Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo speaks at a bill signing ceremony at the State House in Boston in 2016. (Elise Amendola/AP) Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo is in talks with his alma mater, Northeastern University, about a potential new job opportunity, signaling a coming end to his 12-year run atop the House amid a days-long stretch of swirling rumors about his potential departure. DeLeo has not yet declared he is stepping down as speaker. However, in an ethics disclosure filing he notified House officials late Friday morning that he intended to begin talks with Northeastern about "prospective employment opportunities." The letter came just two days after DeLeo initially denied having any direct conversations with the university about a future job. He repeated that on Friday.