House Speaker says he paid off mortgage from lobbyist friend

BOSTON—House Speaker Sal DiMasi says he's paid off a $250,000 loan from a close friend, who just registered as a lobbyist.

DiMasi got the $250,000 third mortgage from Richard Vitale, who has been DiMasi's accountant and campaign treasurer.

State Republicans have questioned DiMasi's relationship with Vitale, who recently worked on a bill on behalf of the state's ticket brokers.

Republicans said that meant Vitale should be registered as a lobbyist, and state law forbids public officials from accepting anything from lobbyists.

On Friday, Vitale registered as a lobbyist and DiMasi announced he'd paid off the loan.

It's unclear whether the moves will satisfy Secretary of State William Galvin because Vitale's registration didn't cover when he worked on behalf of the ticket brokers.

Galvin said he's investigating.

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Information from: The Boston Globe, http://www.boston.com/globe