Speaker of the House Salvatore DiMasi (D-North End) delivered his farewell address Tuesday afternoon asking House members to put aside their differences so they can work together to tackle the state’s and nation’s mounting financial troubles.
DiMasi formally announced that he would resign Sunday evening amidst ongoing investigations of his ethics. He has been under critical fire for his involvement with friend and former accountant Richard Vitale, who is facing illegal lobbying charges, according to the Boston Globe.
‘It was the right thing to do to take the cloud of any kind of suspicious behavior out of the Statehouse,’ Rep. Elizabeth Poirier (R-North Attleboro) said in reference to the ethics investigations surrounding DiMasi.
DiMasi told House members their work ahead would be tough and the only way for them to accomplish anything in the face of mounting economic crisis would be to pull together.
‘Make sure that you stay true to this institution,’ DiMasi said. ‘Please do not have this place looked upon as a place of dissention.’
DiMasi said he was proud of being the first Italian-American to serve as Speaker of the House. In his resignation address, he recounted tales of his parents and grandparents, who he said influenced him to dedicate himself fully to all tasks. DiMasi said his resignation was a chance for him to spend more time with his family and would allow fellow legislators to fully focus on their work.
‘I was never anyone who was half in, half out,’ DiMasi said.
He said staying in the House while grappling with investigations would have been unfair to his constituents, who needed his full attention.
DiMasi has served in the House since 1979, and colleagues credit him for working to block gambling from Massachusetts, helping pass the regulations that require all residents to have health insurance and playing an influential part in ensuring equal rights for same-sex couples.
‘In my considered judgment, there’s been no speaker that has done more for the chamber, the people of the Commonwealth,’ Rep. David Flynn (D-Bridgewater) said while introducing DiMasi.
Rep. Patricia Haddad (D-Somerset) said DiMasi’s resignation represented a time of transition for the Legislature with a new Speaker and drastically reduced budgets. She said DiMasi had played a crucial role in improving the education system. Haddad said she agreed with DiMasi’s resignation speech theme of unity.
‘We all have to pull together and make the pie stretch,’ Haddad said , referring to the legislative duty to make sense of a deteriorating budget.
The House will vote on a new speaker Wednesday. Rep. Robert DeLeo (D-Winthrop) is the likely candidate after Rep. John Rogers (D-Norfolk) pulled his name out of the race Tuesday, according to the State House News Service.
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