Raining On DiMasi

Published May 01 2008, 02:42 PM by David S. Bernstein

You think that these days, when Sal DiMasi staffers step onto their front porch to retrieve the morning newspapers, they pause to savor a few extra moments of believing that they will spend the day talking about budget and legislation issues? (And do you think Deval Patrick aides are finding renewed appreciation for the local press corps?)

The Globe stays hard on the Speaker's case today with a Frank Phillips foray into the Jay Cashman connection; much of it has been previously reported, but Phillips does a nice job making a front-page case out of it.

On the paper's op-ed page, Joan Vennochi lines up and knocks down the "arrogant" speaker, charging that "DiMasi arrogantly refuses to acknowledge the risk of his friendly entanglements."

Over in the Herald, Casey Ross once again mixes it up about House members mixing it up over who will succeed the man who has said he will be Speaker for a "long, long, long, long, long, long time."

And soon you'll be getting news of Peter Torkildsen's press conference, which is taking place as I write, at which, I am told, the state GOP chair will be trying to raise the Speaker's various scandals to the level of crimes and misdemeanors worthy of AG Martha Coakley's attention.

DiMasi did, however, get some love yesterday from the BC Eagles' champion hockey team, which gave him a commemmorative jersey. No word on whether he gave them a list of folks to apply a few rough checks on while they were in the building.

BTW, I'll be on NECN tonight talking about the DiMasi Chronicles with Jim Braude.