Former House Speaker Finneran Indicted

[paineinthearse]

From WCVB

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/4574359/detail.html

Former House Speaker Indicted
Grand Jury Investigating Finneran's Redistricting Testimony

POSTED: 1:20 pm EDT June 6, 2005
UPDATED: 7:41 pm EDT June 6, 2005

BOSTON -- Criminal charges were filed Monday against former Massachusetts Speaker of the House Thomas Finneran. NewsCenter 5's Jack Harper reported that the man once considered the most powerful politician in the state now faces possible prison time.

The federal indictment stems from Finneran's role in a failed redistricting plan. He's accused of three counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice.

In a statement earlier Monday, Finneran said that he was looking at questionable motives of the U.S. Attorney's Office, but when he left his office later in the day, he said he was looking forward to a day in court.

"I plan on showing up in court next week and entering a very firmly stated plea of not guilty on all charges. I also continued to plan on doing my work here at the Biotechnology Council. There is a lot of important work that has to be done for Massachusetts. I am directly engaged in it. I enjoy it," he said.

Video - http://www.thebostonchannel.com/index.html - Jack Harper Reports On Finneran

Video - http://www.thebostonchannel.com/index.html - Janet Wu Reports On Reaction To Indictment

Timeline - http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/4576394/detail.html

Finneran's Redistricting Timeline

POSTED: 6:55 pm EDT June 6, 2005
UPDATED: 7:39 pm EDT June 6, 2005

April, 1996: Thomas Finneran is elected the new House speaker, replacing former Speaker Charles Flaherty, who resigned after admitting to tax charges and ethics violations;
January, 2001: Finneran pushes through a change lifting the eight-year term limit for House speakers, a move critics said was an attempt by the Boston Democrat to consolidate power;
October, 2001: House lawmakers approve a new redistricting map that would later come under fire from critics who said it protected incumbents;
June, 2002: Advocates representing black and Hispanic voters file a suit in U.S. District Court Thursday charging that the redistricting plan harmed minority voters;
November, 2003: Finneran testifies in federal court that he had no role in devising the redistricting plan, beyond recommending committee members;
February, 2004: The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals orders a new map drawn and questions Finneran's testimony that he had no role in the drafting the plan.
June 6, 2005: Finneran is indicted on three counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice in connection with his testimony before the federal court.

From the Globe:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/06/06/grand_jury_indicts_finneran/

Grand jury indicts Finneran
3 counts of perjury, 1 of obstructing justice
By Shelley Murphy, Globe Staff | June 6, 2005

A federal grand jury today brought a criminal indictment against former Massachusetts House Speaker Thomas M. Finneran for allegedly lying in a civil case on legislative redistricting. Finneran is charged with three counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice. The indictment follows a yearlong investigation into the Mattapan Democrat, who dominated state politics for nearly a decade until his departure last year. The charges from the Boston grand jury involve Finneran's testimony under oath after civil rights groups filed a federal suit alleging that a House redistricting plan protected white incumbents and diluted the clout of minority voters.

The charges could lead to jail time and the loss of Finneran's license to practice law if he's convicted. The first perjury count alleges that Finneran lied on the stand Nov. 14, 2003 during the civil trial, when he was still speaker, and testified that he had no knowledge of the contents of the redistricting plan until it was made public on Oct. 18, 2001. The second perjury count alleges that Finneran also lied when he testified that he didn't discuss the redistricting plan as it related to his district in advance with one of his top lieutenants, the House chairman of the Joint Committee on Redistricting, Representative Thomas M. Petrolati. The third perjury charge accuses Finneran of lying during a March 28, 2003 deposition when questioned by lawyers in the civil case about documents they were seeking. Finneran allgedly said he did not have the documents the lawyers were seeking -- including calendars relating to campaign events -- when did actually have them.

Finneran is also charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly attempting to thwart a federal investigation by lying durign the civil trial and in his deposition. Finneran, who served as speaker for eight years before resigning last fall to become president of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, has not been arrested, and instead will be summonsed into US District Court in Boston for arraignment on the charges. Today's charges followed a yearlong probe by the FBI which was triggered after a three-judge panel threw out the redistricting map and issued an opinion that expressed skepticism about Finneran's truthfulness.

Later this afternoon, Finneran issued the following statement concerning the indictments: "26 years of unblemished public service and unquestioned integrity speaks volumes. So do the calls, cards, and comments from state and federal prosecutors, past and present, judges, attorneys, business leaders and citizens of all stripes regarding the questionable motives and machinations of the US attorney's office. My response to the charges brought against me today is NOT GUILTY. My family and I look forward to my day in court. Until then, I will have no further comment."

[OhMcNo]

1. Here it is...(reg required...)

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/06/06/ex_mass_house_speaker_indicted_in_probe/

[Zenlitened]

3. From the boston.com link:

Ex-Mass. House speaker indicted in probe

By Steve Leblanc, Associated Press Writer | June 6, 2005

BOSTON --Former Massachusetts House Speaker Thomas Finneran was indicted Monday on federal charges of lying under oath about his role in the redrawing of the state's legislative districts.

Finnerman was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice and could be sent to prison and lose his license to practice law if convicted.

Finneran, who resigned last September to head the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, was widely considered the state's most powerful politician during his eight years as speaker.

...

"It is a severe breach of the public trust and serves to diminish confidence in government and undermine the integrity of our judicial process," U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan said. "What's important is when someone raises his hand to tell the truth, he tells the truth."

[Zenlitened]

2. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy. Finneran is THE reason...

... we've had so many repuke governors in recent years. It was Finneran's Way or No Way while he was speaker, so even level-headed Dems saw some wisdom in balancing things out by voting GOP for governor. I think with him gone, and Romney being the complete Nothing that he is, we have a good chance of putting a Democrat back in the corner office.

[merbex]

4. I have to be honest and say that based upon what I had read about

Finneran and they way he handled the position he had I never liked him

I always felt he was a big reason why the Dems lost the corner office to Mitt and also when Harshbarger lost

But if I listened to Howie Carr or any of the other RW weirdos and they unleashed on Finneran for what he was indicted for I would waste my minutes on my cell for the opportunity to ask if they said the same stuff about Tom Delay

Essentially Delay did the same stuff with redistricting in Texas AND used Homeland defense to track down Dem reps from Texas in Oklahoma

Where is their outrage about that?

I HATE their hypocracy

[conservdem]

6. I am glad they indicted him. I hope Gov. Swift gets indicted next for

her perjury in the case brought by the former Pike Board member, Christy Mihos (sp?).

More perjury cases should be brought to discourage the false testimony and injustice it furthers.

[bottomofthehill]

7. For stupidity

He may go to jail for stupidity not for redistricting. He was asked under oath if he say or knew about the restricting plans. As SPEAKER HE SHOULD HAVE SEEN THEM AND HAD EVERY RIGHT TO SEE THEM. He lied and said he had no knowledge of the plans, that seems to make him both a fool and a liar.

As far as a person, he is an ass. HE was not elected speaker in the democratic caucus so he cut a deal with the Republicans in the state house to make him the Speaker. To me that makes him a republican. You lay down with dogs you get fleas. He sucks and I hope they throw him in jail

[conservdem]

5. Do you know where we can get the indictment.

I would like to read it.

[TaleWgnDg]

8. Hey, conservdem, welcome to DU . . .

.
Hey, conservdem, welcome to DU; and here's the U.S. Atty's press release dated June 6, 2005 on this matter http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/ma/presspage/June2005/Finneran-Thomas-Indictment.htm

"charging (Finneran) with three counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice."

I am no fan of Tom Finneran. Never have been. Finneran's social conservative mix of his religion into his politics, hence his inability to Separate Church and State, was a thorn in my side. And, in the side of many Bay Staters! For example, State Representative Sal DiMasi (D., North End), who is Finneran's successor as Speaker of the House, has chucked the rightwing Finneran stance -- I couldn't be more pleased!

All that being said, I will step into this fray by saying that I don't see how the U.S. Attorney has a case. Not that I am "in on" the facts and circumstances as Attorney Sullivan or his office is aware; however, the federal crime of perjury in a civil case as claimed in this instance -- particularly where the allegations are not material to the case -- doesn't hold water, legally. Which raises further questions. Motive! No, not Tom's motives, but Sullivan's motives! Has he any other than his duty as U.S. Attorney? Uuummm, that's a rhetorical question to be left hanging, unanswered. So far anyway.

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"Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts
absolutely." - Lord Acton (1887)
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edited to add: As any law school student knows about federal prosecutors and federal grand juries, "it's easy to indict a ham sandwich!"


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[conservdem]

9. Thanks. It strikes me that some of his false testimony will be

found by a judge and/or jury to be material. Also Sullivan may have pressed this case because of federal judges noting Finneran's false testimony. The groups pressing the underlying case would also have yelled about a cover up if Sullivan had dropped the matter.

I doubt that Sullivan will gain much from the prosecution with Massachusetts voters and may actually lose votes overall because Finneran supporters and apologists will not vote for him. So that makes me think Sullivan's motive was not just self serving. (I my opinion it was the right thing to do. Perjury in civil cases is very troubling to me and I think it should be prosecuted more often to discourage the conduct.)

Do you see any validity in my points on this?

[TaleWgnDg]

10. Excellent points and well made too . . .

.
Excellent points and well made too . . . And, yes, Finneran was an easy target due to the federal judge's footnote about Finneran's assertions in the gerrymandering case. These charges are brought under the newly appointed U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales who is known for his "law and order" Republican stance. On top of that he is u/ the extreme rightwing Bush administration. So. It's no surprise that Finneran (a Democrat) is a walking target, particularly from Massachusetts, the bluest of blue states, and the ex-Speaker of the Massachusetts House! What a trophy! How lovely Finneran's head would be hung from Bush's Oval Office.

However, the proof is in the pudding as it's said (and in my "ham sandwich" statement too). Federal perjury is no cakewalk to prove. In the meantime, I shall await patiently the outcome.

BTW, U.S. Attorney Sullivan is not voted in -- has no election -- instead, Sullivan is appointed under the Bush administration. Attorney Sullivan represents the U.S. Department of Justice, Boston Office. He's the head federal prosecutor out of the Boston Office.

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