Romney defends aide's appointment

Even as the move drew sharp criticism, Governor Mitt Romney yesterday stood by his appointment of his spokesman, Eric Fehrnstrom, to the Brookline Housing Authority.

Romney also said that the pension gains that will result for Fehrnstrom are of no concern to him.

"I don't disqualify someone because appointing them would mean they would get pension benefits," Romney said. "I think it would be an inappropriate way to make any appointment."

The Boston Globe reported yesterday that Romney had appointed Fehrnstrom to a five-year term as the governor's designee on the authority.

Although the position is part-time, the appointment will allow Fehrnstrom, who is to leave his spokesman's job on Jan. 4, to extend his years in government and obtain the 10 years of service necessary to qualify for a state pension.

The Fehrnstrom appointment set off a stir in the political world. Romney has touted himself as a reformer, and has launched attacks on Beacon Hill perks and extravagant pension benefits.

The head of the state pension system, Michael Travaglini, denounced the move. Former governor Michael S. Dukakis, a lifelong Brookline resident, questioned Fehrnstrom's qualifications for the post.

Romney said he was unaware when he made the appointment last week that it would qualify Fehrnstrom, his communications director, for a state pension.

But Romney said he remained comfortable with his decision. The appointment could mean a difference of several hundred thousand dollars for Fehrnstrom.

Fehrnstrom, 45, reiterated yesterday that his interest in the post stems from his desire to serve his community, and said he is unaware of the exact impact of the appointment on his future pension.

"I'm not retiring any time soon, and I'm not sure what I'll qualify for when I do," he said in an e-mail message to The Boston Globe. "But I feel honored to be able to serve on the Housing Authority Board in the town where I've lived for the past 20 years."

Still, in recent weeks, Fehrnstrom seemed to have moved to lay the groundwork to obtain the pension benefits.

Fehrnstrom has bought back into the system through the repayment of cash he had withdrawn when he left a state job in Treasurer Joseph D. Malone's office in 1999.

Romney said that he had not discussed the pension implications of the appointment with Fehrnstrom before he approved it. He said he was not concerned that Fehrnstrom had not raised the pension issue.

The governor said he had spoken with Fehrnstrom about the pension implications of the appointment for the first time yesterday morning, but still was unclear of the details.

"I don't know at this point what the pension implications are," Romney said.

"I don't know whether he does or anyone else does," Romney said.

But Travaglini, executive director of the state's $44 billion pension fund, said that claim is not believable.

"This smacks of collusion," said Travaglini, a Democrat who was appointed to his post with Romney's support.

"Mr. Fehrnstrom shopped around for a position that would allow him to be eligible for a pension," Travaglini said.

"And by appointing him to the housing board, the governor is complicit. You don't need a forensic accountant to connect the dots."

Travaglini added: "This is precisely the type of manipulation of the pension law that the governor and Mr. Fehrnstrom have railed about."

Dukakis said his major concern is Fehrnstrom's lack of experience or expertise.

"The real point is, this guy has never been involved in the civic life of the community and has absolutely no track record when it comes to affordable housing," said the former Democratic governor. "This thing was made on the merits? How can that possibly be?"'

Fehrnstrom scoffed at Dukakis's remarks.

"Just because I don't attend Democratic Town Committee meetings with Mike Dukakis doesn't mean I'm not involved in my community," he said.

"As the father of two young children, I've been active at many different levels, and my wife is a social worker with clients who live in subsidized housing in Brookline.

"We're well aware of the importance of keeping Brookline affordable for working families."