committee can donate to a town committee and no limit on what the town committee can donate to an individual candidate. But there is a $100 limit on what a campaign can donate to another campaign.

In August 2020, Sen. Fattman’s campaign donated $25,000 to the Sutton Republican Town Committee and the town committee over the next few months before the election made more than $30,000 in in-kind contributions to Stephanie Fattman’s campaign.

Taken in isolation, there is nothing wrong with any of the contributions. But the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance questioned whether the senator was using the town committee to sidestep the campaign-to-campaign contribution limits.

According to state campaign finance regulations, “a person may not make a contribution to a political committee on the condition or with the agreement or understanding that the funds or a substantial portion of the funds contributed must subsequently be contributed by that committee to any other committee.”

The Sutton Republican Town Committee is practically an offshoot of the Fattman family. It is chaired by Sen. Fattman’s brother, Anthony. The senator serves as secretary and the senator’s parents and wife also serve on the 12-member committee.

The Office of Campaign and Political Finance referred the case to Healey, suggesting the senator’s donations were made to the town committee on the belief they would be passed along to his wife’s campaign. Sen. Fattman, in an unsuccessful lawsuit to block the office’s investigation and in public comments, suggested there was no understanding with the town committee. Fattman’s allies said what he did was no different from what other candidates have done countless times in the past.

The case has dragged on and on with no resolution.

Sen. Fattman created a legal defense fund at the end of June 2021 that has pulled in $179,490 through the end of September. Donors include Ellis Bateman of Dudley ($34,000), Mike Cane of Ashland ($20,000), Imperial Ford of Mendon ($12,500), Ve Properties of Northbridge ($10,000), and Arthur and Debra Remillard of Sutton ($5,000 apiece). Sen. Fattman kicked in $2,500 and his campaign donated $6,265.

The senator also stepped down as the treasurer of his wife’s campaign last October after nearly four years in the post. He was replaced by Benjamin Gibbons, who is also a member of the Sutton Republican Town Committee. So is Gibbons’s wife.

BRUCE MOHL

FROM COMMONWEALTH

Lawmakers, Baker at odds: Advocates for those in jail say Gov. Charlie Baker is trying to gut a provision in a recently passed mental health law that would allow prisoners on suicide watch to transfer to a mental health facility. Baker added legislation to a pending supplemental budget bill that would tweak the newly passed law and make it more difficult for such transfers to take place.

– “This is just another example of senior officials in the governor’s office being very resistant to any independent oversight or review outside of the Department of Correction,” said Sen. Jamie Eldridge, an Acton Democrat who introduced the provision.  Read more.

Commuter rail recovering: The MBTA’s commuter rail trains, which ran nearly empty during the initial stages of the coronavirus pandemic, are filling up with passengers. Ridership is now at 76 percent of pre-COVID levels, on par with buses and the Blue Line. Read more.

Who’s up next? West Tisbury dropped out of a state pilot allowing 10 communities to ban fossil fuel infrastructure in new construction. Boston and Somerville are vying to replace the Martha’s Vineyard community. Read more.

OPINION

More tools needed: Paul Hattis of the Lown Institute says the Health Policy Commission’s recent crackdown on Mass General Brigham illustrates why the agency needs more tools from the Legislature to curb excessive health care spending. Read more.

FROM AROUND THE WEB             

MUNICIPAL MATTERS

An anonymous donor provides another $300,000 to expand an office of sustainability in Beverly. (Salem News)

The current city councilors in Brockton are considering raising the salary of future city councilors from $16,504 to $30,000. (The Enterprise)

Holyoke City Councilor Wilmer Puello-Mota returns to his job after a judge’s decision paved the way for his return. Puello-Mota is facing child pornography and other charges in Rhode Island. (MassLive)

HEALTH/HEALTH CARE

The cost of unsubsidized health insurance marketed by the Massachusetts Health Connector is set to rise 7.6 percent next year. (Boston Globe)

ELECTIONS

Maine gubernatorial candidate Paul LePage stumbles badly over an abortion question in a debate with incumbent Janet Mills. (New York Times)

Boston Herald columnist Howie Carr slams the Massachusetts Republican Party for backing a state Senate candidate, Russell Protentis, who is accused of exposing himself.

The proponents of the millionaire tax say the money will go for education and transportation, but there are no guarantees on how the money will be spent. The Boston Globe asks lawmakers their opinion, and they agree.

BUSINESS/ECONOMY

Elon Musk now wants to buy Twitter at his original price. (New York Times)

EDUCATION

An 18-year-old student was shot outside the Jeremiah E. Burke High School by a fellow student. (Boston Globe)

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/COURTS

Woburn restaurant owners are arrested and charged with human smuggling. (Boston Herald)

Federal authorities arrest a former Northeastern University employee for planting a hoax bomb on campus and then claiming injuries from a blast that never occurred. (Associated Press)

A judge throws out a lawsuit brought by employees of the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home. (Daily Hampshire Gazette)

MEDIA

Donald Trump is suing CNN for defamation and seeking damages of $475 million. (New York Times)

PASSINGS

 Country music legend Loretta Lynn, at 90. (New York Times)