Thomas Finneran

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Former Speaker of the MA House of Representatives Thomas Finneran.
Former Speaker of the MA House of Representatives Thomas Finneran.

Thomas M. Finneran (b. January 27, 1950[1]), Massachusetts politician, is that state's former Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, having served in that capacity from April 1996 to September 2004. After serving the Boston neighborhoods of Dorchester, Mattapan, and Hyde Park, as well as the town of Milton as state representative for 26 years, he resigned his seat and accepted the position of President of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council. He continues to reside in Mattapan in his former district.

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[edit] Early life and family

Finneran's parents were William, a carpet cleaner, and his wife Mary (b. 1920). He is the fourth of seven children (five brothers and two sisters). He and his wife Donna (née Kelley) have two daughters, Kelley and Shannon. He attended the Boston Latin School, graduated from Northeastern University in 1973 with a BA in business administration and finance, and received his JD from Boston College Law School.

[edit] Massachusetts House of Representatives

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He was first elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1978.

[edit] Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives

Finneran rose to the position of Speaker without the support of the majority of his own party. He became the 83rd holder of that office in 1996, when he defeated Democratic Majority Leader Richard Voke, the favorite to win, by obtaining all 35 votes of the Republican caucus as well as 56 of 121 Democratic votes (91 of 158 votes in total).[2] As Speaker, he was known for his fiscal conservatism; he insisted on balanced budgets, and created that state's "rainy day fund." He was also known for having somewhat more conservative positions on some social issues than most Massachusetts Democrats, and for his autocratic leadership style, which earned him the nickname "King Tom" from some detractors.[3] In his 2001 redistricting proposal (see below), some believed that Finneran attempted to strike back against some of his critics by trying to eliminate their districts. For example, his initial proposal would have combined Newton's two main House districts and would have forced incumbent Representatives Kay Khan and Ruth Balser to run against each other. Both Khan and Balser were vocal opponents of Finneran, and it was only after the protests of many women's advocacy groups that Finneran relented.[citation needed]

[edit] Legislative redistricting and court case

After the 2000 U.S. census, in 2001 the Massachusetts House, under Finneran's leadership, drew up new House districts. The redistricting was challenged in Federal court, in a civil case, by the Black Political Task Force and others, as unfair to minority voters by constructing districts intended to favor white incumbents to the detriment of candidates preferred by blacks. In 2004, a three-judge Federal Court panel held that the redistricting plan violated section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by discriminating against black voters. It held that 17 Massachusetts House districts were enjoined from being used in the 2004 election, that the legislature was given six weeks to create an acceptable plan for the districts, and the plaintiff Black Political Task Force could comment on proposed districts before being approved by the Court.[4][5] In a footnote to the decision, the court criticized Finneran, implying that Finneran had misled the court when he testified that he had little involvement in the redistricting process. The court said "Although Speaker Finneran denied any involvement in the redistricting process, the circumstantial evidence strongly suggests the opposite conclusion." Finneran's attorney, Egbert, claimed that the statement was "simply wrong." (Under state law and House rules, Finneran was free to participate in drafting the legislative map before it was released.)[6] Federal prosecutors indicted Finneran in June 2005 in a criminal case, charging him with perjury and obstruction of justice for misrepresenting his participation in the redistricting process. The indictment cited eight meetings that he held about redistricting.[7][8]

[edit] Obstruction of justice in legislative redistricting case

On January 5, 2007, prior to the start of the scheduled criminal trial[9] Finneran pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice charges in exchange for federal prosecutors' dropping perjury charges against him. The plea bargain allowed him to avoid jail time.[8] Federal prosecutors and lawyers for Finneran recommended that the once-powerful figure on Beacon Hill receive 18 months of unsupervised probation and a $25,000 fine. In return, Finneran agreed not to run for any elected political position in state, federal or municipal government for five years after his sentencing date. The US Attorney's office agreed to dismiss three counts of perjury against Finneran.

Finneran pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of justice. On November 14, 2003, he made misleading and false statements under oath in US District Court, according to the agreement. The seven-page document, signed by Finneran on January 3, 2007 states, "Defendant expressly and unequivocally admits that he committed the crime so charged in the indictment, and that he is in fact guilty of the offense so charged in the indictment." Finneran faced 16 to 21 months in prison if he was convicted on all counts stemming from criminal charges that he misrepresented his role in the creation of a legislative redistricting map that diluted the clout of minority voters.

The plea agreement documents show Finneran admits to making false and misleading statements while testifying under oath about whether he had seen and reviewed a redistricting plan before it was filed with the clerk of the House of Representatives. In a transcript of his testimony, Finneran repeatedly denied seeing the plan until it was filed with the House clerk, when all members of the House see the plan.

Finneran is expected to lose his $30,000-a-year pension after his plea. A decision in 2006 by the state Supreme Judicial Court permitted a pension to be revoked in a similar case of breach of public trust. [10] His attorney, Richard Egbert, has said Finneran never claimed he was totally uninvolved in the redistricting process and that he acknowledged in his testimony having about "half a dozen" conversations with leaders of the redistricting committee.[11]

[edit] President of Massachusetts Biotechnology Council

Finneran has served as president of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council since he resigned from the House in 2004.[12] The council is a non-profit organization with more than 500 corporate and academic members, promoting, and supporting the state's biotechnology industry.[13] It has been noticed that the Finneran's value to the council has been primarily to be out of office, as Finneran was a vigorous and powerful opponent of stem cell research and repeatedly blocked legislative efforts to support stem cell research in Massachusetts.[14] Finneran's reported salary was $416,000 a year.[15] On January 8, 2007, less than a week after the plea agreement, Finneran resigned from Biotechnology Council. The council unanimously accepted Finneran’s resignation. Finneran had been praised as a highly effective lobbyist; his resignation permitted an internal debate about having a felon for the Council's president to end.[16][17]

[edit] WRKO

On January 11, 2007, Finneran was announced as the morning drive-time host on the Boston WRKO radio station, replacing Scott Allen Miller.[18]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Who's Who in America 2004, 58th Edition, Marquis Who's Who, Vol. 1 A-K, page 1608
  2. ^ "Finneran moves to heal the House", The Boston Globe, April 10, 1996.
  3. ^ "Finneran lieutenants eye bid for House speaker", The Boston Globe, August 14, 2004.
  4. ^ Senate Council Redistricting Cases: the 2000s Senate Counsel, Research and Fiscal Analysis Office State of Minnesota Senate. Retrieve January 11, 2007.
  5. ^ Black Political Task Force v. Galvin No. 02-11190 (D. Mass. Feb. 24, 2004) (Decision text)]
  6. ^ Issue: Redistricting / Finneran Probe: Background IssueSource (no date). Retrieved January 11, 2007.
  7. ^ Finneran's rules (Editorial) Boston Globe. January 5, 2007. Retrieved January 6, 2007.
  8. ^ a b Phillips, Frank; and Murphy, Shelley. Guilty plea, no jail time expected for Finneran: Ex-speaker would admit obstruction The Boston Globe. January 4, 2007. Retrieved January 6, 2007.
  9. ^ New England In Brief The Boston Globe. April 11, 2006. Retrieved January 11, 2007.
  10. ^ Heuser, Stephen. Plea may not push Finneran from post Boston Globe. January 5, 2007. Retrieved January 6, 2007.
  11. ^ Saltzman, Jonathan. Finneran faces loss of state pension The Boston Globe. January 5, 2007. Retrieved January 6, 2007.
  12. ^ Massachusetts Biotechnology Council - Staff and Board of Directors Retrieved January 7, 2007.
  13. ^ About the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council
  14. ^ Vennochi, Joan. Cloning Tom Finneran The Boston Globe. January 19, 2007. Retrieved January 19, 2007.
  15. ^ Report: Finneran Will Lose Job After Plea: Finneran Likely Out As Early As Monday The Boston Channel (WCVB - Channel 5), January 6, 2007. Retrieved January 7, 2007.
  16. ^ Fitzgerald, Jay; and Wedge, Dave. Finneran resigns job with biotech council The Boston Herald, January 9, 2007. Retrieved January 11, 2007.
  17. ^ Heuser, Stephen. Some on biotech council want Finneran to stay The Boston Globe January 8, 2007. Retrieved January 11, 2007.
  18. ^ Report: Tuning in to Tommy: Finneran’s ‘RKO deal set The Boston Herald, January 11, 2007. Retrieved January 11, 2007.

[edit] External links


Preceded by
Charles Flaherty		 Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
April 9, 1996–September 28, 2004		 Succeeded by
Salvatore DiMasi