Frank Bellotti, former Massachusetts attorney general and political heavyweight, dead at 101

Frank Bellotti, Massachusetts’ former three-term attorney general and one-time lieutenant governor, died Tuesday at 101, his family said in a statement.

Bellotti was unsuccessful in his three bids to take over the Governor’s Office but still held an influential post in local politics. He is largely heralded as the person who transformed the Attorney General’s Office into a non-partisan law office during the 1970s and 1980s.

In a statement, his family said they were “deeply saddened” by the death of their father, who died less than a year after his wife Maggie. Bellotti left behind 11 children, 25 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren, his family said.

“We will always be grateful to my dad for his endless love and support. He was always there for us as a guiding light in all our endeavors. I learned from him the power of the law and the special responsibility of serving as an officer of the court,” his son, former assistant district attorney and defense lawyer Peter Bellotti, said.

The World War II veteran was one of the original Navy Seals and came back to the state to embark on a lengthy political career that had a “significant” impact on law, politics, and business in Massachusetts.

Bellotti’s daughter, Sheila Bellotti-Marchetti, said the family is “heartbroken to be saying goodbye to our dad, and take comfort in the knowledge that he joins our mother, Maggie, in Heaven.”

“Many remember him as Massachusetts lieutenant governor and attorney general, and we still hear stories from the countless people who considered him a mentor. He shaped policies with integrity and wisdom, always striving to positively impact the lives of those he served,” the family said in their statement.

Norfolk County Treasurer and former Norfolk Sheriff Michael Bellotti said his dad was his “north star and supported me always, as he did all his kids.”

“I’ll miss our talks about his rich political history dating back to the 60’s and we will forever hold dear over 50 years of Sunday dinners we shared,” Michael Bellotti said.

This is a developing story…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Previous post Americans end 2024 with grim economic outlook, but Republicans are optimistic for 2025: poll
Next post Welsh start-up accelerator announces award-winning entrepreneurs ready to reshape their sectors