Common Cause Statement on Removal of Term Limits for Massachusetts House Speaker

    Media Contact
  • Pam Wilmot

Common Cause Massachusetts is deeply disappointed by yesterday’s vote to remove term limits for the Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. We have fought long and hard for ethics and rules reform, including term limits for legislative leaders, meant to check power and keep government accountable.

Term limits reduce the amount of power that can be amassed by a legislative leader. They ensure predictable, stable, transitions of power. Without term limits, leaders must either be politically deposed, which can be very disruptive to a legislative body, forced out under an ethical cloud, or, very rarely, lose interest and leave voluntarily, which only typically happens after securing their post for a successor. None of these scenarios are healthy ones for the Commonwealth.

Join us in expressing opposition to this rules change, and work with us to bring term limits back again by signing our statement as a citizen sponsor! Our voices are louder together, and our officials need to know that we are watching and will not stand for this power grab.


For more information, please see this round up of media stories about the MA House rules change, with highlights of Common Cause Massachusetts’ involvement in attempting to oppose the move:

WGBH TV Interview: Greater Boston with CCMA Executive Director Pam Wilmot

Boston Globe: Mass House Votes to Abolish Term Limits for DeLeo

Sentinel and Enterprise: House leader sees disadvantage if DeLeo is lame duck

MyFoxBoston – Fox 25 News: House votes to eliminate speaker term limits

Boston Herald: Critics press lawmakers to oppose Robert DeLeo

WBUR: Massachusetts House Votes to Eliminate Speaker Term Limits

Associated Press in The Sun Chronicle: Massachusetts House to debate ending term limits for speaker

Associated Press in Wicked Local: Mass. House Lifts Term Limits for Speaker

Associated Press in Worcester Telegram: Massachusetts House votes to eliminate speaker term limits

Gloucester Daily Times: State lawmakers lift term limits for speaker

 

Editorials

Boston Globe Editorial: Don’t shift gears on term limits, Robert DeLeo

Boston Herald Editorial: House Rules, Public Trust

Metro West Daily News Editorial: Our View – Speaker DeLeo’s Term Limits Power Play

See More: Ethics