He controls his so-called leadership team as if they were a hapless group of marionettes. He alone decides whether bills will appear on the floor, distributes chairmanships, grants staff slots. In the Legislature, he is, in a word, god - just the way he likes it. Which makes his recent silence on Clean Elections all the more curious. Underlings claim last week's move to gut the measure isn't his doing.
Incredulous opponents can only laugh.
Meanwhile, the full House will decide as early as next week whether to fund Clean Elections. It's a measure that will inspire more people to run for public office and will create greater competition, and ultimately, a more representative government. Supporters believe they have roughly 60 votes in the House - 20 shy of victory. Finneran controls the rest. History is about to be made on Beacon Hill, either for better or worse.