Peabody senator appointed chairman of state ethics board

PEABODY – Massachusetts Senate President Therese Murray hopes to bring faith back into the Committee on Ethics and Rules with her recent appointment of Peabody Senator Fred Berry as chairman.”As a senator for 26 years and Majority Leader for the last six years, Senator Berry’s institutional knowledge and experience make him uniquely qualified,” said Murray in a released statement. “It is because of the respect others have for Senator Berry, both on and off Beacon Hill, that he will be able to bring members together to ensure we have meaningful ethics reform.”A dark shadow has been cast over the committee ever since two of its prominent members resigned in the face of criminal charges. After three decades, former House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi stepped down from his post when accusations arose of him acting as a lobbyist for friends. Former Sen. Dianne Wilkerson’s rise up the political ladder came to a drastic halt when she was arrested by the FBI on extortion charges. Footage revealed that Wilkerson accepted cash bribes from undercover policemen in exchange for a variety of services, including city-issued licenses.As Chairman, Berry will be responsible for all ethical matters before the Senate, including rule changes, rule infringements and addressing questions of conduct.”I am thankful for this opportunity to focus my energy on instituting meaningful ethics reforms,” he said. “Now, more than ever, it is our duty as leaders to restore the public’s trust by guaranteeing every citizen of the Commonwealth the right to an honest and transparent government.”Berry said he looks forward to discussing ideas for new proposals aimed at strengthening, investigating and better enforcing ethics laws.Murray said she is confident that Berry will succeed in his new role.”Senator Berry’s strength of mind and character has allowed him to overcome many challenges,” she said. “I am confident he will not only meet, but exceed the expectations of the Senate and the people of the Commonwealth on this important issue.”