Former House speaker and attorney general Robert Quinn, left, is seen standing next to other former House speakers Thomas Finneran, Thomas McGee, Charles Flaherty and David Bartley.
Credit: Boston Globe/Getty Images
Politicians from across the state are remembering former Massachusetts attorney general and House speaker Robert Quinn who died last weekend.
Quinn, who championed the bill in his name that increased the pay of police officers with college degrees, died Sunday and was 85, according to the Globe.
Mayor Marty Walsh, who before becoming mayor was elected to the House seat once occupied by Quinn, called him an “outstanding” state representative and House speaker who loved his Savin Hill neighborhood.
“Robert Quinn dedicated his life in service of the Commonwealth, and his legacy as a statesman and advocate for justice will be felt for generations to come. He championed his namesake bill and, through this work, was able to open the doors for young men and women to pursue successful and fruitful careers in law enforcement,” Walsh said in a statement.
Quinn was a state representative from 1957 through 1969 and was House speaker from 1967 to 1969. He was elected attorney general in 1970.
Attorney General Martha Coakley said Quinn “a passionate public servant.”
“Often on the forefront of some of the country’s most pressing issues, General Quinn established the Environmental Protection Division in the attorney general’s office, led a multi-state coalition to challenge the federal government’s ability to drill for oil off our shores, and established the New England Organized Crime Intelligence System. We will miss his vision and leadership,” Coakley said in a statement.
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