....this time, it's
Rep. Bill Delahunt of the Massachusetts 10th.
Democratic Rep. Bill Delahunt plans to announce his retirement Friday, he told the Boston Globe in an exclusive interview.
Delahunt, a seven-term congressman from Quincy, had been publicly mulling leaving Congress at the end of this term for some time, and he had also recently come under fire over his handling of a 1986 shooting case he handled when he was the Norfolk County District Attorney. He had declined to prosecute Amy Bishop in a shooting there, but the case arose again after Bishop killed three people and wounded three others at a faculty meeting at the University of Alabama last month.
In his interview with the Globe, Delahunt denied any political calculations figured into his decision.
"Life is about change. I think it's healthy. It's time,” he said, adding that he wanted to spend more time with his family and young granddaughter.
Former State Treasurer Joe Malone, a Republican considering a challenge this fall, criticized Delahunt for not being more open about the details of the Bishop case.
Delahunt hadn’t had a competitive race since winning the seat in 1996, but recent advances in the district had Republicans enthused about their prospects this year. Obama won just 55% of the Congressional district’s votes in 2008, his worst performance in the state. And the district was one the most heavily supportive of Republican Scott Brown in special Senate election this January.
One possible Democratic candidate has already ruled out a bid. Joseph P. Kennedy III, grandson of the late Robert Kennedy, had said he might run for the seat if Delahunt retires, but he said last weekend he would not run.
Well, at least he didn't sexually harass anyone. All he did was fail to prosecute Amy "The Gun" Bishop when he had the chance.
03-04-2010, 09:17 PM
