Thursday, 4:30 PM
Statement of former House speaker Thomas M. Finneran
The following is part of a statement former House speaker Thomas M. Finneran gave today after he pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice in plea deal with federal prosecutors:
"I am sorry. I am truly sorry.
"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 the Massachusetts.
"It was a great trust and responsibility to be elected State Representative and to serve as Speaker of the Massachusetts House and it will continue to be one of the greatest honors of my life.
"It is important to note that in twenty-six years of public life, including today, there has never been a hint or allegation of impropriety or self interest in any of my actions. Rather, it is well known, that the advancement of the public interest and protection of the public purse were always paramount in every decision I made.
"It is one of the great ironies of this matter that I was not subpoenaed to testify in the underlying case. Instead, I volunteered to testify, in part because the attorneys for the House knew I had done nothing wrong, and in part because of my pride in the work of the Redistricting Committee in drafting a committee plan which both created and protected minority legislative districts.
"In volunteering to testify, I was quickly drawn in to political and combative questions which I answered in a political and combative manner. That was my mistake and no one else’s and I will regret that mistake for the rest of my life.
"At a very young age, my mother, who is now 86, taught me to admit my mistakes clearly and without hesitation. I have passed that lesson on to my own two daughters and I am sure that they in turn will pass that lesson down to their children.
"Today I acknowledge, clearly and without hesitation, my errors in judgment concerning my conduct in court that day.
"I have thought long and hard about my conduct that day in federal court. If I could erase that day, if I could erase my lapse in judgment, I would do so in a moment. But I cannot undo it and the wound I have inflicted on myself will be with me and will hurt for the rest of my life.
I sincerely apologize to the Court and to the citizens of Massachusetts.
