Lawsuit brings new allegations

Sen. Jim Marzilli with his attorney, Terrence W. Kennedy, right, in GateHouse Media photo.

Republican lawmakers have asked Sen. J. James Marzilli, indicted July 1 in cases involving four women in Lowell to resign his seat. Media organizations have run unscientific public-opinion polls asking whether Marzilli should be removed from office. 

Marzilli has issued no comment about any public matter after saying June 5 that he was not seeking reelection. He remains in office, but he has been treated at McLean Hospital in Belmont since June 5 for an unspecified bipolar disorder.

Could Marzilli be removed from office?

David Falcone, press aide to Senate President Therese Murray, declined to discuss it, but The Globe reported July 16 that he wrote in an e-mail:

"'The Senate has a process in place through its Committee on Ethics and Rules to discipline a senator if and when a legal matter is resolved.'"

The Senate Ethics Committee is investigating whether Marzilli should be removed from office.

Thus, such action is on hold until any court cases involving Marzilli are completed. Once that occurs, then the Ethics Committee will pursue its own investigation, likely using information gleaned from court cases.

It is expected the timeline for these procedures will continue at least until the end of Marzilli's term.

If Marzilli resigns, his current staff will continue their work untilthe end of the term, Brian McNiff, press officer for Secretary of State William Galvin, said July 14.

Marzilli's chief aide. Cindy Friedman, elaborated in an e-mail July 14:

"If the senator resigned, the office would remain open, and the staff would continue to work until such time as a new senator was sworn in and seated -- in this case, Jan 4 or so of 2009.

"The staff would represent the 4th Middlesex constituency (as it is doing right now), respond to local issues, help with home rule petitions before the Senate, and provide constituent services. "