Massachusetts politicians mourn late congressman Barney Frank

Politicians are remembering Barney Frank, the longtime Massachusetts congressman who died Tuesday at 86.

Frank served in Congress for more than three decades before leaving office in 2013. In a post on social media, Gov. Maura Healey called Frank "a giant in public life," noting his activism on civil rights and LGBTQ+ rights.

"He was brilliant, fearless, quick-witted, and never afraid to say exactly what was on his mind," wrote Healey.

The governor ordered flags to be flown at half staff at all state buildings. She said she and her partner, Joanna Lydgate, are "keeping his family and all who loved him in our thoughts."

Frank was among the first openly gay lawmakers in Congress, and he was the first to marry someone of the same sex while serving on Capitol Hill. Healey is the first openly gay governor of Massachusetts, and among the first in the nation.

U.S. Rep Jim McGovern called Frank "dynamic, colorful and irreplaceable." He said, "I think they broke the mold when they made him. I mean he was brilliant, he was funny, and he loved to debate — and he knew how to debate. He wanted to engage people and persuade people."

Sen. Elizabeth Warren remembered Frank's role in passing consumer protections as part of the Dodd-Frank Act after the 2008 financial crisis.

"In the aftermath of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, Barney Frank was the gravelly-voiced, smart-as-a-whip congressman who fought hard to get the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau over the finish line," Warren said in a statement.

"Barney delivered for working people, and the world is a poorer place without him,” she said.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick told WBUR that Frank "was unapologetically liberal at a time when a lot of work has gone into making that sound like a bad word." And, he added, "He didn’t fit anybody’s cartoon image."

Congresswoman Katherine Clark called Frank "a dear friend" and a "lifelong champion for civil rights, equal dignity, and economic fairness."

Former Congressman Joe Kennedy III, who succeeded Frank in the 4th Congressional District, said Frank was "fearless" and "one of the great public servants of our time."