Our State Rep, Mr David Nangle

For John, BLUF:  I have known State Repreentsative David Nangle for over 20 years, and in the years 2000 and 2002 I was his Republican opponent for this State Rep seat.  I was trounced.  The reason is that Rep Nangle is from a large and well established family and has been well liked by the local voters.  And few voters are worried about the legislature, the General Court, turning into some sort of harbinger of political, economic and social disaster.  Further, while a Democrat, Rep Nangle is very close to the Republican Governor Charlie Baker and Lieutenant Governor Karen Polito.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Here is the WCVB (TV Channel 5) report I read yesterday:

Massachusetts state Rep. David Nangle charged with misuse of campaign funds

Here is the lede plus three:

Massachusetts state Rep. David Nangle was arrested Tuesday morning on charges stemming from the misuse of campaign funds, according to federal authorities.

Nangle is accused of using the campaign money to pay for personal expenses, including purchasing thousands of dollars in gift cards for personal use. He was arrested at his home in Lowell by agents of the FBI and IRS.

He appeared in federal court Tuesday afternoon, where he pleaded not guilty. Pending a trial, the judge allowed his release on the conditions that Nangle must surrender his passport, stop gambling and remain in either Massachusetts or New Hampshire.

According to an indictment, Nangle was heavily in debt, had poor credit and had incurred "tens of thousands of dollars in gambling-related spending and losses."

I tried to get the Lowell Sun article, but the program I am signed up for doesn't give me a URL.  So, I went to its partner, The Boston Herald.  The article is by Reporter Colin A Young, 19 February 2020.

The day after he was indicted on a laundry list of federal charges connected to bank fraud and the improper use of campaign funds, Rep. David Nangle on Wednesday stepped down from his leadership and committee posts in the Massachusetts House.

In an email to the House Clerk at 11:01 a.m., Nangle cited “recent, unfortunate events” as the reason he will step down as second division chair in the House and remove himself from his assignments to serve on the House Committee on Ethics and the House Committee on Rules.

“Due to recent, unfortunate events I believe it would be in the best interest of the House of Representatives that I step down from my leadership position and committee assignments,” Nangle wrote.  “It has been an extreme honor to serve you, my colleagues and the citizens of the Commonwealth in my position as Division Floor Leader.”

Nangle’s position as a division leader carried a $30,000 stipend on top of his $66,257 base salary as a legislator. On Tuesday, Nangle pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of wire fraud, four counts of bank fraud, nine counts of making false statements to a bank, and five counts of filing false tax returns.

Magistrate Judge Page Kelley ordered Nangle to be released on a $25,000 unsecured bond with several conditions on his travel and a requirement that he not gamble.  He is due back in court in mid-March.

House Speaker Robert DeLeo said in a Tuesday statement that the allegations against Nangle are “serious and troubling and, if true, represent a significant betrayal of the public trust,” but he had not said whether Nangle would retain his leadership and committee posts while awaiting trial.

I hope the report is wrong.  And, it could be.  Remember Senator Ted Stevens, Republican from Alaska?  He was indicted and tried and convicted and then lost his reelection in 2008.  But, before the sentence was handed down an FBI Whistleblower spoke up and the DOJ asked to withdraw the case, with prejudice.  Sadly, one of the Prosecutors committed suicide.  But, Senator Stevens lost the reelection bid.  David Nangle is innocent until proven guilty, and it is up to the Government to prove him guilty.

I am bothered by the reports on the arrest.  Has the Federal Government Roger Stoned Mr Nangle?  Why an early morning visit with Agents from both the FBI snd IRS?  Why not just invite him down to the Courthouse?  Was the Press invited along, or tipped off?  This kind of thing does not give confidence in how our law enforcement agencies operate.  It is prejudicial against the defendant.  This is terrible.  What happened to innocent until proven guilty.

I send my good wishes to Representative David Nangle.

Regards  —  Cliff