Tom Finneran | |
---|---|
83rd Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives | |
In office April 9, 1996 – September 28, 2004 | |
Preceded by | Charles Flaherty |
Succeeded by | Salvatore DiMasi |
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from Suffolk County | |
In office January 4, 1979 – September 28, 2004 | |
Preceded by | Royal L. Bolling Jr. |
Succeeded by | Linda Dorcena Forry |
Constituency | 15th Suffolk (1979–1989) 13th Suffolk (1989–1995) 12th Suffolk (1995–2004) |
Personal details | |
Born | Thomas Michael Finneran January 2, 1950 Boston, Massachusetts |
Political party | Democratic[1] |
Spouse | Donna Kelley |
Residence | Mattapan, Massachusetts |
Alma mater | Northeastern University Boston College Law School |
Occupation | Disbarred Lawyer - state of Massachusetts Politician Radio host |
Thomas Michael "Tom" Finneran[2] (born January 27, 1950[3]), is a radio talk host and former Massachusetts Democratic politician[1] who served as Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from April 1996 to September 2004. He represented the district that included parts of the Boston neighborhoods of Dorchester, Mattapan and Hyde Park as well as parts of the town of Milton for 26 years.
He resigned and accepted the position of President of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council. He subsequently resigned in 2007 after pleading guilty to criminal obstruction of justice, in a court case about his testimony about his influence and participation in the redistricting process following the 2000 census. He was disbarred in 2010 (retroactive to January 23, 2007).[4] From February 2007 to May 2012, he co-hosted a talk radio morning drive slot with WRKO.
DiMasi's predecessor, former Democratic House Speaker Thomas Finneran, also ran into trouble in part because of the power he wielded as speaker.