Mass. Resumes State Case Against Vitale

The legal troubles for a friend of former Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi aren't over despite his acquittal on federal corruption charges. Massachusetts prosecutors on Thursday resumed a separate case against Richard Vitale, charged with concealing his work as a lobbyist.

A judge set an Oct. 17 trial date.

Prosecutors say Vitale was paid $60,000 in lobbying fees by ticket brokers interested in changing the state's scalping laws, but failed to register as a lobbyist. They said Vitale communicated directly with DiMasi before the bill passed the House in 2007.

The legislation, which would have lifted restrictions on price markups by ticket brokers, died in the Senate.

Vitale has denied acting as a lobbyist. His attorney has said the work Vitale did for the Massachusetts Association of Ticket Brokers was exempt from state lobbying registration requirements.