Giuliani headed to Boston for endorsement

By Brian C. Mooney, Globe Staff

Former Massachusetts State Treasurer Joseph D. Malone will endorse Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign Tuesday morning in Boston. That's a coup of sorts for the former New York City mayor because several of the chief operatives for the campaign of Republican rival Mitt Romney worked in the treasury under Malone and on his campaigns for treasurer and governor.

Malone, who now lives in Scituate and is a real estate investor and part-time marketing consultant, said this afternoon of his decision to back Giuliani: "Ultimately it boils down to choosing a person that I think will be the best president of the United States, and Rudy Giuliani is head and shoulders over the field on either the Democratic or Republican side."

The announcement will be held Tuesday morning at Umbria, a restaurant in Boston's financial district. Malone had stayed neutral in the race while doing some commentary on local cable and broadcast stations.

Among the Malone veterans in key posts in Romney's campaign are campaign manager Beth Myers, traveling press secretary Eric Fehrnstrom, and fund-raiser Steve Roche.

Bay State Republicans backing Giuliani also include former governor Paul Cellucci, whom Malone unsuccessfully challenged for the GOP gubernatorial nomination in 1998, state Senate Minority Leader Richard R. Tisei and state senators Michael R. Knapik and Bruce E. Tarr, former Senate leader Brian P. Lees, and former state GOP chairman Brian Cresta.