Friend of DiMasi registers as lobbyist
By Andrea Estes, Globe Staff
A close friend of House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi who helped the state's ticket brokers push favorable legislation through the House last year has registered as a lobbyist with the secretary of state's office.
 Richard D. Vitale |
Charlestown accountant Richard D. Vitale -- who had been under fire for never registering as required by state law -- this morning registered as a lobbyist for 2008, but listed no clients or payments from any clients, according to Secretary of State William Galvin's website.
Vitale did not register for 2007, when the ticket brokers won House approval of a bill that deregulated the ticket resale business by allowing ticket brokers to sell tickets for whatever price the market would bear.
"This is a significant development," said Galvin, whose office has also requested that the Massachusetts Association of Ticket Brokers, led by ACE Ticket Worldwide, also register as an employer of Vitale. So far that group has not filed, the secretary of state's office said.
A Globe story April 27 reported that the ticket brokers hired Vitale last year to work on their behalf, but he never registered as a lobbyist. The story said that, beyond their friendship, Vitale also gave DiMasi a $250,000 loan secured by a third mortgage on his North End condo in 2006. It is a violation of the state's conflict-of-interest law for a public official to accept an outright gift or something for less than market value from a lobbyist.
Vitale also has worked as DiMasi's accountant and has served as his campaign treasurer.
The state Republican Party has filed an Ethics Commission complaint against DiMasi, asking the commission to investigate Vitale's actions on behalf of ticket brokers and his financial relationship to the speaker.
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