Finneran's future with Biotech Council debated

BYLINE: Mark Hollmer

Thomas Finneran's future as head of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council was in doubt Thursday morning, following reports that he will plead guilty to obstruction of justice to settle a federal indictment stemming from his days as House Speaker.

MBC Chairman Michael Webb offered a terse "no comment" early Thursday when asked about Finneran's job status. Many on the board were surprised by news of the pending plea agreement because Finneran had said he would fight the charges, sources said. As of late morning, board members were actively talking about whether they should keep Finneran on.

The MBC was expected to release a statement on Finneran by the end of the day.

A Finneran departure could leave the MBC scrambling at a difficult time. The organization is actively trying to coordinate planning for this spring's BIO industry convention, which is set for early May at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center and expected to draw close to 20,000 people from both life sciences and governments from around the world.

Finneran could not be reached for comment.

Finneran left his job as House Speaker in late 2004 to take the MBC job under great fanfare, and the board at the time touted him as a figure who could give their industry a higher profile and more aggressively help shape life sciences issues legislatively.

The board stood behind him in June 2005 when Finneran was initially indicted for allegedly lying under oath about his participation in state legislative redistricting.

"It hasn't hindered his ability to provide the MBC and the industry at large with the kind of focus and commitment he's shown. I don't see any change," then-MBC chairwoman Una Ryan said at the time.

But that may have changed on Thursday following media reports that Finneran agreed to plead guilty to obstruction of justice and would avoid prison time, in return for an agreement by federal prosecutors to drop perjury charges against him.

The indictment involved testimony he gave has House speaker in 2004 before a federal appeals court regarding a lawsuit over legislative redistricting.

Finneran himself has been rumored to be negotiating a contract to host a talk-radio show, but last summer denied he was interested in leaving the MBC any time soon.

Finneran told the Boston Business Journal that he wanted to stay beyond his initial three-year contract, which expires later this year.

"I am very interested in staying on and the board is very interested in keeping me on," he said.