A visibily distraught DiMasi turned to hug his crying wife and stepdaughter after the verdict was read.
05.27.2011 | BOSTON - Former Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi arrives at the John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse accompanied by his wife, Debbie DiMasi.BOSTON — A federal jury convicted former Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi Wednesday in a scheme to steer two state contracts worth $17.5 million to a software firm in exchange for payments to the powerful lawmaker and two of his close friends.
According to Boston-based radio station WBZ-AM DiMasi was convicted of seven of the nine charges against him.
Lobbyist Richard McDonough was also found guilty of most counts of fraud and conspiracy, but the jury cleared DiMasi’s other associate, accountant Richard Vitale, on all counts, the station reported.
A visibily distraught DiMasi turned to hug his crying wife and stepdaughter after the verdict was read.
He was convicted of conspiracy, extortion and theft of honest services by fraud.
Also convicted of conspiracy and fraud was lobbyist Richard McDonough. Accountant Richard Vitale was acquitted. Both are close associates of DiMasi.
A fourth man, former software salesman Joseph Lally, pleaded guilty before trial and testified against the others.
DiMasi, a Democrat, who resigned in January 2009, was the third consecutive House Speaker to leave office under an ethics cloud.
More details coming on Masslive and in The Republican.