That's what the New York Times made me do this morning, when I came across this headline for an article on page A12: "Speaker of Massachusetts House Resigns Over Friendship."
That's like describing Dick Cheney's departure last week with this headline: "Cheney Leaves DC in Shiny New Set of Wheels." True, in a way, but it blurs the facts of the situation.
To be clear: Sal DiMasi, the corrupt speaker of the House here in Massachusetts, is leaving office because of wrongdoing, not because of "friendship." Sal is a sleazebag. So are his friends. But their friendship is not the problem. Their sleazebaggery is.
Illinois can bask in the glory of cuckoo Rod Blagojevich, but Massachusetts stands second to no state in the sheer venality (not to mention banality) of its legislative leadership. When he resigns tomorrow, DiMasi will be the third consecutive Massachusetts speaker to leave under the dark cloud of corruption. Our hearts beat with pride here in the Bay State.
