24 Facts About Salvatore DiMasi

Salvatore Francis "Sal" DiMasi was born on August 11,1945 and is a former Democratic state representative in Massachusetts.

Salvatore DiMasi eventually resigned from this post in January 2009, just six months prior to being indicted on several Federal charges, including conspiracy to defraud the federal government, extortion, mail fraud and wire fraud.

Salvatore DiMasi is the third consecutive Massachusetts house speaker to later become a convicted felon due to crimes committed in office.

Salvatore DiMasi went to college at Boston College and studied law at Suffolk University Law School.

Salvatore DiMasi was born and raised in the North End of Boston, home to Boston's Italian American community for over 100 years.

Salvatore DiMasi was the Commonwealth's first Italian-American to be elected speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

Salvatore F DiMasi grew up in a cold water flat in Boston's North End where he lived with his parents Celia and Joseph DiMasi, his two brothers, and Italian immigrant grandparents.

Salvatore DiMasi graduated from Christopher Columbus High School and went on to earn a BS in accounting from Boston College, and a Juris Doctor from Suffolk University Law School.

Salvatore DiMasi opened a private law practice, focused on criminal defense cases.

In 1976, Salvatore DiMasi ran for state representative against three term incumbent O Roland Orlandi.

Salvatore DiMasi eventually rose to among the ranks to become Assistant Majority Whip, Majority Whip and Majority Leader.

In September 2004, Salvatore DiMasi was elected Speaker of the House.

Salvatore DiMasi worked with legislative leaders and a coalition of diverse stakeholders, from the health care and business community, to craft Massachusetts's landmark health care law.

Salvatore DiMasi argued that these casinos would generate $2 billion for the state economy and add $400 million in annual casino revenue and $200 million in fees per license to the state coffers as well as add $50 million to $80 million in sales, meal, and hotel taxes.

Salvatore DiMasi touted that the casinos would create 30,000 construction jobs and 20,000 permanent jobs.

Salvatore DiMasi denied that any promise had been made on the race track bill and denied that the promotions were connected to the casino bill vote.

On Sunday, January 25,2009, Salvatore DiMasi sent a letter to all members of the House informing them of his resignation from both his position as speaker of the House and his seat in the House, effective at 5:00 PM on Tuesday, January 27.

Salvatore DiMasi's resignation made DiMasi the third straight Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives to leave office under a legal or ethical cloud.

Salvatore DiMasi was indicted on corruption charges on June 2,2009.

On June 15,2011, Salvatore DiMasi was convicted on seven of the nine charges.

On September 9,2011, Salvatore DiMasi was sentenced to eight years in federal prison by US District Court Judge Mark Lawrence Wolf and ordered to pay a fine of $65,000.

Salvatore DiMasi served his sentence at the Federal Medical Center, Butner, a federal prison in North Carolina, and was released on November 23,2016.

Salvatore DiMasi was released from Federal Medical Center, Butner, on November 22,2016 after serving five years of an eight year sentence.

In March 2018, a petition by Salvatore DiMasi to vacate his sentence was dismissed by a district court judge.