DiMasi's ethics questioned
House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi faced renewed fire from critics yesterday for his relationship with developer Jay Cashman, this time in connection to a proposed LNG terminal in Fall River.
The latest accusation stems from DiMasi’s decision to squash legislation two years ago that attempted to bar an LNG facility from being located in Fall River.
The Boston Globe reported Wednesday that Cashman, a close DiMasi friend, purchased 73 acres on the banks of the Taunton River for $2.6 million in 2000. Weaver’s Cove Energy later held options on the property to build an LNG terminal. Then, five months after the LNG legislation died, Cashman sold the land to Weaver’s Cove Energy for $16.8 million.
The Coast Guard ruled last fall that the Taunton River was too dangerous for LNG tankers, putting the project in doubt. The decision has been appealed by Weaver’s Cove.
Rep. David B. Sullivan, D-Fall River, who filed the bill to block the Fall River LNG terminal, said the city has had to fight “the issue of money, relationships and influence” at both the federal and state levels. “Cashman is a businessman and he’s in business to make money and there are relationships that exist,” Sullivan said. “I think it would be foolish for anyone to think that didn’t exist.”
Sullivan did not criticize DiMasi directly, but the Fall River Democrat expressed disappointment that his bill had not come up for a vote. “There was something wrong when this bill was not allowed to have its day on the House floor,” Sullivan said.
State Republican Party Chairman Peter Torkildsen said he would review the situation to determine whether an ethics complaint against DiMasi is warranted. “We are certainly going to look at it because it does raise very significant questions,” Torkildsen said yesterday at a press conference.
Asked to elaborate, Torkildsen said “the whole question on the nature of the relationship and providing things of value to an elected official and whether or not that was violated. We don’t know.”
The state GOP yesterday asked Attorney General Martha Coakley to investigate two prior ethics complaints leveled against DiMasi: the House speaker’s involvement in ticket reselling legislation and a report that votes were cast on behalf of a Burlington representative who was on vacation in the Virgin Islands while the House was in session.
The Globe reported DiMasi’s friend and personal accountant, Richard Vitale, was hired by ticket brokers to promote ticket resale legislation that later passed the House. Vitale, who is not registered as a lobbyist, also loaned DiMasi $250,000 in 2006 through a third mortgage on the speaker’s North end condominium.
The ticket resale law appears dead in the Senate.
DiMasi has also been criticized locally for backing energy legislation that would remove a major obstacle to Cashman’s proposal to erect as many as 120 wind turbines in Buzzards Bay. The provision to open ocean sanctuaries to unlimited renewable energy development was added to an energy bill just before the House debate the bill in November. Some lawmakers weren’t aware renewable energy provision was included when they voted on the wide-ranging energy bill.
DiMasi has asserted the energy bill clears up conflicting language on ocean sanctuaries, and that wind projects would still face state and local permitting.
Seven House leaders, including five committee chairs, held an unusual press conference at the Statehouse yesterday to defend DiMasi. They said DiMasi and his associates had exerted no pressure in the drafting of the energy, LNG and ticket resale bills.
Rep. Michael Rodrigues, D-Westport, who wrote the ticket resale bill, said he didn’t talk to DiMasi about the legislation until after it cleared the Consumer Protection Committee, which he chairs. Rodrigues said the state’s old anti-scalping laws had proven to be unenforceable. The House bill would allow licensed brokers and the public to resell tickets, with the market determining the price.
Rodrigues said he never met Vitale. The lawmaker added he did meet with Boston police, entertainment venue owners and sports teams such as the Red Sox and Patriots. “The bill we put forth is a good consumer protection bill,” Rodrigues said.
Rep. Frank Smizik, D-Brookline, the House chairman of the Environment Committee, said DiMasi had purposely distanced himself from the renewable energy proposal, knowing the sensitivity over his relationship with Cashman. The House and Senate are negotiating differences in an oceans bill in a conference committee.
“There is no favoritism to any development that has been mentioned that has a relationship to the speaker,” Smizik said.
DiMasi has strongly denied rumors that he is thinking of stepping down.
By David Kibbe
Times Boston Bureau
2 May 2008
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