Speaker Robert DeLeo gave his farewell address in the House Chamber on Tuesday afternoon. Sitting behind him was Majority Leader Ron Mariano (left), who is expected to become speaker on Wednesday. (Sam Doran/SHNS)
As the sun set on his time in the Massachusetts House, Speaker Robert DeLeo took to the House floor one last time Tuesday to reflect on a three-decade Beacon Hill career that he said he tried to center around one overarching philosophy: that "what this job is all about, very simply, is helping people."
The Winthrop Democrat resigned from the House effective 6 p.m. Tuesday and hopes to soon begin working for his alma mater, Northeastern University. So with less than three hours left in his career as a representative, DeLeo stood at the lectern in the well of the House Chamber to address the body he has been a part of for 30 years and has led for the last 12 years.