After Conviction, DiMasi Fights To Keep Law License

A Massachusetts judge is weighing whether to suspend former House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi's license to practice law following his conviction on federal corruption charges.

DiMasi's lawyer, Thomas Kiley, argued Thursday at a hearing before Supreme Judicial Court Judge Margot Botsford that DiMasi should not lose his law license until after he's sentenced.

Kiley says yanking DiMasi's license before the case is completely resolved, and while DiMasi is still a free man, is a lynch mob mentality.

"It manifests itself here in the filing immediately after the verdict, not waiting until the process plays itself out in court," Kiley said.

A lawyer representing the Massachusetts Bar Council said letting DiMasi continue to practice law undermines public perception of the whole legal community.

Botsford is expected to rule on the matter next week.