A former Democratic state representative in Massachusetts convicted of campaign fraud is suing to restore his $806,000 taxpayer-funded pension.
David Nangle, 65, represented parts of Lowell and surrounding areas for 20 years until 2020. He pleaded guilty to stealing more than $70,000 from his campaign account to fund a gambling addiction and cover personal expenses.
Conviction and sentencing
In early 2020, prosecutors charged Nangle with 28 counts, including wire fraud, bank fraud, false statements to a bank, and filing false tax returns.
Court records show he used campaign money for golf club dues, rental cars to casinos, flowers, hotels, restaurants, gift cards, and cash withdrawals. He also lied on a loan application to secure $300,000 from Lowell Bank and filed false tax returns from 2014 to 2018.
Nangle initially pleaded not guilty but changed his plea. In September 2021, a judge sentenced him to 15 months in prison. He was released in November 2022.
As part of the punishment, the state retirement board removed his pension. Nangle filed an appeal last week in Suffolk County Superior Court to reverse that decision, according to court documents reviewed by the Boston Globe.
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Appeal arguments
In the filing, Nangle argued his crimes were personal and not connected to his duties as a public official.
He said the fraud did not involve governmental funds or property. He also claimed losing the pension would leave him destitute and violate constitutional protections against excessive fines.
“Every step of (Nangle’s) current path is paved toward a road of redemption not only for himself, but for others as well,” Lowell District Court Judge Pacinco DeCapua Jr wrote in a court filing.
The judge rejected Nangle’s arguments. He said the crimes were “inextricably linked” to Nangle’s position. “It was only because he had been a member of the House of Representatives at the relevant time that he was in a position to illegally withdraw funds from his campaign account,” the judge stated.
Current employment
Nangle works as co-founder and executive director of Stop iGaming in Massachusetts (SIGMA), an anti-online gambling nonprofit that pays him $72,000 per year.
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He also serves on the advisory panel of the Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health, works as a certified recovery coach, and gives paid speaking engagements on gambling dangers.
The state has opposed the appeal, and a lower court agreed the conviction violated public trust and showed a pattern of behavior over a long period.
Why this matters
The case raises questions about whether public officials convicted of crimes tied to their office can keep pensions funded by taxpayers. Nangle’s appeal tests the limits of pension forfeiture laws in Massachusetts after a guilty plea.
It also shows the tension between personal redemption efforts and accountability for actions that occurred while holding elected office.
The Superior Court decision could set a precedent for similar cases involving former lawmakers.
