Lt. Gov. Tim Murray Is Resigning Early

Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray surprised us with news that he’ll be resigning at the end of next week to take a job with the Worcester Chamber of Commerce. Murray had already announced that he wouldn’t be running to replace Gov. Deval Patrick in 2014 so the decision doesn’t much matter in that sense, but apparently Massachusetts has no mechanism for replacing a lieutenant governor which means Patrick is without a sidekick for the rest of his term.

Even before Murray announced he wouldn’t run, his gubernatorial hopes seemed complicated by his connection to the Chelsea Housing Authority scandal and a strange late-night, high-speed car accident. WBZ reports that Murray’s new gig as head of the Worcester Chamber of Commerce will pay him over $200,000 a year. Nice work if you can get it.