In April, speaker denied knowledge of any lobbying by his friend
When Attorney General Martha Coakley indicted Richard Vitale, House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi's accountant and former campaign treasurer, on Dec. 18, she said Vitale used his connections to the speaker to secretly lobby for legislation sought by the Massachusetts Association of Ticket Brokers.
In particular, she said, Vitale had numerous direct contacts in meetings and via e-mail, on behalf of the ticket brokers, with DiMasi and with one of his top lieutenants, Thomas M. Petrolati, House speaker pro tempore.
The indictment contradicts earlier statements made by DiMasi. Last April, in an interview with the Globe in his office with three staff members present, DiMasi repeatedly denied having any contact with Vitale on the legislation, and DiMasi denied any knowledge of Vitale's lobbying activities on the ticket brokers' behalf or any contact between them and Petrolati.
DiMasi has since declined to answer questions about the contradictions between his account and Coakley's. Here is a partial transcript of the April interview:
Q. We're interested in the work Mr. Vitale did regarding legislation in '06 or '07. First, looking to determine the relationship between you and Mr. Vitale.
A. Dick and I have been friends for about, I'd say 25 years now, and he's my accountant and also my financial adviser at least for 20 years.
Q. He did work . . . consulting or lobbying on legislation for the ticket resellers. Did you have any idea he was working for them?
A. No, I have no idea that he was working for them or what his relationship was. None.
Q. He never discussed it with you or anyone on your staff?
A. He never discussed it with me or anybody on my staff.
Q. Have you talked about it with him since?
A. No, I haven't. No.
Q. What have you heard about what he did, and your thoughts about what he did?
A. You're asking me to speculate on something I don't know about. So I don't know what he did. I don't even know who he did it for.
Q. No knowledge of him working with Petrolati on [the ticket-broker legislation]?
A. None at all.
Q. You're saying no one from your office or leadership dealt with Vitale or the ticket brokers in any way?
A. I didn't and I don't know of anybody who did.
Q. You actually believe that people would [believe] that a very close friend of yours for 25 years is around legislation, and is working to push it through, has no prior experience in this field, except that he is your friend, and you would say you know nothing about that?
A. I am telling you I knew nothing about it. That's what I am telling you. Nothing. 