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| -Lurid Crime Tales- |
| Prosecutors propose 12-year sentence for DiMasi |
| 2011-08-26 |
| Federal prosecutors have proposed that former Massachusetts House speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi serve 12 years and seven months in federal prison for his conviction on corruption charges. The sentence would be the most severe ever handed down in a federal political corruption case in Massachusetts, according to court records. The prosecutors asked US District Judge Mark Wolf to consider DiMasi's standing as speaker of the House of Representatives when he carried out the crimes, as well as his insistence on his innocence after the jury rendered its verdict. Wolf is slated to sentence DiMasi on Sept. 8. "DiMasi's sentence should reflect the seriousness of his offense, promote respect for the law, provide just punishment, and afford adequate deterrence," prosecutors said in a 19-page sentencing proposal filed in US District Court in Boston. "Any public official who engages in a bribery/kickback scheme severely undermines the trust that citizens place in their elected officials to act honestly and without self-interest. He undermines the work of the majority of the other non-corrupt public officials who put forth an honest effort and act in the interest of the public." |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #7 Sal sez he's willing to do...3 Lawyers for former Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi say three years in prison is enough punishment for his conviction on corruption charges. DiMasi was convicted in June on charges he used his clout as speaker to steer two lucrative state contracts to a software firm in exchange for payments. In a sentencing memo filed Friday in U.S. District Court, DiMasiÂ’s lawyers say he "derived a very small personal benefit from the offense," and has a long record of dedicated public service. Heh. I'd tack it on to the 12 1/2... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2011-08-26 18:53 |
| #6 Whitey's done. He'll die inside. Who they'd really want to nail is his brother Billy, the old Senate President. But it'll never happen They've tried more than once. He'll get his payback in the next world...while his wife collects half of his $200,000 state pension. With our luck, the bitch will live forever. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2011-08-26 15:20 |
| #5 Whitey Bulger's revenge? |
| Posted by: Pappy 2011-08-26 15:12 |
| #4 ""Any public official who engages in a bribery/kickback scheme severely undermines..." On Beacon hill? Really?? That's just business as usual. Seems a bit unfair to just single a couple guys out when they're all doing it. |
| Posted by: My two cents 2011-08-26 14:14 |
| #3 The difference is Illinois governors usually do time. Up here, convicted house speakers become lobbyists or get radio talk shows. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2011-08-26 11:18 |
| #2 Cheez, Massachusetts has almost as many House Speakers convicted as Illinois as governors. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2011-08-26 09:02 |
| #1 Sal's the third scalp in the fed's Massachusetts House Speakers Hat Trick. 1. 1996: "Good Time" Charlie Flaherty: Agreed to plead guilty to felony tax evasion for submitting false receipts regarding his business expenses.In addition, he also admitted to civil violations of state conflict of interest law for receiving free vacation housing from lobbyists. 2. 2007: Tom "Tommy Taxes" Finneran: Prior to the start of the scheduled criminal trial Finneran pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of justice in exchange for federal prosecutors' dropping perjury charges against him. The plea bargain allowed him to avoid jail time. 3. 2011: Sal Dimasi: Resigned from this post in January of 2009, just six months prior to being indicted on several Federal charges, including conspiracy to defraud the federal government, extortion, mail fraud and wire fraud. DiMasi was found guilty on 7 of 9 federal corruption charges on June 15, 2011. DiMasi is the third consecutive Massachusetts house speaker to be federally indicted. No need to play "guess that party". You already know. And it's always the feds taking them down, because the last three AG's Harshbarger, Reilly and Coakley were good Dems who know how the game is played and spent the time feeding their seeing eye dogs. Sal may not do 12, but he'll do time, unlike his scumbag predecessors. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2011-08-26 00:49 |