A Hampden Superior Court judge has authorized discovery in an appeal regarding a civil lawsuit related to a $2 billion state contract for a new courthouse in Springfield. This contract was awarded in part to CoJo Partners, a Boston-based firm co-owned by Conan Harris, the husband of U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley, and John Barros, the interim Executive Director of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA).
The lawsuit emerged following public outcry over the contract awarded by the state’s Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) to a partnership including Liberty Junction, the firm led by Harris and Barros. In August, the judge had denied a motion from the plaintiffs to halt the project, a decision that is now being appealed.
Judge David Hodge recently dismissed Liberty Junction’s motion to prohibit discovery in the appeal filed by Jeb Balise and Dinesh Patel, two of the ten losing bidders. In his ruling, Hodge addressed concerns about confidentiality, granting a protective order while allowing discovery to proceed.
“The court does find that Liberty has raised sufficient concerns about the confidentiality of the discovery sought to warrant the issuance of a protective order,” Hodge stated in his ruling. “However, Liberty’s motion to stay discovery is denied.” Hodge, who presided over the original case, previously ruled in favor of Liberty Junction and the Commonwealth.
Following the ruling, attorneys for both parties submitted necessary paperwork related to the discovery process. Hodge has instructed the attorneys to agree on the terms of the protective order for Liberty Junction during discovery.
A spokesperson for Balise and Patel expressed optimism about the discovery process, stating, “This ruling by the Court will begin to allow the evidence to come out, despite the efforts of Liberty Junction and the State to keep the facts about this $2 billion mistake hidden.”
The Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance has praised the judge’s decision, emphasizing the importance of transparency. “Taxpayers deserve a transparent process, and allowing for discovery will shed more light on what potentially has been going on,” said Paul Craney, Executive Director of the organization.
Further complications have emerged from court documents indicating that Barros met with senior staff from Governor Maura Healey’s administration shortly before the contract announcement. The Healey administration has defended this meeting, clarifying that it occurred after the contract was awarded and insisting no political input influenced the selection process.
It was disclosed in prior legal filings that Barros had not disclosed his financial interest in CoJo Partners until after the contract was awarded. He subsequently divested his interest amid growing public scrutiny. Balise and Patel initially filed the lawsuit in July, with Judge Hodge denying their request for injunctive relief in August.
Pressley has defended her husband while maintaining that their finances are separate, stating, “I have no unique insights on this.” Meanwhile, Harris continues with CoJo Partners, and Pressley’s net worth has reportedly surged significantly in recent years.
The Attorney General’s Office and attorneys for Balise and Patel have been approached for comments on the ongoing legal matters.
