Where Do U.S. Senate Candidates Stand On Possible DiMasi Pardon?
BOSTON (CBS) -- In their final debate, each U.S. Senate candidate claimed to care more about people than his opponent.
WBZ's Jon Keller decided to put those claims to a compassion test, with a question about high-profile political prisoner Sal DiMasi.
The former Speaker Of The House, is now fighting for his life as he serves an 8-year sentence for corruption in an out-of-state prison.
DiMasi's lawyer says he can't seek pardon, commutation or a move to a nearby prison until his legal appeals have been exhausted.
Still, there is nothing preventing local pols from urging the president to act.
"I'd like to see Sal come home. He's suffered enough," Mayor Tom Menino said.
For Menino, it's a matter of simple mercy.
"Bring him home to his family. Whatever time he has left on this earth, let him have it with his family," Menino said.
But for the senate candidates, it's not such an easy call.
"I hope that we can balance the illness with still the incarceration," Congressman Ed Markey said.
Markey says he hopes DiMasi could be moved closed to home.
"I would hope that we could, especially for someone who is this ill, be treated in a humane way," Markey said.
But Gabriel Gomez says he wouldn't support it.
"He broke the law, I think he needs to serve his time. I don't know the background of what his illness is, but I wouldn't lobby for a presidential pardon by any means," Gomez said.
Gov. Deval Patrick says he has more important things to do.
"I'm not going to get involved in all that," Patrick said. "It's not my jurisdiction and I have plenty of other things to do."
