Thursday, 4:30 PM
After guilty plea, Finneran says : 'I am truly sorry'
(John Tlumacki/Globe Staff)
Former House speaker Thomas Finneran helped his wife Donna to a waiting van today when the couple was surrounded by cameras after leaving federal court. Finneran pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice in a deal with prosecutors to avoid prison time.
By Shelley Murphy and Stephanie Ebbert, Globe Staff
Former House speaker Thomas M. Finneran avoided prison time by pleading guilty today to obstruction of justice in exchange for federal prosecutors' dropping perjury charges against him.
US District Judge Richard G. Stearns approved the deal and sentenced the once-powerful Beacon Hill figure to 18 months of unsupervised probation and a $25,000 fine. Finneran also agreed not to run for any elected political position in state, federal or municipal government for five years after his sentencing date.
In return, the US Attorney's office also agreed to dismiss three counts of perjury against Finneran. Outside the courthouse, he was direct and sober as he addressed a throng of reporters.
"I am sorry. I am truly sorry," Finneran said. "A few moments ago, I apologized to the court, and over the past several months, I have apologized to my family for putting them through this ordeal. Now, through you, I want to apologize to the people who elected me, to my former legislative colleagues, and to the people of Massachusetts."
Finneran pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of justice, that on Nov. 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 Jan. 3, says "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 would have faced 16 to 21 months in prison if he was convicted on all counts stemming from the long legal battle over charges that he misrepresented his role in the creation of a legislative redistricting map that diluted the clout of minority voters.
Finneran is almost certain to lose his $30,000-a-year pension after his plea because of a decision last year by the state Supreme Judicial Court. Finneran may also be disbarred, but he could survive as president of the state’s top life-science lobby.
The plea agreement documents show Finneran will admit 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.
"Did you review any of the redistricting plans as the process proceeded?" Finneran was asked.
"Not as the process proceeded, No sir," he responded.
"So the first time you saw a redistricting plan was when the redistricting committee disseminated its plan to the full House, is that your testimony?"
"That is my testimony. Yes, sir," Finneran responded.
The indictment cited several meetings Finneran conducted before the formal release of the redistricting map, including one in which he reviewed a redistricting plan for each district in the state, including his own.
Finneran had previously vehemently denied the charges and suggested the case against him was politically motivated, referring to the "questionable motives and machinations of the U.S. attorney's office."
"I'm not going to lose any sleep over it," he told reporters the day the indictment was handed down.
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. Under state law and House rules, Finneran was free to help draft the legislative map before it was released.
Material from the Associated Press was included in this report.
