The big question is why aren’t criminal politicians in Massachusetts not being charged or arrested by state or city officials?
Is it the vast Democratic political machine (including their Attorney General) that protects their party’s interests?
• Salvatore Dimasi of Boston, House Speaker from 2004 to 2009, was convicted of conspiracy, honest services fraud, and extortion.
• Thomas Finneran of Mattapan wielded the gavel from 1996 to 2004. Finneran resigned and pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice.
Ted E. Docks is a Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. In a statement last week he deemed that the latest corruption allegations against Suffolk County Sheriff Steven Tompkins are “beyond disappointing.”
“We believe what the Sheriff saw as an easy way to make a quick buck on the sly is clear cut corruption under federal law,” Docks continued.
Recently, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced federal extortion charges against the Boston Sheriff.
He was accused of threatening to derail a national cannabis company’s local Boston business license. This would occur if a top executive refused to assist Tompkins. The assistance involved procuring $50,000 worth of discounted stock in the business before it became publicly traded.
U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley said in a statement that Tompkins is “alleged to have extorted an executive from a cannabis company, using his official position as Sheriff to benefit himself” in a scheme that began in mid-2020.
This is not the first time this sheriff has gotten off the hook:
• August 2015: Tompkins admitted to the State Ethics Commission. He had used his position as sheriff to make shop owners remove political opponents’ campaign signs. This occurred during his election campaign in 2013.
• November 2020: Tompkins was again investigated by the SEC. He created a paid position at the Sheriff’s Department for his niece in 2017. According to prosecutors, this allowed “her to assist with Tompkins’ childcare.” He further allegedly used other department staff to help him with childcare from 2014 through at least 2020.
Massachusetts political crime appears to be increasing along the lines in Arizona, California, Illinois, Minnesota, New York and Wisconsin.
Other corrupt public officials in Massachusetts who experienced serious crimes include:
TANIA FERNANDES ANDERSON
Fernandes Anderson, 46, will be sentenced on Sept. 5 in Boston federal court, after her conviction in May on two public corruption felony charges.
The charges are tied to a kickback scheme Fernandes Anderson carried out at City Hall two years ago. The then-councilor doled out a $13,000 bonus to one of her Council staffers. The staffer was a relative but not an immediate family member. The bonus had the condition that $7,000 be kicked back to her.
The handoff was coordinated by text. It took place in a City Hall bathroom in June 2023. This information is stated in the federal indictment.
REP. CHRIS FLANAGAN
Authorities arrested Flanagan, a Dennis Port Democrat, in April. He is accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from a former employer. He allegedly covered up the thefts and used the money to pay personal bills. He pleaded not guilty and was released on the condition that he stay employed or seek a new job.
All three towns in his district have demanded his resignation. The towns are Yarmouth, Dennis and Brewster. However, Flanagan remains on the job.
FORMER STATE SEN. DEAN TRAN
A federal judge sentenced Tran, of Fitchburg, to 18 months in prison. This will be followed by two years of supervised release. Tran was convicted of 23 felony counts, including unemployment assistance and tax fraud.
Tran was convicted of stealing COVID-19 unemployment assistance benefits. He was actually employed as a $90-an-hour consultant for a New Hampshire auto parts company. The extra income was further inflated by Tran cheating on his 2020, 2021 and 2022 taxes, prosecutors say.
FORMER NORFOLK COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT TOM BRADY
A federal grand jury indicted Brady, 53, of Norwood. He is connected with an alleged extortion scheme. The scheme aimed to force subordinate employees to do free labor at his residence.
Brady pleaded not guilty to the scheme during an arraignment in Boston federal court in May. An interim status conference is set for August. He was fired earlier in August from the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office, which he had been with since 1996.
FORMER QUINCY ELDER SERVICES DIRECTOR THOMAS F. CLASBY
Authorities arrested Clasby in January 2025. They charged him with allegedly orchestrating a scheme in which he embezzled thousands in taxpayer dollars. He used the money for gifts for himself, his family, and his friends. This included over 100 pounds of bourbon steak tips.
FORMER FALL RIVER MAYOR JASIEL CORREIA II
Correia was convicted in 2021 of 21 counts. These counts include defrauding investors in a smartphone app. They also include extorting money from marijuana companies and lying to the IRS.
A judge ultimately dismissed 10 charges, leaving 11 convictions to stand.
Correia, 33, has recently moved out of federal prison in Kentucky. He has entered the Federal Bureau of Prisons Residential Reentry Management program. This program serves inmates in a halfway house near where they will live once their sentence expires, according to reports.
FORMER MASSACHUSETTS U.S. ATTORNEY RACHAEL ROLLINS
Rollins resigned from her role in May 2023 as the state’s top prosecutor.
She made this decision after two federal reports proved she abused her position. One report said she violated the Hatch Act by attending a Democratic National Committee fundraiser in Andover in 2022. Former First Lady Jill Biden headlined the event.
The DOJ also warned that Rollins would face further discipline if she did not promptly resign.
Rollins bounced back and now has a six-figure job with Roxbury Community College. She is paid an annual salary of $109,852 as a program executive director.
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Clever Journeys 
ugh. Sickening that these types of corruption are apparently so common. Embezzlement, extortion, blackmail, fraud, outright theft, have always existed, but it all seems so prevalent these days!
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When you have a one party state run by the democrats, you have no accountability. Unless they have a strong fear of God, people will do what they want to do. Massachusetts has been bad for a long time. I remember watching a program on CSPAN in 2000 about voter fraud in Massachusetts. They were running the same ballots multiple times until their candidate won. The audience was laughing. I was beyond furious not so much for the deed but about the laughter of the audience.
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Oh, Massachusetts…it’s true, it has been bad for a long time. Whenever I go down there, I can practically smell it, it’s so rotten, although there are a lot of nice things still there. They come up here for vacations, or relocate to escape, and then try to turn New Hampshire into Mass. I was born there, and so glad to live here.
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From appearances, it’s easy to conclude that the Democratic Party is just one big criminal organization. Maybe that’s why they spend so much time and resources defending them.
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