Frank Crimmins Aims to Bring Judicial Experience to Gov. Council Role

Preparation is everything, and in the case of Stoughton resident Francis T 'Frank' Crimmins, Jr., there is plenty of that, embracing a wide range of public service roles over the years.

Crimmins earned a bachelor's degree from Harvard College. and later earned a law degree from Suffolk University Law School. His career experience includes working as an attorney. town manager, and district court judge, and as chair of the state ballot law commission, among other things.

Now he is aiming to bring that experience to the role of Governor's Councilor.

What's that, you might ask?

The Goverenor's Council is a peculiar Massachusetts holdover from the days of a Royal Colonial Governor – but the modern version has specific powers and tasks, notably vetting and approving candiddates for the state’s judiciary branch. This is the kind of vital, behind the scenes gut-check job that can help ensure that judges get approved for reasons of merit, not as a political plum jobs and Crimmins emphasizes his own experience in the judiciary as part of his preparation for the role.

In fact, he has personally gone through the judicial nomination and Governor’s Council confirmation process.

“The Governor’s Council is not a ceremonial position,” Crimmins wrote in a press statement. “Councilors are asked to review the qualifications, temperament, experience, and judgment of the men and women nominated to serve on our courts. Those decisions affect public safety, families, constitutional rights, and confidence in our justice system. Experience matters when making decisions of that magnitude.”

The second district seat represents a wide swath of town, many in Norfolk County, including Franklin and Medway as well as Attleboro, Brockton, and many towns in between.