The day after he was indicted on a laundry list of federal charges connected to bank fraud and the improper use of campaign funds, Rep. David Nangle on Wednesday stepped down from his leadership and committee posts in the Massachusetts House.
In an email to the House Clerk at 11:01 a.m., Nangle cited "recent, unfortunate events" as the reason he will step down as second division chair in the House and remove himself from his assignments to serve on the House Committee on Ethics and the House Committee on Rules.
"Due to recent, unfortunate events I believe it would be in the best interest of the House of Representatives that I step down from my leadership position and committee assignments," Nangle wrote. "It has been an extreme honor to serve you, my colleagues and the citizens of the Commonwealth in my position as Division Floor Leader."
Read more: Charges Against Lowell Rep. Nangle Tied To Alleged Gambling Debts, Misuse Of Funds
Nangle's position as a division leader carried a $30,000 stipend on top of his $66,257 base salary as a legislator.
On Tuesday, Nangle pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of wire fraud, four counts of bank fraud, nine counts of making false statements to a bank, and five counts of filing false tax returns. Magistrate Judge Page Kelley ordered Nangle to be released on a $25,000 unsecured bond with several conditions on his travel and a requirement that he not gamble.
House Speaker Robert DeLeo said in a Tuesday statement that the allegations against Nangle are "serious and troubling and, if true, represent a significant betrayal of the public trust," but he had not said whether Nangle would retain his leadership and committee posts while awaiting trial.
