DiMasi loses bid to stay out of prison on bail

BOSTON – A federal appeals court denied an attempt by former House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi and Statehouse lobbyist Richard McDonough to remain free on bail while they appeal their corruption convictions, The Boston Globe reported last week.
The denial made it all but certain the two will have to report to prison by month’s end.
The three-judge panel of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said DiMasi and McDonough had not demonstrated that there was a “substantial likelihood” that appeals would result in a reversal of conviction or an order for a new trial.
The Globe said that the ruling upholds a decision by U.S. District Court Judge Mark Wolf, who denied bail to the defendants after sentencing DiMasi to eight years in prison and McDonough to seven years. Wolf ordered the men to report to prison on Nov. 30.
DiMasi and McDonough were found guilty of conspiracy and honest-services fraud, while DiMasi was also convicted of extortion. Federal prosecutors detailed a scheme in which they used DiMasi’s clout as speaker to steer state contracts totaling $17.5 million to software firm Cognos, in exchange for payments in 2006 and 2007, with DiMasi receiving $65,000, The Globe said. &#8226

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