Travaglini said he came to the trial to show support for DiMasi.
Then Massachusetts Senate President Robert E. Travaglini, of Boston, left, shares a laugh with then Minority Leader Sen. Brian P. Lees, of East Longmeadow, in the Senate chambers at the Statehouse in Boston in 2005.
BOSTON – Former Massachusetts Senate President Robert Travaglini made a surprise visit Tuesday to the federal courtroom where ex-House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi and two associates are on trial.
Travaglini was the leader of the Senate in 2006 when a state budget amendment was approved to fund the first of two contracts for the software firm Cognos. He was not accused of any wrongdoing and was not called as a witness in the case.
Travaglini said he came to the trial on Tuesday to show support for DiMasi, who is charged with two co-defendants in an alleged scheme to steer two state contracts to Cognos worth a combined $17.5 million.
As he was leaving the courthouse on Tuesday, DiMasi said he and Travaglini had a “great relationship” while serving together in the Legislature.
Also Tuesday, defense attorneys are preparing to wrap up their case this week after calling only a handful of the 117 potential witnesses listed prior to the start of the trial.
U.S. District Court Judge Mark Wolf has indicated that the defense will likely rest on Wednesday, with jury deliberations expected to begin by Monday at the latest.
Maryann Calia, DiMasi’s former chief of staff, testified on Tuesday that she never recalled hearing DiMasi mention the firm Cognos by name while advocating for performance management software.
DiMasi, Richard McDonough and Richard Vitale are charged with scheming to use the speaker’s clout to steer two lucrative state contracts to Cognos, in exchange for payments.
More details coming on MassLive and in The Republican.