State senator indicted on sex charges resigns
By Globe Staff
J. James Marzilli Jr., the state senator from Arlington who faces charges of sexually accosting several women earlier this year, has resigned, the Senate president's office said today.
 J. James Marzilli Jr. |
"In deference to the need for public trust on matters before this great institution, Jim Marzilli has made the right decision for the Massachusetts Senate, the citizens of the Commonwealth, and himself," Senate President Therese Murray said in a statement.
She said Marzilli's resignation, which was effective at 5 p.m. today would "begin the process of restoring the public's trust in their government."
Marzilli's resignation came after revelations that he had attended a conference in Germany last month in his official capacity, while the charges were pending that he had accosted women in downtown Lowell.
Marzilli resigned in a one-sentence letter to Murray, saying, "I hereby offer my resignation, effective at 5PM on Friday, Nov. 14."
Marzilli was arrested in June after allegedly accosting the women. The case has baffled the Democrat's colleagues on Beacon Hill, where he was known as an articulate voice for liberal causes.
In response to the allegations, Marzilli did not seek reelection and had not been participating in Senate votes. He had been collecting his $63,069 salary, under which he earns $2,528 biweekly.
The Globe reported today that Marzilli had attended the Oct. 8-Oct. 9 conference in downtown Berlin and even participated in a panel discussion on "Greening the Economy."
Marzilli's attorney, Terrence W. Kennedy, said Thursday that Marzilli hadn't been banned from traveling and that no taxpayer funds were used in the trip.
Marzilli served for 17 years in the House before being elected to the Senate in a special election last year. Kennedy said in July that Marzilli had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, but he would not discuss how that condition might be related to the charges against Marzilli.
By resigning from his post, Marzilli will be forgoing an increase to his pension that he would have received if he had stayed to the end of his term.
Neither Marzilli nor Kennedy immediately returned telephone calls seeking comment.
Murray used the occasion of Marzilli's resignation to call for another state senator to step down. The Senate has already voted to ask Dianne Wilkerson, a Roxbury Democrat who is facing federal bribery charges, to resign.
"As we have stated previously in our strongest voice, Dianne Wilkerson should follow this example and resign immediately," Murray said in her statement.
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Finally, someone does the right thing.
Good Riddance! What are his colleagues baffled about-anyone can be a predator...
IT'S ABOUT FRIGGIN' + TIME !!
Notice how it doesnt say democrat anywhere in this article. Funny huh...gotta love the globe...3 to be free...JS
I was wondering why the article never mentions his political affiliation. Is this deliberate?
It's about time the scumbag left
my complete sympathy is with Jim Marzilli, his family, and his staff. I knew him personally, and I know him to be a conscientious public servant who served with decency and integrity for many years, until his unfortunate sickness created such big problems in his life. The poor man deserves our sympathy and understanding. That's not to say what he is accused of isn't wrong, but he was under the influence of an insidious mental illness, which destroys lives just as surely as cancer does, and just like cancer, people afflicted by mental illness are victims too, and they deserve our compassion
Lets see, how far into the story can we bury the fact that this is another member of the legislature that's a liberal *** DEMOCRAT *** facing charges for breaking the law....paragraph six!
Totally corrupt state. devoid of any semblance of shame. including this soon to be profiting from his pension. another jerk from the peoples republic. Voters will pay for this fool over and over
Do ya think this was a move to SAVE his pension? Never mind an increase. Little bit of gun to the head tactic by his colleagues?
Probably will get re-elected in a few years. Typical of Massachusetts sheep
i guess it wouldn't have made sense to resign before the november election? now the taxpayers have to pay for a special election - DUH!
No special election necessary. He didn't run for reelection - DUH!
It's about time this miserable and criminal creature threw the towel in....he's arrogant, self-serving and a lowdown bum.....throw the book at this sexual predator!!
No there doesn't have be a special election. He didn't run again, and Ken
Donnelly won the seat.
Now, why doesn't Ted Kennedy resign for murdering Mary Jo?
get out of office - you people are suppose to set an example for out state's children!
The children! Won't anyone think of the children!?!?
It is 1:45 a.m. and I cannot sleep. I have been composing a nasty letter to Therese re: Marzilli and Wilkerson.
Just checked Boston. com and found the answer to one of my beefs. Maybe the other will come soon. How about it Dianne?
Marzilli is an embarrasment to the hard working people of Arlington. He pandered to a base of Anti-Bush/ Anti-War, Borderline Eco-terrorist crimal constituents who lined his elections cofers with cash. The Progressive supporters he had were more concerned with hugging trees than the care of other humans. Marzilli stroked this all day long, his attendance at such a conference as evidence. His Progressive supporters believe in extreme sexual Liberation, so to the them, groping women in nothing!
It's nice to see him do the right thing. At least his crowning offense, this trip to Germany, was done out of a desire to participate in a forum for issues that mean a great deal to him as a public servant, and not out of greed as it was with Wilkerson. I was a State House employee for a few years and did not work with or meet Senator Marzilli personally, but I was always so impressed with his integrity and commitment. I could not have been more shocked when I learned of his actions in Lowell, and though I abhor them, I cannot help but think that this is a function of a serious illness or problem, rather than the impulse-challenged malfeasance that we see in so many politicians. I wish him all the best for battling the demons that are plaguing him and offer my respect for his decision to withdraw at the request of his colleagues and constituents, rather than chasing after every last pension dollar like Senator Wilkerson. He was a standout in our Legislature for good governance and fairness for all, and it's tragic that such a respectable career had to end this way.
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