Judge To Consider Freezing Sal DiMasi's Pension
BOSTON (CBS) - A Suffolk Superior Court judge has taken under advisement a move by the state's attorney general to freeze former House Speaker Sal Dimasi's state pension benefits, pending his scheduled sentencing in September.
In court, Judge Janet Sanders said the state's ability to claim the money is not a "slam dunk," but she said there seems to be something really wrong about DiMasi collecting retirement benefits after betraying his office.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Doug Cope reports.
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Afterward, DiMasi's attorney, Tom Kiley, contended his client's pension could only be suspended upon final conviction, which is the sentencing date. That date, now Sept. 8, could be put off by planned appeals.
"I think that a pension should be the last place in the world that people should be looking to go. What are we doing with a pensioner? You are by definition now retired. You are depended upon your pension to be of support," said Kiley.
In court, Kiley said DiMasi is in tough financial straits and said the pension payments are "not about to break the Commonwealth."
Assistant AG David Marks, meanwhile, said DiMasi could get a job and earn money.
DiMasi himself did not appear in court.
